If you are looking for one perfect book to draw children into the joys of birding, my recommendation is The Children’s Book of Birdwatching, by ornithologist and wildlife advocate Dan Rouse. To say that Dan Rouse is passionate about her work would be an understatement. Her childhood love for the birds along the South Wales coast where she grew up led to her current work as an advocate for garden wildlife—and for encouraging other to be involved in birding. She is Community Manager at Wild Space, a project with the goal of making nature accessible to all. She has a curated Facebook account focused on making your garden a wildlife haven, and is noted for her podcasts with The Wildlife Community, among others.
Cover: The Children’s Book of Birdwatching by Dan Rouse, published by DK
Dan’s other books include How to Attract Birds to Your Garden: Foods they like, Plants they love, Shelter they need; How to Attract Wildlife to Your Garden; and The Children’s Book of Wildlife Watching. Like Dan’s other works, The Children’s Book of Birdwatching has been published by DK (Dorling Kindersley). DK books are the stars in the category known as “Browsable Nonfiction”—books that do not need to be read in order. They are book that you can literally flip open to any page and be drawn in by the incredible information, photographs, illustrations and activities.
The main sections in this guide are birdwatching, food, nests, plants, water and caring for birds, and Dan goes into detail in each area. In the nest section, for example, there is an introduction to nests, a “Spot the nest” activity, pages of detail on nest boxes (including a description of that top of box, the birds that nest is ideal for, and the location where that type of next box should be placed), unexpected nests, and nest box spots. Dan’s hint: if you are using an old teapot as a nest, orient it with spout down, to provide drainage!
One of the spreads on nest boxes in THE CHILDREN’S BOOK OF BIRDWATCHING by Dan Rouse
One of the things that makes browsable books so appealing to kids is the text boxes—there is a lot going on in each spread, but each box of information is short, accessible and inviting. This guide is packed with call-outs and sidebars, including “Top Tips,” “Did You Know?” and invitations to observe, draw, investigate and research. Four DIY (do-it-yourself) activities guide readers through making simple bird feeders, bird food, seed bombs, and dust baths. The reading level for this book is about ATOS 4.5, meaning that it can be read alone easily by an average 4thgrader, but its picture-centered format make it perfect for children several years older and younger.
Recipe and instructions for making a DIY bird food by Dan Rouse
One of my favorite spreads was “Meet an Ornithologist!” It explains how Dan turned her childhood love for birds into a job. Dan’s advice to kids who share her love for birds is simple: “Don’t be shy, and talk to people who share your love of birds. Just enjoy birds, and then get out there and find some!”
“Meet an Ornithologist” section in THE CHILDREN’S BOOK OF BIRDWATCHING with book author Dan Rouse
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The Children’s Book of Birdwatching by Dan Rouse
DK (Dorling Kindersley), 2023
ISBN: 978-0744072808 (hardcover)
$17.99 USA; $21.99 Canada
96 pages, Grade level K-4
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