F IS FOR FEATHERS

An alphabetic exploration of the world of birds.

This picture book presents a collection of fascinating facts about birding and feathered creatures. Entries range from Aves, the “class of warm-blooded vertebrates” to which our avian friends belong, to flyway Zones, “the migratory routes that birds follow.” Using simple rhyming quintains elaborated by sidebars of exposition, the text discusses body parts, habits, habitats, survival threats, and more. The connections between the featured alphabetized words and sidebar topics are often clever. For example, Lovebirds leads into the subject of bird courtship, and Updraft introduces information about bird flight. Wilbur invites readers to become bird-watchers, perhaps by joining the annual Christmas Bird Count, and offers birding pointers in the backmatter. Variations in the position of sidebars, the number of letters featured on each double-page spread, and the rhyming scheme create visual and textual interest. Atkins’ richly detailed realistic illustrations use vibrant colors and varying points of view. With satisfying accuracy (the exception being a tree-clinging chickadee), he shows the species in their various habitats, sometimes with human characters present who have skin tones that range from pale to dark brown. The poems and illustrations will be accessible to younger children; the nonfiction sections are suitable for independent readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.) (This review has been updated for factual accuracy.)

An attractive addition to the nature shelf.