The Big Book of Birds – Book review

Book Review
The Big Book of Birds
By Yuval Zommer
Published June 4, 2019

Why we chose this book: 
We loved The Big Book of the Blue, and we love learning about birds! We just saw a great blue heron in our yard, sparking our interest in that particular species. We were so glad to have this on hand to look up how it catches its prey. Thames and Hudson provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mom's Review
What is cozier than being side by side with your little one on the rug, perusing a giant picture book, with the sun streaming in? Not much in my book. And this is how T and I have read through The Big Book of Birds. The oversized publication takes up almost our whole field of vision when it's propped up in my lap and T is under my arm, pointing out what he wants me to read (or where a hidden egg can be found on different pages). Reading together was like being in our own little world. No distractions (despite the LEGO bricks surrounding us), no interruptions (the InstantPot was cooking away). Purely time enjoying a book together.

Whether you are reading it with a little one under your arm or your elementary schooler has it him/herself, if you are a fan of Yuval Zommer, you will not be disappointed with this latest Big Book. From bird families to migration to flightless birds to eggs, and from flamingos to great gray owl to kingfishers, The Big Book of Birds is a fascinating and lovely flight through the avian world.

There is a lot of information to take in, some of it familiar, but much of it new. Each two-page spread features stunning illustrations with snippets of text. The Big Book of Birds strikes the balance between entertaining and informing that I like so much. Flamingos pee on their own legs to cool down. Entertaining? My son is four. Potty humor is high comedy in this house (though we are trying to keep it to this house – wish us luck with that one). Informative? You bet! On top of the edifying(?) information, there's also a seek-and-find game: readers have to spot a particular egg throughout the book. Get those Where's Waldo? skills warmed up!

Note: The information covered includes basic bird information, specialized trivia, and tips for bird-watching. It's not all flamingo pee and kingfisher poop.

Son's Review
(Age: 4 years old)
Mom: What is your favorite section? Why?

Son: My favorite section is this page because it's eggs and the biggest egg is an ostrich egg. It takes up a bunch of space.

Mom: What is your favorite bird? Why?

Son: These [chicks] are two of my favorite birds because they can crack open their eggs like every kind of bird.

Mom: You learned lots of new information. What's your favorite thing you learned?

Son: Well, my favorite is: the ostrich is so big that the ostrich egg is so big. Too big. Giant. Massive. Enormous. Big!

Mom: I want to know more about those little flightless parrots in New Zealand. What do you want to know more about? Do you have a specific question?

Son: Probably everything. Why is migration a hard thing for birds?

Mom: Which bird do you most want to see? Why?

Son: There are some cute birds who don't live in this country.
(He's referring to the flightless parrots.)

Mom: Should Dad read this? ... Why should Dad or anyone read The Big Book of Birds?

Son: It's a great book!...Because it teaches you about birds, like things you don't know about birds.

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