The Bird Book, by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Clarion Books, Harper. 2022. $23.99 ages 6 and up

 

"For most birds, smell and taste are the 
least developed senses. But the kiwi, a 
flightless bird with poor eyesight, has 
a keen sense of smell. Its nostrils are 
placed at the end of its beak, helping 
the kiwi find worms and grubs in the 
litter of the forest floor."

This book is so wonderfully typical of the amazing books fans have come to expect from Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Bringing birds past and present to light in gorgeous cut-paper collage art calls attention to their beauty and longevity, while also noting that many are under threat of extinction due to preventable threats. 

"Their numbers have decreased dramatically. Humans are 
cutting down forests, plowing prairies, and filling marshes - 
the places where birds feed and nest. A warming climate 
is threatening their food supply and changing their migration
patterns. If we want to help birds survive, we need to learn as 
much as we can about these remarkable creatures."

Thus begins a lesson for readers about the number of species, the way a bird is built, their many unique and interesting features (beaks, feet, feathers), their senses, how flight has evolved, the changes from earliest eoraptor to the birds familiar to readers today, the bird brain, the sounds and displays they use to attract mates, how they build their nests and where, birds' eggs, predators, defenses, birds that don't fly and those that are world travelers, especially extraordinary birds (3), bird champions, and birds in danger. 

Each of these double spreads provide a short fact-filled note about the topic. Accompanying that are numerous captioned images of spectacular birds who relate to the focus of the information shared. For instance, in the part about eggs - the perfect package - one caption reads:

"The common murre lays its eggs on 
rocky cliffside ledges. The egg's shape
causes it to roll in a circle so it doesn't
fall off."

 A closing table lists each birds included and shows their size, diet, and range. The collages are, as expected, stunning and will remind readers of the insatiable appetite for research and detail Steve Jenkins brought to every book he wrote, alone and with his wife Robin Page. He will be missed!