8 Books to Inspire Young Birdwatchers

Birds, by Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek
This author-illustrator pair has the distinctive ability to craft picture books with wide appeal, which is appreciated in a family that often squishes onto the couch for story time together. There are bright colors and familiar vocabulary for toddlers and clever observations for older readers, like the tree that appears to shout “SURPRISE” when a flock of birds flies away at all at once. No matter your age, this title will leave you smiling and musing about the birds where you live in a new way.

Every Day Birds, by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and Dylan Metrano
This title combines short, but impressively informative, descriptive verse about common North American birds with interesting cut paper illustrations. The text is brief enough to save attention for the informational blurbs about each type of bird at the back. In addition to enjoying this book in our home, it’s a favorite to gift for other nature-loving families.

Noisy Bird Sing-Along, by John Himmelman
One of the most surprising things for us about moving out of an urban environment was that even without the noise of traffic and pedestrians to consider, there can still be a lot of noise: BIRDS! This book is chock full of cheerful descriptions of the songs of various common species, making it a fun read aloud and useful point of reference when listening in the backyard.

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Birds, by Catherine D. Hughes
This title is a solid installment of one of my favorite informational book series for young children. The organization of the chapters by bird behaviors, like “Singers, Dancers, and Showoffs,” help children see connections between birds they know and less familiar ones (though we have encountered some disappointment that a keel-billed toucan has never passed by our New England window.) The writing is informative but manageably brief, and enhanced by the vast collection of photos of birds from around the world.

Olivia’s Birds: Saving the Gulf, by Olivia Bouler
Eleven-year-old Olivia Bouler shows young readers that not only can kids become bird experts, but activists and author-illustrators, too! Her voice and original artwork shine through on every page as she describes what’s special about birds native to various habitats. She doesn’t stop there, though: in final pages she explains how after learning about the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill, which impacted numerous birds she loved to see when visiting her grandparents, she launched an impressive fundraising campaign for the Audubon Society. She mentions a possible future run for president, and she’d definitely have our family’s vote.

Robins!: How They Grow Up, by Eileen Christelow
Robins are frequent fliers in most areas of the US. When my son created a chart to tally the types of birds he saw, he cleverly decided to note that he observed “infinity robins!” The author’s note in this title explains that it was her discovery of a robins’ nest in her garden shed that inspired this title. The text, narrated by a “teenage” robin, is both engaging and enlightening. Gaining some insider information on this common species definitely makes spotting them more exciting for young avian enthusiasts, especially if you’re lucky enough to observe a nest yourselves.

National Geographic Kids Bird Guide of North America, Second Edition, by Jonathan Alderfer
For the young birders who want ALL the facts, brought to life by stunning photographs, this is a winning option. This guide was a welcome next step for my curious elementary school son as he outgrew books geared towards younger children. Organized by habitat so readers can easily flip right to birds likely to be spotted where they live (or where you’re headed on vacation), this tome is equally engaging for studying at home or sticking in a pocket to bring on an outdoor adventure.

Bird Watching for Kids: Bite-Sized Learning & Backyard Projects, by George H. Harrison
The first chapter is “Birds Are Cool,” and it makes an excellent case for this statement with its bright photographs, fresh tone, and bonus features like QR codes to scan to hear birdsongs. Subsequent chapters encourage kids to take action, with directions for activities like planting a bird-friendly garden, constructing homemade bird feeders, building birdhouses and bird baths, and tips for photographing birds. We will be keeping this title on hand for the long days of summer vacation.