Mama Built a Little Nest

by Jennifer Ward, Steve Jenkins (Illustrator)

A delightful exploration of the incredibly variety of nests birds build for their babies, illustrated by a Caldecott Honoree.

Mama built a little nest
inside a sturdy trunk.
She used her beak to tap-tap-tap
the perfect place to bunk.

There are so many different kinds of birds, and those birds build so many different kinds of nests to keep their babies cozy. With playful, bouncy rhyme, Jennifer Ward explores nests large and small, silky and cottony, muddy and twiggy, and all the birds that call them home!

Genres: Picture Books, Birds, Nonfiction, Animals, Nature, Childrens, Science

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2014

About the author

Jennifer Ward is the author of more than 25 award-winning nonfiction and fiction books for children and adults.

Her books have been translated into many languages and featured in Martha Stewart's Living, Ranger Rick, on NPR, television's Animal Planet network, and on many popular blogs such as Soule Mama.

Most of Jennifer's books are inspired by science and nature and artfully combine elements of STEM & literacy.

She writes full-time from her home in Illinois where she lives with her husband and two dogs and is easily distracted by everything outside of her windows - particularly if it has feathers!

Reviews

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooooh...poetry that's fun and easy to read, with more details about nests hidden in the corners for the parents to share or not share. It's so much fun to learn about all the different nest types. The pictures are simple and convey the ideas well, and make me want to hunt for nests outside now that I know what to look for. :)

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully illustrated and simple text that allows the youngest nature enthusiasts to discover the wonders of birds, their nests, and their babies.

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out more Picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

A book exploring the different materials and places that a variety of birds build their nests. Rhyming verse for the child to read paired with explanations for the adults.

This book caught my eye right away. I loved the cut paper nature of the drawings and how they captured the unique locations and materials for the nests. My nephew quite enjoyed the different nests and learning about the birds.

The problem with the book lay in the odd pairing of rhyming verse and technical information. One is for the littlest of children and the other is totally for an adult. At first my nephew read both and we were both constantly thrown off by the disparity between the two. One was too simple and the other was too complex. Halfway through the book he read the verse and I read the information. The point of reading these books is to read. Yes, it's great there is information on the birds and the nests but write it so it can be read by the reader! This is the kind of book I would normally want to buy so a child could pour over it but there's no point if they can't read all the words...

BOTTOM LINE: Beautiful bird and nest illustrations...

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You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...

[book worm · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW BIRDS ARE CRAZY FOR THAT!
I learned a lot from this book and so did my students! Also, beautifully illustrated in an accurate way!!!

[Sunday · Rating 5 out of 5]

With rhyming text, Jennifer Ward reveals the art of nest making and the diversity of nests - locations, materials, etc. Each two-page layout features one bird like the woodpecker, the cowbird, the wren. There is the rhyming text in a larger print, and then is also a caption, in smaller print, with more detailed, non-rhyming text about that particular bird's nest making. The illustrations by Steve Jenkins support the details described in the text. The author's note at the end is worthy of reading aloud to older students up front--because it reveals the main ideas in the text and the curiosity of the author (that spurred her research).

This could easily be READ ALOUD to preK-4th for specific purposes. In preK-1st grade it might be about exposure and as part of a science unit of study or a hands-on literacy center exploring and describing nests. I'd read aloud just the rhyming text in the book and then go back (during that lesson or another) and read aloud the captions.

In the older grades, this might be a jumping off point for doing further research on one particular bird during a particular unit of study. For example, in the book, the author describes the hummingbird making a "small cup-shaped nest" made of "spiderweb so the little nest will stretch as the chick grows." I wanted to know more and easily found information by searching hummingbird nests on-line.

Or BOOK TALK this title, enticing independent/partner readers with this teaser: Have you ever heard of a bird "sewing" its nest? Did you know some birds build their nests in cacti? Did you know some birds make nests we can eat?

Also, if you are in a unit of study - I like how this text reveals the diversity of one aspect of birds - nests. I'd pair this with books like Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart and An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am currently interning in a school library and wanted to book to read to the kids as part of an activity about birds. I definitely now want to use this book for a few reasons. The illustrations are beautiful and simple enough that the kids can see what is going on without having to be right on top of the book. There is just enough information to let the kids know what is going on in each picture, but not so many words that they might get bored while I read each page. There is some additional information on each page that I can read more if they seem really focused but if I don't read them, it won't take away from the story. The facts about birds are interesting and not all things that kids might already know so I'm very excited to use this book in at least one activity.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful mixture of poetry and bird facts. The rhyming text on the left side of each page spread introduces a new bird and its situation in a playful manner, while the nonfiction text on the right describes the nesting habits of that species in more detail. A wide variety of birds is covered and the last two page spreads artfully link the idea of a nest to people.

Boldly colored modern illustrations are realistic enough to identify the types of birds featured and detailed enough to differentiate the many textures.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I can't quite give it five stars, as that rating is for books I'd recommend to everybody. But I do highly recommend this picture-book for fans of birds, and of art, as well as for families and other educators. If I'd discovered it when my kids were little, we probably would have bought our own copy. Author's note and list of further resources included.

[Casandria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about birds from this beautifully illustrated book! Plus, the text is well-written and fascinating

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both simple and informative with poems and pretty pictures.

[Brandon Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a super fun book. We learned so much about birds nest and other fascinating facts about bird nests. I won’t give away the facts.

[Olivia Rullman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mama Built a Little Nest explores the complex meaning of "home" and how it can look different from bird to bird, or even person to person. Ward uses vivid images and descriptive rhyming words to explain how each unique nest is constructed by its' species. Throughout the book, the mother, sometimes alongside the father, is pictured creating a safe homestead, whether it be silky, muddy, made from sticks or spit, for the offspring. In addition to the author's playful, light-hearted words, she provides a scientific explanation with more detail aside from the rhythmic text. Family, home, work ethic, responsibility, and love are the themes we all hear and benefit from in reding this lovely book. I particularly enjoyed reading the scientific explanations. I thought the illustrations were very realistic looking even though they were made out of paper. This book would be a great addition to a science classroom for children in elementary school who are learning about birds. Beyond science, it could also provide a valuable social lesson about inclusiveness and appreciation for what looks different from our own home and upbringing. In addition, it could also invite kids to consider and talk about the hard work and sacrifices necessary in creating a home.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few things i learned from this book:

1. A hummingbird uses spiderweb so the little nest will stretch as the chicks grow.
2. The cowbird, whydah, and cuckoo find a nest built by another bird species. They lay their eggs in it and fly off, leaving their eggs in the care of the bird who built the nest.
3. The swiftlet makes an edible nest using tube-shaped saliva, which hardens in the air. Swiftlet nests are used in bird's nest soup, a Chinese delicacy.

Who knew?!

[Mikig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful illustrations and the rhyming entries are generally good. I thought the factual entry on each page was difficult to read, type often lost in the illustration. The final page about a human "nest" being a bed was both inaccurate and overly sentimental.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://librarianosnark.blogspot.com/2...

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, and fantastic collaged illustrations. The bedtime bid at the end was a bit weak.

[Darcy Grabenstein]

Yolen, J., & Stemple, H. (2015). You nest here with me. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.

Reading Rockets. (2017). Concept sorting. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/strateg...

You Nest Here With Me by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple, is an endearing story in rhyme that compares a child going to bed with birds nesting. The authors use a wide variety of birds in the story allowing students to see common birds that they may be familiar with, as well as birds that may be new or unfamiliar to them. This book is also rich in new and interesting vocabulary and will help to promote vocabulary development. In the back of the book there are four facts about each of the birds represented in the story.
I paired You Nest Here With Me with the non-fiction text Mama Built a Little Nest. Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward also uses rhyme to tell about how birds build nests. The rhyming verse is on the left hand side and on the right hand side are facts about how and why birds build nests where they do. This book is perfect for younger readers who may be interested in birds and their nests. Birds and nests from this book can be compared to birds and nests in the story You Nest Here With Me. There are some birds that are the same, but many that are not. Children will be able to find birds that create similar nests. They will also be able to see the array of items that birds can use to build nests. Some of these items are very interesting (and gross)!
There is a combination of text structures in this book that make it interesting and engaging for younger readers. There is a story in rhyme on one page and description text on the other, creating an established sequence to the reading. The illustrations spread across two pages making them very engaging. As far as text features, there is a note from the author at the end with a list of resources or further learning and exploration.
The strategy I would use with this twin text set is concept sorting. I would use this with Preschoolers or Kindergartners. I would want the children to be thinking about what birds use to build their nests and where birds build their nests. I would give the children the categories of: things birds use to build their nests and places birds build their nests. I would then provide a variety of pictures of items that birds used to build their nests in the book (ex: tree holes, spider webs, a whole nest (for birds that use other’s nests), feet, etc.) as well as places that they built a nest in the books (ex: tree, cattails, ground, water, cactus, etc.). As children sorted we would be able to talk about why they were placing the items in each category. I could also use this time to ask questions to expand children's thoughts about why they might use certain materials to build their nests and why they might choose the places they do to build their nests.

[Marykate Scally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mama Built a Little Nest is a non-fiction rhyming children's picture book about birds and the nests they build. Ages 3-7 are the target ages for this book. Mama Built a Little Nest has won many awards, two of them being the Best Book of the Year Award from the New York Public library and the Chicago Public Library. Jennifer Ward explains many different types of birds and how they build their nest for their babies. The birds she writes about are: woodpeckers, hummingbirds, cowbirds, penguins, falcons, wrens, weaverbirds, burrowing owls, shorebirds, swiftlets, hornbills, bald eagles, and flamingos. Ward also employs many literary devices on each page, appealing to the memory and senses of her readers. For example, on one of the first pages in the book about woodpeckers, the words "tap-tap-tap" follow the first sentence about the bird. Using an onomatopoeia to convey the sounds the bird makes bring this book and the animals in it to life. She also rhymes often on many of the pages creating poem-like verses. Furthermore, she uses colorful and action vocabulary words on each page that describe the birds and how they work to make a home for their young. The theme of children, mothers, and fathers in this book makes it a sweet and warm educational text for enrichment and growth. Connecting a birds natural actions with maternal and paternal ideas allows for deeper conversations and understanding in a young reader, and this book is most likely being read with a parent, which could act as a bonding experience. As stated this book is very education, each page not only starts with a description of the bird but also includes a blurb about the bird and another fun fact, as well as detailed illustrations by Steve Jenkins that depict the species of birds and their individual nests and offspring. Lastly, the first phrase on each page is "Mama built a little nest", emphasizing the care and thought a mama bird puts into her children. The last pages of the book also explain that "you" (the reader) also has a nest, which is called a bed. This is a beautifully written and illustrated non-fiction children's book that I recommend to all parents and teachers!

[Kylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book
Theme: Birds, Nesting, Shapes and Sizes
Grade level: Prek-2nd
Awards: Notable Children's Books, 2015

Summary- Mama built a little nest and the nest was built inside a sturdy trunk. This book shows how different types of birds build their nests in different ways and this makes all the birds unique in their own way. One bird is the hummingbird, which makes its nest in a small cup form. The book also talks about birds like the woodpecker, the cowbird, the emperor penguin, and the falcon. Even though they all come from different backgrounds, they all have one thing in common - they build nests to shelter their young.

Personal Response- I think this book is great for being used as a nonfiction book, but is good for teaching a life lesson too. In the book, the illustrations are bold and use realistic colors to show the birds. This is a great read and would be a great book to read to your students. This is a great way to relate it back to people too. It could be as simple as, even though we are all different human beings, we have one thing in common - we care for our young ones.

Classroom Connection-After reading this book, a good activity to do with the students would be have them all make their own personal nest out of pip cleaners and other materials. The students will act as if they are birds, and share how they made their nest to the class.

Another good idea for this book, is talking about hibernation and how the birds migrate. This would be a good introduction book for understanding where the nesting process works. In this book, it provided a lot of factual information on the different types of birds and their nest.

[David Kuriny · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid who actually said "I want to be an ornithologist when I grow up," I loved reading this book. "Mama Built a Little Nest" is a poetic story about how certain birds build their nests. This book has been nominated for the Keystone to Reading Book Award for Primary, as well as the Colorado Book Award for Children's Literature. The colorful and artistic illustrations do so much more in instructing a child on birds' nesting habits than a textbook would, and encourages a child to pay closer attention to nature. As I reread this book, I remembered back to when my little brother read this for the first time. He absolutely loved the poetic language and seeing how the mother bird took care of her babies and the nest. He would (and still does) point out and become fascinated with every nest he sees in our neighborhood. These types of books are meant to instill a sense of wonder in children at an early age and encourage them to take care of nature. I recommend this non-fiction picture book for any age, but specifically elementary school students. Teachers can utilize the fun language and colorful illustrations presented in this book to teach children about bird nesting habits in nature.

[Jameelah Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward associates with the genre of nonfiction. The book won the Colorado Book Award — Children’s literature in 2015. The book explores the species of birds and the process of how they build bird nests for their babies. It gives insight into educating kids about different birds and their habitats. The age group for the book is intended for young preschoolers to fourth grade but I would say it’s easy for all ages to follow along. I rated this story a five because it is an engaging story -- with its poetic aspects and the way it encourages us to value wildlife and animals. I can see this being a perfect choice for young nature lovers to read as a bedtime story or those that would like to pursue interests in zoology and nature. Lastly, the illustrations by Steven Jenkins are outstandingly well put together with the colorful depiction of each bird as the focus which can be appealing for young children to view. I adore the style choice of using collage art for this book and just how lively the illustrations fill up the pages.

[Nyapot Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content-area crossover -Science
Twin Text: Owl Sees Owl by Laura Godwin and Rob Dunlavey
"Owl Sees Owl" Is a story about a baby owl who leaves his nest at night to go exploring. Leaving his Mama, brother, and sister he flies past the trees, the beautiful autumn leaves, past the light of the moon and to the pond where he sees his reflection, gets scared and flies back to his nest with his Mama, Brother, and Sister.

I would do a K-W-L chart for this one because "Mama Built a Little Nest" is about the different birds and their babies and how they build their nests. It gives information about birds who don't build nests for themselves or their young but instead will take and abandon the nest. This book is a great book that teaches about all kinds of birds.
I would have kids list what information they know about owls. What they would like to know and what have they learned. I would then go more in depth about other birds.

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that describes the different nests birds make for their eggs. The book has rhyming text for the storyline and each picture has an additional text informing the reader what type of bird it is and some more information about the nest. For example, the swiftlet makes its nest with saliva and are used in bird’s nest soup, which is a delicacy in China. Many types of nests are represented here. Some of the birds covered are the woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, falcon, burrowing owl, grebes, hornbill, bald eagle, and flamingo. The drawing are simple, yet still beautiful and colorful. The text is simple enough that little ones can learn a lot from this book. It would make a wonderful addition to a unit study of birds or spring or for any nature loving kid. My three year old really enjoyed it, as well as my older children. Even as an adult, I learned some new facts too. Highly recommend.

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming illustrations, good choice of subjects, and a rhyming text make this a great read on birds and nests. Pair with An Egg Is Quiet and A Nest Is Noisy:, as well as Feathers for Lunch.

[Anakaren]

This book is an informational book about how birds make their nests. It shows us the different types of birds and how they choose to make their nests. They all use different methods, using different tools and where they choose to build their nests. It not only shows us how they create nests but how the mama bird and poppa bird both take care of their eggs. The illustrations use the medium of color pencil and use the color green a lot. In class this can be a great way to introduce science and nature , having the students analyze the different ways of making a nest as well as reading more books about certain birds.

[Judah Copeland]

The book starts with the nesting habits of a variety of birds in a cool fun poem. This takes place from the point of view of the baby bird. Lots of surprising facts about where birds raise their young on ledges, inside holes in trees, hanging off branches, burrowing underground, floating on water, and what materials they use, from grass and twigs to spit and spiderwebs. Each spread offers a four-line poem on the left-hand page and a couple of lines or a paragraph of factual information on the right-hand one. It ends with a comforting view of a bedroom where a teddy bear's on the bed and the last line of the poem reads: "your nest is called a bed."

[Kynleah Bancroft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mama Built a Little Nest is a story about interesting facts about birds and their nests. The rhyming element makes this story a great read aloud but still very proper and full of knowledge. One thing I would change about this book would be the title. I feel like this would be primarily aimed toward mothers when it could actually be for either parent, considering it mentions fathers in the process of building a nest. I love how realistic the illustrations are too, although they are drawings they look as though they could be real.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's both a pretty picture book and a non-fiction book in one. The different birds that are included are highlighted because they each have different kinds of nests and habitats; in addition to the pictures and rhyming text there are factual / informational inserts. The book can get a bit long so I skipped some of the pages on some readings. The ending is nice (if reading at bedtime) as it ends with a child's nest (their bed).

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This appealing picture book combines rhyming verses, parallel informative text, and "aw"-inspiring illustrations to convey specific details and reveal a broader concept about the what, how, and why of nests. There are many ways in which this book serves as mentor text for conveying factual content in verse, for extending information in concise text, for organizing of the overall content in relation to each component, and for drawing satisfying conclusions.