How Birds Sleep

by David Obuchowski, Sarah Pedry, Sarah Pedry (Illustrator)

Overview

Discover the mysterious and fascinating sleeping habits of more than twenty bird species from around the world in this gorgeously illustrated read-aloud picture book, perfect for bedtime, or any time.

Have you ever seen a bird sleep? Or wondered just when it is that migrating cranes find the time to catch Z’s as they cross the ocean? From the parrots of Thailand to the ostriches of Australia and even the pigeons of New York City, every bird sleeps—but they do it in ways that will surprise and delight you. Some hang from tree branches, others doze while gliding, and some even burrow underground for a nap. Written in a witty, conversational voice, and with gorgeous illustrations, this picture book is bursting with interesting facts about this underexplored aspect of bird life all around us.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781662650970
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	03/28/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	294,542
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD830L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David Obuchowski is a writer and a musician. He writes about real-life stuff like cars, people, and birds, but he also makes up stories, too.

Sarah Pedry is an artist whose paintings and illustrations reflect her passion for nature and new places.

Editorial Reviews

NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book
Green Earth Book Award shortlist title
School Library Journal Best Book
A Bank Street Best Children's Book
A New York State Reading Association Charlotte Award Reading List title
A Delaware Diands Reading List title


★“ Accessible nature writing at its best… a wondrous investigation into the sleep habits of birds….A rich offering for all.” — School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“Beautiful….this peaceful read is full of information and the perfect bedtime read.  Two big thumbs up!" — Growing Book by Book

"Gorgeous illustrations...delicious- luminescent....A perfect companion for any reader, regardless of age, who has ever wondered how do birds sleep…. perfect to share all ages. A jumping off place to spark conversations on the importance of preserving natural habitats.” — The Nonfiction Detectives

“Did you ever wonder how and where birds sleep once the sun goes down?….Pedry’s artwork is a definite highlight….Share this one-on-one or in very small groups so children can see the details." —  Kirkus Reviews

“Stunning…impressive writing….fascinating….you’ll feel cozy and sleepy while reading about these sleeping birds.” — Imagination Soup

“A fascinating exploration of a question that many children ask too and done in a lovely bed-time book style. Sarah Pedry’s illustrations are beautiful and soothing." — Bookends blog

"The writing draws you right in ... immersive and engaging ... and the illustrations are stunning...perfect for anyone with an interest in birds, sleep, or just looking for a fun picture book, as it is beautifully illustrated, gracefully written, well-researched, and, of course, full of fascinating insights into the sleep lives of birds.” — Pine Reads Review

“Fascinating… gorgeously illustrated and full of facts for hungry young minds. ….Whether this is used as a bedtime read-aloud, or as part of a class unit on birds or animal adaptations - it is sure to capture the attention and imagination of young readers.” — Suzanne Costner, The Fairview Review

From the Publisher

★ 04/28/2023

K-Gr 4—In a double debut, married author and illustrator explore the sleeping habits of birds from all over the world: Bolivia, India, Australia, South Korea, Finland, El Salvador, and more. The stunning display type on the title page lights up like a neon sign while the endpapers feature constellation-like outlines of the featured birds, just two indications of the attention to detail and arresting inquiry readers will find across every page. The tree swallows of the United States swirl in an elaborate dance before settling into reeds, whereas a barn owl will set up watch the whole night through. The long-tailed tit of England will cuddle up in a pile for the night with others, while the vernal hanging parrots of Thailand sway nicely upside down from a branch. The surrounding countryside for every bird featured offers more clues to other inhabitants, e.g., the tidy fields of Thai farmland and its buildings, lighted up against the night sky, where a lone person is gazing out on a balcony on stilts as a tiger lopes past. Illustrations, one after another, take readers on a global journey, united by a theme always of interest to children—how do they sleep? This is accessible nature writing at its best, and will send many a young researcher off for more information. Author's note, resources, more. VERDICT A wondrous investigation into the sleep habits of birds that dwells on small details and large ones, including climate change. A rich offering for all.—Kimberly Olson Fakih

School Library Journal

2022-12-24
Bird-watching is popular during the day when we can see birds out and about, but did you ever wonder how and where birds sleep once the sun goes down?

In this collaboration from married couple Obuchowski and Pedry, each spread presents one or two bird species (all labeled with common name, Latin name, and country) and a short bit of text about how those birds sleep. Tree swallows in the U.S. congregate in huge numbers; their dancing ribbon is a sign that it’s bedtime, and when completed, they rest in reeds. Vernal hanging parrots in Thailand sleep hanging by their feet from branches. Curved-billed thrashers in Mexico make their nests in cactuses for protection against predators. Other birds sleep while flying, get rocked by the ocean waves, snooze while perched on one leg, or take over (or share) the abodes of other animals. Pedry’s artwork is a definite highlight, showing both the birds and their habitats. (Kids with sharp eyes may question, though, why the barn owl, labelled as being from the United States, appears to show up in scenes from Africa; there are some owl species that live in Africa as well, though this isn’t addressed in the text.) Share this one-on-one or in very small groups so children can see the details—it’s clear from the illustrations that it’s night, and that sometimes washes out the birds.

Young bird-watchers may perk up their eyes at dusk to see if they can spy any resting birds. (what is sleep, are birds losing sleep over climate change, the story of this story) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews