Robins!: How They Grow Up – A Fascinating Picture Book About Bird Facts for Young Naturalists

by Eileen Christelow

Robins are the most familiar and beloved of all birds, found throughout North America and celebrated as one of the first signs of spring. But there's a lot about them that most people don’t know! In this visually stunning picture book that features comic-book panels combined with painterly illustrations, Eileen Christelow tells the story of two young robins’ first year, and reveals plenty of little-known facts that are sure to captivate young naturalists. Narrated with humor and filled with kid-pleasing details, this fascinating account of how robins grow up includes an Author’s Note, Glossary, More About Robins, and Sources.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Birds, Nature, Animals, Childrens, Science

48 pages, Hardcover

Published February 7, 2017

About the author

Eileen Christelow is an acclaimed American author and illustrator of children’s books, best known for her beloved Five Little Monkeys series. Beginning with Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, a playful retelling of the classic nursery rhyme, the series has captivated generations of young readers with its humor and rhythmic storytelling. Over the course of her career, Christelow has published more than 30 books, encompassing both fiction and nonfiction, and many inspired by her surroundings in Vermont, her family life, and even her dog, Emma.
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1943, Christelow spent her formative years in Connecticut and briefly in Japan, where she attended the American School in Tokyo. She studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, a discipline that would influence her later work in design and illustration. After working for several years as a freelance photographer, she turned her focus to writing and illustrating picture books while raising her daughter in California. Her earliest works, Henry and the Red Stripes and Mr. Murphy’s Marvelous Invention, were published by Clarion Books in the early 1980s.
Christelow’s books often celebrate storytelling, curiosity, and mischief, appealing to children and educators alike. Titles like What Do Authors Do?, What Do Illustrators Do?, and Vote! provide engaging nonfiction content for young readers, while others such as Letters From a Desperate Dog and The Great Pig Escape draw on humorous real-life scenarios. Her works have received numerous accolades and several Five Little Monkeys titles have been translated into Spanish and Chinese.
She continues to live and work in East Dummerston, Vermont, in a home designed by her husband, where she draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the state. Christelow remains a cherished voice in children’s literature, with a lasting legacy of entertaining and educating young readers.

Reviews

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a through, somewhat humorous, and very well laid out book about robins, their nesting habits, their young, and their maturation.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An example of a book I found both educational and entertaining is Robins!: How They Grow Up. It follows two young robins ("our black and white speckles mean we're young -- a few months old") as they tell the story of how they came to be living in "your" yard. The illustrations proper depict what is happening in the the story the robins tell while little side illustrations show the robins "talking" with cartoon bubbles. The added bubble asides are little odd since the robins are telling the whole story, anyway, but it's entertaining. They begin the story with their dad's arrival after winter and end with their own migration south for the next winter. Along the way, we learn a lot about robins (particularly parenting) and the development of the baby chicks week by week. As an adult, I even learned a few things (I hadn't realized how involved robin dads are with the parenting -- they actually do most of the teaching for the first brood while the mother sits on the eggs of the second brood!). I found it annoying how the story is told in present tense in the main text and in past tense in the bubbles but it didn't detract too much. For sensitive readers, note that this doesn't shy away from the difficulties facing babies in the wild: a squirrel eats one of the eggs, and a hawk eats another baby. It's really rather intense given the story is told from the perspective of the siblings so it says, "Our brother is gone. Mom and dad chase the hawk, scolding and screaming, but he flies away, our brother dangling from his talons--a meal for hungry hawk babies." Yikes! I skipped that page when reading this to my five-year-old, but he enjoyed the rest of the book. Most of the book is told with humor and, quibbles aside, I do recommend it as an entertaining way to learn about one of America's most popular songbirds. There's also a good "More About Robins" fact section in the back, a Glossary, and Sources.

[Starla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I used to introduce Robins! How They Grow Up would be This is the Nest That Robin Built by Denise Fleming. Both books are dealing with robin birds, therefore, I will categorize both books in the science category. I would categorize it in the science category because robins are birds that would be discussed in a science class. I chose this book to introduce Robins! How They Grow Up because the way the book is a fun way and in simple terms explains what the robin is doing and how they are about ready to get their wings and to go on their own. Robins! How They Grow Up is about the daily life changes of the robins in depth until they are ready to be on their own. I would use the DR-TA chart/cycle. I would use this chart because it goes over the cycle of the robin from birth. With this chart before starting to read I would ask the students if they knew what the life cycle was of a robin. Then I would read the fiction book allowing them to get their minds thinking about the cycle. After reading the fiction book we will start reading the non-fiction book, which goes in depth of the lifecycle. Once, both books are read they will fill out the chart allowing them to see the life cycle and how it is repetitive each time a robin starts their life.

Christelow, E. (2017). Robins! How they grow up. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Fleming, D. (2018). This is the nest that robin built. San Diego, CA: Beach Lane Books.

[Pink Leaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. The art & storytelling are perfect & it is very informative! I read a stack of children’s books about robins & this one was far and away the BEST.

*no evolution, except for saying “adapted” once

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have a beautiful robin’s nest in our treehouse this spring and have enjoyed watching the birds care for their brood. Our 8 year-old had lots of questions we couldn’t answer, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to do some non-fiction reading with him. I requested five books about robins from the library and fortunately, this was one of them.

This book was BY FAR the most informative and included some humor, which made it entertaining. The audience for this text is definitely older children due to the length, vocabulary, volume of embedded facts, and it’s approach to robins being a part of the food chain. The text is written in a narrative format (as a conversation between two robin siblings). Readers learn that one of the eggs from their nest is stolen by a predator and then when the birds are fledgling, one of their “brothers” is taken by a falcon to be food for baby falcons. No emotion was written into this part of the story—this information was merely presented as facts. However, the narrative presentation of this information might cause some children to anthropomorphize and elicit an emotional response.

I don’t purchase a lot of children’s books anymore unless I expect to read them over and over. However, this book fits that criteria. I plan to buy it so that we can refer back to it each spring as we witness new life in our yard.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nonfiction picture book tells the story of Robins! In an interesting twist, parts of this book are told from the perspective of a group of Robins and details who they are, where they live, how they migrate and so on. Amongst the words, the reader will find many pictures, laid out in comic-book form including funny speech bubbles. Young readers will appreciate the humor while also learning new facts about these birds.

I gave this book five stars because I think this type of nonfiction book will be very engaging for readers. Eileen Christelow, the author and illustrator of this book, did a terrific job laying out the facts in a fun way. Young readers can also apply this knowledge to their studies of animals and habitats as set by the Next Generation Science Standards in the early grades. This book would be fun for students to enjoy independently, with a partner or as a class read aloud. In the back of the book, students can continue their learning with a note from the author, a glossary, more resources about robins and a list of sources the author used. This feature would also be a great mentor text for a nonfiction writing unit.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well paced and illustrated picture book covering the first five months of a Robins life.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative, nicely illustrated, nonfiction picture book about the life of robins.
Nutmeg Book Award Nominee 2020, Elementary Division

[Cynthia Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two robins, only a few months old, considered teenagers tell the story of how they came to be, beginning with their parents arrival in the location where they were hatched. The book is chock full of facts that were new to me! From nest building to knowing about a brood patch were facts this book contained. Unfortunately only two of the four eggs hatched and one of the babies was carried off by a hawk. Descriptions of predators and the different kinds of calls used by the parent robins to warn the babies are described. Included are a glossary, additional facts about robins and a short bibliography and some websites. Robins are so common, they are taken for granted, but this book sheds new light on our familiar spring time friends.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eileen Christelow once noticed a robin who built her nest on a hoe in an open shed one year. Her husband moved it to use the hoe and Mother Robin built another nest “on the hoe”. Eileen began to investigate, didn’t understand what was going on. Evidently, this mom wanted “that” place. Since then, this book, Robins! How They Grow Up, has been written and illustrated by Eileen. She’s chosen to have two young robins tell their tale, and they even started with Dad’s journey, they say, “before we were born.” Eileen has craftily managed to create a youthful voice from these two young robins, telling their story in short text, and at the bottom of the pages, they’re seen speaking to each other. With her beautiful watercolor/black outlined pictures, some large, some small, she manages to show and tell, as the title says, "How They Grew Up" a lot of robin action. Many of the pages' illustrations are in boxes, reminding of a scrapbook. She shows when they must protect the eggs from a greedy squirrel, or save one newly fledged youngster who isn’t strong enough to fly back to the nest. It’s hiding in tall grass, while a cat lurks nearby. The dangers, like squirrels and cats, later hawks, are handled well with the use of the word Danger! also showing what the parents do when that call to action happens.
From the father flying north to scout out the best territory, then mother arrives and constructs the nest. Eileen’s watercolor pictures with black outlining are light with “spring-like” colors. She shows lots of action, especially when danger arrives or the robins are showing their new children how to do things, like find food. I imagine adults know most of the content, but there is an author's note, glossary, a section of added content and a bibliography at the back. This book was out just a few days ago, a good companion for Laura's book above.

[Margaret]

For as long as I can remember their presence is one of several signs spring will be here soon. First you occasionally see one or two, then you might see an entire flock covering a lawn as they migrate to their home territories. The once cold, silent sunrises are now filled with a new song.

There is an old practice for bringing good luck when you see the first one of a new season. Upon sighting one, lick the thumb of your right hand and then place it in the palm of your left hand. You next make a fist with your right hand and stamp it on top of the thumb print on your left palm. When you make a wish as you do this, it will come true.

According to this old tradition American robins, the state bird of three states, Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin, are like winged, four-leaf clovers. When visiting a book store recently I knew I had to have Robins! How They Grow Up (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, February 7, 2017) written and illustrated by Eileen Christelow. You may think you know everything there is to know about robins but this book offers you much more.


My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christelow, Eileen Robins! How They Grow Up. PICTURE BOOK. Clarion Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), 2017. $16.99. Content: PG.

Two young robins tell the story of how their parents met, how they were born, and how they survived to become juveniles. Endnotes give more information about the lives of robins.

The story format adds interest to this nonfiction picture book and encourages children to empathize with robins. Unfortunately, that makes it all the more difficult when two of the four baby robins are eaten by other creatures. While some children may not particularly care, sensitive readers and those with strong imaginations will likely take it hard. At 48 pages, this picture book is on the hefty side and takes longer than usual to read.

EL (K-3) -- OPTIONAL. Reviewed by Sydney G., K-6 Library Media Specialist
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging and informative picture book about the migration and life cycle of robins. The illustrations trend toward graphic novel, with cartoon birds at the bottom adding to the narrative. However, the larger illustrations are realistic and seem true to nature. Warning for those tender at heart: one of the young fledglings does not survive. In the back of the book, you learn that life is rough for wild robins. In nature, only one out of four young robins make it to six months old!

The robin is the state bird of Wisconsin, Connecticut, and Michigan. Schools and libraries in those states should definitely have this non-fiction gem on their shelves, but since the robin is one of the easiest birds for young children to identify, I'd highly recommend it for all, especially children in grades K-4. Includes author's note, glossary, sources, and additional robin facts.

[Brady]

Robins! How They Grow Up by Eileen Christelow



Summary: The 40 page book uses two robins to depict the animals life cycle as they grow to be a year old. The book starts with the two robins explaining how their parents met and laid eggs. As the story goes on through the life cycle, the birds learn to fly and hunt for food, as well as migrate for the winter

Analysis: this book has awesome illustrations by the author and has a very good story line for children, especially the use of the two robin siblings to tell the story. They made the book interesting and sweet and added more to the plot then just it being the life cycle of robins.

Application: Yes, I would use this in a classroom. As i said before the two birds brought an interesting aspect to the story and I think it would be a fun read for any elementary aged student

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew mother robins use their feet to squish down mud in the nest? Or that the parents eat or carry away the babies little white poop sacs? Lots of detail told in first-person, with headings for stages, many panels showing details, and two little robins on each page discussing certain facts in speech bubbles.
What I like best is that the book does not gloss over the fact that generally only one in four eggs laid will survive past six months - a very important fact of life! Some people think that is too bad & sad- but what if you were telling the story from the hawk's or squirrel's point of view? They need to eat, too! I was glad to see that pointed out in the text.
Glossary and additional facts included in the back matter.

[Gary Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robins!: How They Grow Up is full of fascinating details about robins that will enhance what young readers have probably already noticed about them. As the primary text explains how young robins are born and develop, some comic robins lurking at the bottom of the pages comment on the narrative. This provides some nice variety, which is needed because the pictures become repetitive in places, mostly because the backgrounds are so plain, and the robins look mostly the same from page to page. Still, the artwork is expressive and appealing; it’s just repetitive. Although probably too long for a read-aloud, Robins! can be a good picture book to use in the spring as robins begin to appear. Markers of the robins’ various ages can serve as little chapter breaks for those hesitant to read the entire book at once.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclaimer: I'm a bird-lover, bird-caregiver, and robin-fan.
This oversized, richly illustrated picture book offers readers entertainment and excellent scientific information. This all comes across through the appealing first-person dialogue of a pair of juvenile robins, nest-mates who directly address readers from the corners of each spread. The life cycle of robins in general is explored through their specific family story, allowing readers to empathize with and admire the complexity of survival and the adaptability of a species.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two birds share the story of their first five months. I enjoyed the way this story was told. There are bits that are honest but a bit alarming, primarily when one of the robin eggs gets eaten by a squirrel. These are necessary for a good nonfiction story about the early life of birds, but between that and the length I would recommend this for kindergarten and up. Otherwise, Christelow illustrates this book with her gentle style and shares a fascinating tale about the animals that most kids find in their own backyards.

[Katherine Cramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
This non-fiction book follows a nest of baby robins as they grow up. This book is full of facts about the robin.
Review:
This was a great non-fiction book. The book being told in the perspective of one of the baby robins makes it easy to follow for students. The illustrations are great and engaging and add a lot to the book.
Classroom Activity:
A classroom activity for this book could be for students to research another animal and create a comic strip that follows a baby animal as it grows up. They would need to have labels to add details to how their animal was growing.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Graphic novel, "Robins!: How They Grow Up" follows the progression of a robins life as it grows and ages. This graphic novel is super informational and provides fun insight from other animal characters included. There is lots of helpful back matter that provides further information to the reader about said birds. I liked this book because I thought the teaching approached used to teach readers about their life cycle was engaging and entertaining.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My four year old is currently obsessed with robins - who nest near her bedroom window - so I was so excited to find this book. Rich with detail and information, it's not the best bedtime read, but it's a great book to explore with her and pick up at different times. She is a sensitive soul and was shaken up by the baby robin eaten by a hawk, but the placement of this realistic detail made it so we could continue to follow the other robins who had a happier ending.

[Sarah Limb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gotta hand it to this author, she took a book that teaches the life of a bird and made interesting. I gotta give her a big thumbs up because usually I find this kind of stuff pretty boring. I love her back story on why she wrote the book. And I also appreciated her honesty in regards to some of the hard and sad things that happen to robins (the circle of life, am I right?). Very sweet and well thought out book!

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reggie is an amusing robin who hangs around in the maple tree in our backyard. This awesome nonfiction picture book tells the story of the first year of a robin's life. With beautiful illustrations and kid-friendly text, young readers will learn all about these birds that are right outside their windows. This is a great nonfiction resource to have on the bookshelf.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The life cycle of a robin is presented with a very engaging narrative, complete with fun comics in the corners of the pages that reminded me of Cricket Magazine. I enjoyed all the details of bird behavior, especially how the father robin teaches the babies to get their own food and to communicate. There are more interesting robin facts at the end of the book.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations. An interesting mix of styles, part picture book but with graphic novel style panels. I like that there is a glossary but wish some more of the words were defined on page as you encounter them. A pretty detailed explanation of robin life cycles, maybe a little text heavy for early elementary. Does not shy away from the circle of life.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun informative non-fiction narrative! I see robin's all the time so it was cool to learn more about them! It was from the perspective of two 'teenaged' robins and the pictures were great!

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome! I learned so much! I liked that the baby robins narrated the book to help create more of an emotional investment in the information given. The panel-style reminded me of a graphic novel and will appeal to kids who may otherwise avoid nonfiction.

[Bethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Great non-fiction for young readers - very engaging to have the narrators be 2 little robins telling their start to life, not too chatty, not too dense of information. Great illustrations, format, interesting back matter.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Nonfiction early elementary book features the life cycle of robins. I liked the nonfiction facts balanced with the story of two brother robins from birth through 1 year. Cute, easy to follow and not to long

[Jesslaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very first time we read this book we knew it was a keeper. Two teenage Robins explain their life cycle in a straight forward conversational way. We loved learning all the nitty-gritty details of a Robin’s life. Be sure to read the author’s note in the back for a small chuckle.