She Heard the Birds: The Story of Florence Merriam Bailey

A good introduction to an important pathfinder among women naturalists.

K-Gr 2--This accessible look at one woman's lifetime dedication to scientific study and efforts to protect American birds introduces Florence Merriam Bailey. Spare text on vividly illustrated double-page spreads tells the story of this pioneering 19th-century ornithologist as she grows from a nature-loving girl to an activist/protector adult. Her early love of nature and birds matured to a call to action when she was horrified at women's fashionable hats adorned with feathers and even stuffed dead birds. She devoted her life to observing and listening to birds in their habitats and wrote one of the first field guides on recognizing birds by their songs and calls. The pastel torn paper collages creatively illustrate her life--depicting a bird's-eye glimpse from the treetops of the small girl, a dark night sky with owls and constellations, and the tools she used to study and record her scientific work. A summary of her life is appended as are resources for further information on birds. VERDICT Recommend to boost library collections' biographies of scientific women for young readers.--Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County P.L., VA

Pioneering nature activist Florence Merriam Bailey (1863-1948) takes center stage in this picture book about a woman who "grew up surrounded by trees," developing a special fascination with birds. With her astronomer mother as a model of scientific prowess, Bailey paid special attention to the birds' songs; "She had the feeling/ they/ had/ something/ important/ to/ tell/ her." When a trip to "the big city" reveals a cruel fashion statement--hats covered with birds and feathers--Bailey determines to make a difference, collecting information and writing books, including an early field guide, and teaching people how to bird-watch ("Shhhhhhh! Listen. What are they saying?"). Though D'Aquino's compassionate narrative elides clear mention of how Bailey's actions resulted in a world that "became safer for the birds, and more beautiful for us all," hand-painted collage, oil pastel, and pencil illustrations place the paper-white protagonist amid stylized scenes that emphasize the personal nature of the figure's work. Back matter includes an author's note and recommendations for helping birds. Ages 5-8. (Oct.)