#blogbookaday: Bird Builds a Nest

Summary:  “It’s time for Bird to build her nest! Follow her as she pulls a worm out of the ground, lifts some twigs that are just the right size, and pushes the twigs into place. Uh-oh! One of the twigs falls to the ground! But after a day of hard work, Bird’s nest is ready and waiting. Can you guess what it’s waiting for? Using simple, clear language and beautiful illustrations, this engaging story is the perfect introduction to physical forces for very young readers. A final spread with some simple questions promotes discussion with parents, teachers, or caregivers and encourages readers to think about the concepts introduced.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Review: With words like “A First Science Storybook” on the cover, I was hesitant to see what this book was all about. I’m always looking for picture books that teach kids without them really knowing that they’re learning. I want young kids to enjoy learning and exploring and not feel as though they are being lectured or grilled about a specific concept or idea. This book does a great job for really young kids explaining how a bird builds a nest. What they look for, how heavy something is, the steps involved from start to finish. And what’s great is that if you want to ask your child some questions about the story and how it relates to science, they have simple questions printed that allows you to do that at a developmentally-appropriate level.

Personal Reaction: I loved the color palette of this book – with the leaves of the trees in shades of yellows, oranges, and greens. I would have loved to see more bright colors for spring, but this color palette works really well together and I think works well for the story. Who would have thought that learning about force would be as much as learning about birds’ nests.

Title: Bird Builds a Nest
Author: Martin Jenkins
Illustrator: Richard Jones
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: January 17, 2018

This is a new idea I’m trying on my blog this year that was inspired by @donalynbooks and @heisereads – to provide a brief review of a picture book every day of 2018. You’ll get a brief summary of the story, a review of the content, illustrations and theme, my personal reaction to the book and all the pertinent publication information! Enjoy!