Birds

by Kevin Henkes, Laura Dronzek (Illustrator)

Overview

Fascinated by the colors, shapes, sounds, and movements of the many different birds she sees through her window, a little girl's happy to discover that she and they have something in common.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061363054
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/17/2009
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 11.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD410L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; two Newbery Honors, one for Olive’s Ocean and one for The Year of Billy Miller; and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include The World and Everything in It, A House, A Parade of Elephants, Chrysanthemum, and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Laura Dronzek is a painter whose work has been exhibited nationally. Her picture books include Moonlight, by Helen V. Griffith; It Is Night, by Phyllis Rowand; White Is for Blueberry, by George Shannon; Little Houses, by Kevin Henkes; and a quartet of seasonal picture books also by Kevin Henkes. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Hometown:

Madison, Wisconsin

Date of Birth:

November 27, 1960

Place of Birth:

Racine, Wisconsin

Education:

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Website:

http://www.kevinhenkes.com

Editorial Reviews

The words and pictures create a book that will enchant preschool audiences again and again.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Words and pictures perform a perfectly choreographed dance here.” — Horn Book (starred review)

“The child voice in this charming story is just right and will resonate with the very youngest children.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“Birds trust[s] the intelligence and imagination of young children, and that’s what makes this a perfect book.” — New York Times Book Review

From the Publisher

Little girls can't fly, but they do share one great gift with birds: They can sing. This sweet picture book will send young readers soaring into Dreamland. An enchanting story; charming illustrations.

A precocious girl's reverie begins when the birds' morning songs drift through her window. Initially, she reflects on their vastly varied physical attributes; her thoughts then turn to the birds' relationship with their physical environment, both collectively and individually. Powerful images reflect their beauty. "Sometimes in winter, a bird in a tree looks like one red leaf left over." While the girl wishes to fly like birds she enjoys, she is encouraged by the commonality that unites them: "I can sing!" Dronzek's wavy black lines accentuate the birds' natural radiance; acrylic smudges exude a hazy glow. Dark bursts of color explode against the sky in a striking double-page spread as a flock takes flight en masse; the word "surprise" above outstretched branches reflects the thought with bold uneven letters. Spare language enhances the story's quiet essence; the girl's musings change abruptly, with a child's mercurial speed, resulting in a grounded offering that begins to fly but doesn't fully soar. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews

Birds trust[s] the intelligence and imagination of young children, and that’s what makes this a perfect book.

New York Times Book Review

Words and pictures perform a perfectly choreographed dance here.

Horn Book (starred review)

The words and pictures create a book that will enchant preschool audiences again and again.

Booklist (starred review)

"Words and pictures perform a perfectly choreographed dance here."

Horn Book

"The words and pictures create a book that will enchant preschool audiences again and again."

Booklist