Bird Builds a Nest (Science Storybooks)

A worthy...venture into multidisciplinary teaching for very young children.

In an expectant tone and encouraging curiosity, Jenkins' text playfully captures the bird's lengthy task of building a home, with an emphasis on the bird's physical actions, like pushing, pulling, and carrying. Jones' mixed-media illustrations, rendered in muted natural tones, nicely underscore the concepts, especially as the nest gets gradually bigger...Inquisitive little ones will appreciate this approachable STEM- friendly read.

Jones's illustrations mirror the text, allowing the youngest readers to create a story without the words but also giving them the pleasure of reading on their own after perhaps just one read-aloud. These illustrations, in their stylized beauty, depict the most basic elements of the natural world and highlight the text's focus on science. The entire reading experience indeed heralds a "beautiful day."

PreS-Gr 1--This simple book about a bird's nest-building activities is accessible as both a story and a book about science. The title introduces a number of concepts, including gravity, heavy versus light, and pushing and pulling. After being foiled in a tug-of-war by a large, strong worm and settling for a more manageable one, Bird begins building her nest. Youngsters learn how the bird constructs a secure home for her future offspring by gathering, weaving, and smoothing the nest's walls. Large, clear mixed media illustrations reveal a variety of perspectives and will engage listeners. A brief "Thinking about Pushing and Pulling" section explains the forces seamlessly included in the text and an index is appended. VERDICT This new series launch serves as a gentle introduction to scientific principles for the very young. A solid read-aloud for young nature lovers.--Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

In this kickoff to the First Science Storybook series, author and biologist Jenkins follows a bird as it builds its nest, but his real goal is to explore the concepts of force and gravity (which are discussed in an introductory note to parents). Drab shades of rust, brown, and pale blue-green lend a sense of calm to Jones's flattened and slightly abstracted mixed-media images. The bird constructs its nest by pushing and pulling twigs together, then fills it with "softer things" such as feathers and grass: "Can you guess what it's waiting for? Eggs!" Closing questions invite readers to revisit the book with the concepts of pushing and pulling in mind: "Can you find some places in the book where Bird pushes something?" It's a neat way for readers to see science fundamentals at work in nature. Ages 4-6. (Feb.)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook works well as a straightforward narrative that concludes with the toddler-pleasing sight of a nest full of ready-to-hatch eggs...It's become de rigueur to introduce little kids to science concepts, and Bird Builds a Nest is among those with standout illustrations. In fact, Richard Jones's nimble mixed-media compositions, which have the look of cut-paper tableaux, are downright suitable for framing." —Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review) 

"Jones' illustrations make this a visual pleasure, with a stylized bird in designer earthtones reminiscent of Charley Harper; a petite seven-entry index is included to help listeners "look up the pages to find out about forces." This is an attractive, engaging debut for a promising new series." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books