Sparrow Loves Birds

by Murry Burgess, Tamisha Anthony (Illustrator)

Overview

Meet Sparrow—a curious young birder eager to explore her neighborhood’s surroundings—in this STEM picture book written by a professional wildlife ornithologist.

"Amid recent efforts to diversify bird-watching, this inviting work is especially welcome. Certain to cultivate a love of nature in all who pick it up." —Kirkus Reviews

Sparrow sets out for a day of birding, where she watches, listens, and identifies the many types of birds around her through their color (red—a cardinal), song (“Cheer up! Cheer up!”—a robin), and movement (flitting backward, forward, and even upside down—a hummingbird). Using her notebook and markers, Sparrow records all the birds she sees on her walk.

This interactive STEM offering is a welcome primer for young children interested in birding close to home. The back matter features an author’s note, birding tips for kids to get started, and a primer birding field guide.

Praise for Sparrow Loves Birds:

"Anthony’s bird illustrations are lovingly rendered… A worthy addition to a collection, especially one that offers a bird-watching kit for little birders in its Library of Things." —School Library Journal

"An avian-loving child named Sparrow goes bird-watching in this observational picture book that emphasizes sensory methods of perception. . . the protagonist’s day outside invitingly suggests that patience and perception are all it takes to connect to nature. An author’s note, bird-watching tips, and bird glossary conclude." —Publishers Weekly
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316307222
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	06/11/2024
Series:	Sparrow Loves Animals , #1
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	294,951
Product dimensions:	8.85(w) x 11.40(h) x 0.32(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Murry Burgess always had an interest in nature, growing up in the suburbs in Minnesota, Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi. One of her earliest memories is watching the hawks that would fly into her backyard and perch on the garden stakes. Her passion for animals led her to pursue a career in wildlife biology; Murry earned her PhD in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at North Carolina State University. As both a naturalist and conservationist, Murry believes that kids, whether living in urban or suburban settings, can connect with nature as there is wildlife all around us.

Tamisha Anthony has illustrated several children’s books, including There's No Place Like Hope by Janet Lawler and Most Perfect You by Jazmyn Simon. Her love of educating has led her to teach for organizations such as the New-York Historical Society and Make Art That Sells, and to write and illustrate a recurring column for Uppercase magazine. She invites you to visit her online at tamishaanthony.com.

Editorial Reviews

03/25/2024

An avian-loving child named Sparrow goes bird-watching in this observational picture book that emphasizes sensory methods of perception. Opening lines establish the sensate dimensions of nature observation: “Sparrow loves learning the names of birds. Learning about birds isn’t hard if she uses her eyes and ears,” Burgess writes. With a pencil and pad and a pair of binoculars, Sparrow heads solo into the yard and begins to notice the ways birds move (“Robins hop”), their colors (“Cardinals are the reddest”), and their songs (“A towhee reminds you to ‘drink your tea!’ ”). Anthony’s soft-edged digital artwork, which recalls watercolor and colored pencil techniques, brightly renders springtime scenes of the attentive protagonist, portrayed with brown skin, interacting with bird life. As Sparrow’s observations of individual species’ attributes educate, the protagonist’s day outside invitingly suggests that patience and perception are all it takes to connect to nature. An author’s note, bird-watching tips, and bird glossary conclude. Ages 3–7. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Sparrow Loves Birds:

"[A] child proves that anyone, anywhere, can be a birder. Sparrow, a Black girl with her hair in twists, lives in a bustling town filled with noises such as car horns and barking dogs, but the town still has plenty of birds to observe…. The book includes a nice variety, from close-ups to more distant scenes featuring a wide-eyed, animated child watching through her binoculars or mimicking the birds’ behaviors…. Amid recent efforts to diversify bird-watching, this inviting work is especially welcome. Certain to cultivate a love of nature in all who pick it up."
 —Kirkus Reviews

"An avian-loving child named Sparrow goes bird-watching in this observational picture book that emphasizes sensory methods of perception…. Anthony’s soft-edged digital artwork brightly renders springtime scenes of the attentive protagonist, portrayed with brown skin, interacting with bird life. As Sparrow’s observations of individual species’ attributes educate, the protagonist’s day outside invitingly suggests that patience and perception are all it takes to connect to nature. An author’s note, bird-watching tips, and bird glossary conclude."—Publishers Weekly

"The onomatopoeia used in the story is strong, with bird calls carefully spelled out…. Anthony’s bird illustrations are lovingly rendered in digital pencil and watercolor…. A worthy addition to a collection, especially one that offers a bird-watching kit for little birders in its Library of Things."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

05/01/2024

Gr 2–4—Sparrow is named after a bird. She loves birdwatching. Luckily, her town is chock full of birds. Robins. Geese. Even vultures circle overhead (in a cute way). The onomatopoeia used in the story is strong, with bird calls carefully spelled out. Aside from the sounds of the birds, the text can be cumbersome, but it gives Anthony's bird illustrations space to shine. Her birds are lovingly rendered in digital pencil and watercolor. A fun spread shows Sparrow in front of her own bird drawings. This spread shows the artist's range: she can represent childlike bird drawings as well as more realistic but still whimsical, illustrations. Sparrow has brown skin and braids, and birding comes across as a hobby not just for retirees. The back matter has a detailed and useful illustrated bird glossary for young readers. VERDICT The glossary makes this a worthy addition to a collection, especially one that offers a bird-watching kit for little birders in its Library of Things.—Chance Lee Joyner

School Library Journal