Birds: Explore Their Extraordinary World

In an introduction and 14 sections, including “Birds of prey,” “Flightless birds,” “Migration,” “Birdsong,” and “Urban birds,” wildlife expert Krestovnikoff presents a comprehensive overview of dinosaurs’ feathery descendants. Told in approachable prose, each section pinpoints facts that young readers will find interesting, including fastest species, impressive features, and “very unusual adaptations.” For example, about vultures’ bald necks, “this might not look very appealing, but it’s thought that the lack of feathers is helpful when they thrust their necks deep inside carcasses to feed, as any feathers would get caked in blood.” Boldface subheadings further organize chapters, spotlighting details about certain species, including grebes, great bustards, and bowerbirds. Stunning linocuts by fine artist Harding offer textured, intricate illustrations of many bird types, rendered in a naturalistic palette. This well-designed resource will prove a good gift for budding avian enthusiasts or anyone who appreciates nature trivia. Ages 6–9. [em](Apr.) [/em]