Dig, Dance, Dive: How Birds Move to Survive

by Etta Kaner, June Steube (Illustrator)

A funny and informative look at birds and their unique behavioral adaptations

Birds can do a lot more than just fly! Did you know some of them can dig, dance, dive, and dabble? This nonfiction book introduces readers to an assortment of fascinating birds and their surprising behaviors. Readers will learn about flightless birds like the Adélie penguin, which toboggans down hills on its belly, or the kakapo, which climbs up trees to escape danger. Even birds that fly have quirky survival behaviors—like the barred owl, which can turn its head almost all the way around, or the blue-footed booby, which dives from great heights to catch fish.

Written by prolific children’s nonfiction author and educator Etta Kaner and whimsically illustrated by artist June Steube, Dig, Dance, Dive invites readers to greet all sorts of amazing feathered friends in a fun and informative exploration.

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

40 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2022

Reviews

[Christine Zandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite recent nonfiction picture books because it conveys facts in a way kids will enjoy. The subject is something different and the art while being funny is also gorgeous. Highly recommended!

[MB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a non-fiction picture book aimed at young school aged readers, and the captivating illustrations + peppy text are super fun! While the content is made accessible to kids, I think caretakers reading this book will enjoy and learn from it as well. I personally have been birding for about two years, and found myself gasping aloud as I read ☺️

Thanks to NetGalley and Owl Kids books for sharing an ARC of this book.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book that has great appeal for young readers. I can easily imagine parents, teachers, and librarians reading this book to children ages 4 to 7 and independent readers aged 7 to 9 enjoying the words and the illustrations.

The book dedicates two pages to describing an action that birds can perform. The pages are 90% an illustration with the other 10% containing the words. For example: "Birds Twist. How far can you twist your neck? Like many owls, a long-eared owl can turn its neck nearly 270 degrees in either direction. That's all most all the way around! Why does it do that? To see better." The accompanying illustration depicts a family of owls: three adults and four babies sitting on a tree. Some of the owls have their heads twisted--15 degrees, 45 degrees, 180 degrees from upright.

After highlighting an action per page, the book ends with smaller illustrations next to seven more actions: climb, dig, walk, run, dance, stalk, and dive.

There is not back matter. The benefits of the book rest entirely on the activity of reading it aloud or having a young person delight in reading it themselves.

It's a fun and visually engaging book. Good job to author Etta Kaner and illustrator June Steube.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The language in this delightfully informative book about bird adaptations is playful but precise. Each critter is introduced with a few lively words in oversized font, followed by a short passage with science-accurate descriptions of how the introductory phrase applies.

An example involves penguins.

BIRDS TOBOGGAN. Readers then learn about what it takes to safely and effectively conserve energy and yet escape or travel large spaces without harming penguin feathers. The appealing and reader-focused eyes are enhanced by the illustrator's placement of birds in dramatic perspectives, action-packed scenes, and creative clusters, but ones that are consistent with actual behaviors of that species. A final double spread offers quick notes about other birds and their surprising behavior patterns and adaptations that increase survival.

This is a thoroughly scientific/nonfiction title for young audiences, yet it abounds with humor, surprise, and curiosity-provoking content that are likely to develop more attentive observation of birds among those same young ones. If you are new to this blog you won't know that I am an avowed bird-lover, wowed by their intelligence, variety, beauty and behaviors. Even so, I feel safe is assuring readers that such a preset is not required to fall in love with this book and the birds within its pages.

What are you waiting for?

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dig, Dance, Dive: How Birds Move to Survive is a children's nonfiction book written by Etta Kaner and illustrated by June Steube. It is currently Scheduled for release on April 15 2022. Birds can do a lot more than just fly! Did you know some of them can dig, dance, dive, and dabble? Readers will learn about flightless birds like the Adélie penguin (which toboggans down hills on its belly) and the kakapo (which climbs up trees to escape danger). Even birds that fly have quirky survival behaviors—like the barred owl, which can turn its head almost all the way around, or the blue-footed booby, which dives from great heights to catch fish.

Dig, Dance, Dive: How Birds Move to Survive is a beautifully illustrated book. The watercolor artwork is very well done and the book is worth a look even before getting into the text of the book. I never thought too much about how birds moved, aside that most flew and some swam. This book gives a nice look at some of the more unusual movements of birds and how they impact the survival and lives of the birds. This is a great book for the elementary and younger set- to read alone or share with an adult or older child.

[Lahars_little_library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you #netgalley and @owlkidsbooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Looking for an engaging whimsical nonfiction addition to your informational library? Oh you're not? Well, you should pick up this book anyway. It's downright delightful. Each page expanded my kids framework of what birds can do with energy and lively descriptions. There were bird adaptations that my husband and I had never heard of before. The carasmatic expressions on each of the birds faces and their unexpected positions and poses added to the fun of this read. Just look at how darn CUTE they are! My kids were giggling the whole time. You can bet I'll be seeking out a physical copy of this book to add to my home/school library as soons as it hits the shelves in April!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful picture book tells of a variety of interesting birds and their unusual talents or features. Pages generally alternate between large, simple verbs like dig, dance, or dive and short paragraphs of information about the bird who moves in that way. This book is accessible and inviting for young readers while also sharing information and being a potential research tool. The pictures are unique and very detailed, and could also be used as inspiration for children creating art. As a grade 3 teacher, I could absolutely see this book in my classroom library, and would definitely recommend it for families and teachers of children ages 4-10. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this excellent book!

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dig, Dance, Dive builds on alliteration to show fascinating and interesting ways that birds move and adapt within their habitats. The birds are both unique and familiar, teaching children to better understand things they see often, and also includes more distinctive behaviors. The bird does so much more than fly, and these 20 birds paint of picture of stellar adaptations across the species. Kaner shows birds from diverse locations and adaptations that are both surprising and fun.

Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

[Tanya Konerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This roundup-style nonfiction picture book features amazing birds from around the world as they dig, dance, dive, dabble, twist, jump, run, and more, using movement in sometimes surprising ways in their daily lives. Delightfully fun illustrations bring the birds' movements joyfully to life, while text offers succinct and engaging descriptions kids are sure to want to hear - or read - again and again.

Thanks to NetGalley and OwlKids Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful hand-drawn illustrations bring bite-sized facts about various birds to life. Great for read along with a kid or for upper elementary to read independently, there are plenty of possible math applications and problems embedded in this ornithologic gem. Would make a great addition to any school library.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young children often assume birds just fly. This book helps them think outside of the box. Birds move in all kinds of ways! I would easily integrate this into a unit about great writing. Great writers often think differently, think about things in new ways. This is a great mentor text to explore as a class. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations and clear language make this a fun picture book. The steady rhythm of an action verb ("Birds dance" "Birds toboggan" "Birds jump") on each page spread stands out over a painted (? art is hard) picture demonstrating while smaller text details how this behavior helps this specific bird survive.

It's a fun picture book as well as a fun read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am surprised to read on the back that this is the illustrator's first picture book. The illustrations are what made this book phenomenal. They are very amusing and expressive. It made the birds seem like they had personality.

The text is wonderful too, I liked the amount per spread, the layout, etc. I learned lots of new to me things.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book did not load well on my Kindle, I could make out the illustrations. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful.

The characters are many birds in their environments doing what needs to be done to survive. Every person who views these graphics, will be taken in.

[Bozhena Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book. This wonderful non-fiction describes multiple ways in which birds move. Beautiful illustrations greatly enhance the text. Looking forward to using this book with my students.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa! There are so many cool birds in the world! The illustrations complement the text perfectly. No doubt you will learn a lot about birds from reading this short picture book.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love how it uses individual words to introduce bird behaviors.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, lively illustrations of some of my favorite birds.

[Mary-Esther Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very attractive!

[wildct2003 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good info great pictures

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool informational book that would work for storytime. I would just read the big words for storytime and encourage kids to read the rest on their own.

[Rolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great art, and interesting info about birds that sparked my kids' curiosity.

[Brenna]

Enjoyable. Would recommend.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this are so funny. My 5yo was CACKLING every time we turned the page. I highly recommend following this one up with some David Attenborough bird of paradise mating videos.

[Cindy Overcast · Rating 5 out of 5]

DIG, DANCE, DIVE uses specific bird examples and colorful illustrations to show the many ways birds use movement to meet their needs and stay alive. Very entertaining!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book - just out-there-enough bird facts (of course the kakapo must be included in any children's book) plus hilarious facial expressions on the birds.

Congrats on your extremely well-deserved Cybils 2022 nomination!

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.