Waiting for a Warbler

Even though the trees are still bare, Nora and Owen walk around the woods looking for signs of birds. The year before, they had seen a rare sky-blue bird, a Cerulean Warbler, and they wonder if it will return. The family has worked hard to bring native plants to their area, plants that will make the birds want to stop and nest there. Owen even makes a presentation to his class about birds and how difficult the birds’ migration is. Some birds must fly over six hundred miles of open ocean with no place to stop and rest. Most will lose half their weight on the flight; some will not make it. The children really worry when a big storm moves in over the Gulf of Mexico at migration time.

Author Sneed B. Collard III has written a sweet tale, weaving chunks of non-fiction information about birds and migration into the story. Thomas Brooks’s lovely, soft illustrations are the perfect complement for the story. Children will be fascinated with the beautiful birds represented here, and parents will be grateful for excellent back matters including Be a Birder!, Help Protect Birds, and more. This is a winner.