Genre
Animal books
Subject
Bird sounds and calls
Bird watching
Birds
Birdsongs
Identification
Nature study

nonfiction picture book (birds and bird calls). I like this book, but it would be 10 times better if it included audio (such as a read along CD or companion CD with the corresponding bird calls). Much of the appeal of animal noises comes from knowing the actual sounds and imitating them with human letter sounds. If the kids and I have no idea what a whip-poor-will or a woodcock actually sounds like, the words on the page are just made up gibberish, and most of the value is lost.

For this reason, I suspect that the apps based on this book (and the rest of the "noisy sing-along" series are much better than this hard copy. There is some great back matter (fun facts about birds, birdy things to do) though and the book does have great educational (Common Core) potential. But if you have already purchased the book and aren't an expert bird caller, try looking up the birds on the Audubon Society's beautiful and kid-friendly website, using the little 'magnifying glass' search tool in the top right corner. ( )

Information
This is an informational book about birds and the various annoying sounds they make. It also gives information about habitat, food, etc. It's a very simple book with a lot of onomatopoeia, which seems like it would be fun for kids to read or be read to, especially if the reader is good at doing weird voices or sounds. The illustrations were bright and eye-catching. It seems like a very appealing book for children and the design and layout were very nicely done.
This would be a great informational book for classroom assignments.

The NOISY SING-ALONG collection by John Himmelman is a wonderful way to connect children with science and nature. Available as both print books, e-books, and apps, you’ll want to get all three for your library.

Designed for pre-K through grade 3, NOISY BIRD SING-ALONG is the latest addition in this nature awareness series. The print book and e-book includes large, colorful illustrations of robins, sparrows, owls, mallards, and more. Colorful text is used to introduce the sound of each bird. In addition to information about the bird and sound, the habits and habitat of each bird is described.

This easy concept book would be an effective way to introduce young children to informational reading. In addition, the text is easy enough for primary grade readers to enjoy independently. The Fun Facts and Things to Do pages are useful for older children, teachers, and parents.

Active listening is an important skill. Getting children involved with identifying creature sounds is an excellent way to develop observational skills using the auditory channel. This book series would be an outstanding addition to an elementary school library collection.

To learn more about bird sounds, explore Songs & Calls at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=1059. Their free bird guide contains hundreds of sounds to explore. Go to http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search.aspx.

The Noisy Sing-Along collection is published by Dawn Publications ( )