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Author: Carol L. Malnor and Sandy F. Fuller Illustrator: Louise Schroeder
Retail Price: Paperback • $8.95 | Hardback • $16.95 “Birding is the best!” says Eggbert, the Super Birder. “The BLUES are the best!” chirps Sammi. Follow the travels of Eggbert, Sammi, and all the BLUES as they discover an amazing variety of birds across America – from the eagle in Alaska, to the woodpecker in Michigan, to the mockingbird in Georgia. Read their fascinating journals and Eggbert’s birding tips. This book, the first in a series, is not just an imaginative travelogue – it’s also a young person’s primer to birdwatching! Originally inspired by Louise’s drawings combining realistic birds with caricature birds, the BLUES offer a delightful way to introduce young children to birds and birding.
In the next in this series, The BLUES Go Birding at Wild American Shores, the BLUES follow in the footsteps of Roger Tory Peterson’s classic birding adventure. |
“Five avian siblings go bird-watching across the United States to find the perfect song to sing at the White House Fourth of July celebration. There’s lots of action on every page with speech bubbles for each bird; practical bird-watching tips on yellow sticky notes; field guide information; and notebook diary-type entries by each sibling. Each spread is filled with colorful details and a lot of textual variety. The traveling birds are drawn in different outfits as they surf in Hawaii and see an albatross; fish in San Francisco Bay and watch ring-billed gulls; and wade through the Okefenokee Swamp on stilts to see a spoonbill before arriving at the White House. Many corny jokes will appeal to young senses of humor, e.g., “Don’t these humm-m-ingbirds know the words?” Uno, one of the brothers, concludes, “I guess fancy songs and flashy feathers always impress females.” Sammi corrects his slanted remark a few pages later in her own notebook, “Father Mallard had a bright green head. He doesn’t take care of babies, so he doesn’t need to be camouflaged.” This is a lighthearted romp with solid information on birds and bird-watching that could inspire future ornithologists.”
— School Library Journal (April 2010)
“The first in a planned series, this introduces readers to the BLUES, a bluebird band of five members. Their mission is to compose a new song for their first big concert on the lawn of the White House on the Fourth of July. To accomplish this, they are visiting the different regions of the United States and listening to the birdsongs in those areas. This clever concept introduces young children to the joys of birdwatching. Each spread includes a page from one of the BLUES’ notebooks as well as a page from a field guide. Taken together, these give readers some interesting facts about each bird. Birding tips scattered throughout will help aspiring birdwatchers successfully begin their new hobby. Backmatter includes a map of the United States marked with each bird’s location and a list of sources for further information. Schroeder’s BLUES are full of personality, each with his/her own strengths, interests, likes and dislikes. She keeps them easy to identify with accessories in their favorite colors, and the cartoonish main characters stand out well from the more realistically portrayed regional birds and their habitats. A creative introduction to a popular hobby.”
— Kirkus Reviews (April 2010)
The illustrations for “The Blues” are magnificant! As a wildlife photographer, the attention to detail on the birds, is great. Having fun is a great way to introduce kids to the wonders of nature. Keep up the good work!!
What good timing for this book to come out! A number of 4th grade classes that I work with participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count each year and they are so excited to use “The Blues” as part of that unit! Not only does the story connect students to the world of birds and bird watching, but also regions and geography! Thank you for a great resource!
My 6 year old nature loving daughter just loves the BLUES! I came down one morning and she was
glued to the book. She showed me the bird’s names, how thier cloths changed, and how she can tell them apart. She learned a number of new species that don’t live in our area. The text was at the right level for her to read it by herself. Thank you DAWN for publishing such high quality children’s books.
In these days of modern technology, just how are we to teach our next generation an appreciation of nature? Thank goodness we now have help from “THE BLUES”! These fun, feathered characters attract kids of all ages and backgrounds into the world of birding and nature.
Our family members happen to be avid birders and nature lovers. Our 4 and 6 year olds have enjoyed a variety of fieldguides and natural history books. “The Blues Go Birding Across America” is their new favorite. But it is also the new favorite of their less nature-focussed playmates.
And it’s clear why the book drew them in. The illustrations are beautifully accurate and the layers of storyline allow each reading to be as brief or in depth as one may wish. Great for the novice and experienced alike. Additionally the richness of the topics covering nature, geography and even interpersonal relations allows one to read it again and again. We hope there will be more Blues adventures published soon!
My kids won’t put down the BLUES. They LOVE the pictures and quips. Even the kindergarten students, most of whom cannot read complex text yet, laugh and laugh when they look through the book.