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Wordy Birdy
Meet Wordy Birdy, a very chatty bird who talks WAY more than she listens!
Wordy Birdy LOVES to talk. "Hello, sunrise. Hello, pink sky. Hello, orange sky. . . ." But does she love to listen? NOPE. One day, while she's walking through the forest, her gift of the gab gets her into hot water: "That's a pretty tree and that's a pretty tree and that's a pretty danger sign and that's a pretty tree. . . ." Will this inattentive bird walk right into danger? Will her faraway thoughts lead her along a path of doom? It's up to her long-suffering, heard-it-all-before pals Squirrel, Raccoon, and Rabbit to save their distracted friend.
Wordy Birdy LOVES to talk. "Hello, sunrise. Hello, pink sky. Hello, orange sky. . . ." But does she love to listen? NOPE. One day, while she's walking through the forest, her gift of the gab gets her into hot water: "That's a pretty tree and that's a pretty tree and that's a pretty danger sign and that's a pretty tree. . . ." Will this inattentive bird walk right into danger? Will her faraway thoughts lead her along a path of doom? It's up to her long-suffering, heard-it-all-before pals Squirrel, Raccoon, and Rabbit to save their distracted friend.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2018
15 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
About the author
Tammi Sauer
47 books135 followersTammi Sauer is the author of Cowboy Camp (Sterling, 2005), Chicken Dance (Sterling, 2009), Mostly Monsterly (Paula Wiseman/S&S, 2010), the forthcoming Princess-in-Training (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and something that's currently Top Secret.
Tammi and her family live in Oklahoma with one dog, two geckos, and a tank full of random fish.
Tammi and her family live in Oklahoma with one dog, two geckos, and a tank full of random fish.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
March 22, 2018
The bird talks so much that she doesn't have time to listen, which is dangerous. That can be a good lesson for children, but I found the way they carried the point of the bird not shutting up really annoying.
March 21, 2018
I saw this book on some list online. I'll be honest, the title and the cover totally spoke to me so I put a hold on the book. It was on order through the library and I had a hold on it before THEY had it. I love that my local library allows that. Such a quirky book. Make sure to read the end papers too. I LOVE when the end papers tell part of the story.
Wordy Birdy likes to talk and rarely listens. It's an unfortunate thing. Although, I do love all of her observations and questions. I like her. Well...except for the not listening part. But one thing leads to another and she learns the value of listening to her friends and we see a change in a very fun and adventurous way.
Wordy Birdy likes to talk and rarely listens. It's an unfortunate thing. Although, I do love all of her observations and questions. I like her. Well...except for the not listening part. But one thing leads to another and she learns the value of listening to her friends and we see a change in a very fun and adventurous way.
April 17, 2018
Sauer, Tammi Wordy Birdy, illustrated by Dave Mottram. PICTURE BOOK Doubleday Books, 2018. $17. 9781524719296
Wordy Birdy LOVES to talk. She covers a large range of topics and never stops, not even to listen to her friends. One day while Wordy Birdy is chatting along, she disregards her friends’ warnings to not go into the forest, because she is so busy talking about the beautiful flowers and leaves. She wanders into the forest and runs into a bear who is not happy that she is there. Wordy Birdy’s friends help her escape the bear and from then on Wordy Birdy, who still likes to talk, is also a good listener.
I adore this book. The illustrations are fantastic with great pictures of the different animal friends. Wordy Birdy’s constant chatter is hilarious and the lesson that sometimes she needs to stop talking and listen is a great message. My kids loved this and have read it multiple times-it’s especially funny if you have a Wordy Birdy type in your life.
EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Wordy Birdy LOVES to talk. She covers a large range of topics and never stops, not even to listen to her friends. One day while Wordy Birdy is chatting along, she disregards her friends’ warnings to not go into the forest, because she is so busy talking about the beautiful flowers and leaves. She wanders into the forest and runs into a bear who is not happy that she is there. Wordy Birdy’s friends help her escape the bear and from then on Wordy Birdy, who still likes to talk, is also a good listener.
I adore this book. The illustrations are fantastic with great pictures of the different animal friends. Wordy Birdy’s constant chatter is hilarious and the lesson that sometimes she needs to stop talking and listen is a great message. My kids loved this and have read it multiple times-it’s especially funny if you have a Wordy Birdy type in your life.
EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
March 20, 2019
The 4th wall breaking asides from the rabbit, raccoon, and squirrel who are part of Wordy Birdy's story are delightful, as are the colorful and snarky illustrations. I also appreciated that Wordy Birdy is still herself at the end of the book-- she's still gregarious and enthusiastic-- even though she now has a new skill: listening. She doesn't have to be serious or quiet to know how to listen to others and be more mindful. That, I think, is a really great message for little kids who may struggle with being told to behave in certain ways that may feel at odds with their nature. They can do both!
April 8, 2018
We all know a Wordy Birdy...I've been known to resemble her on occasion myself. What a fun reminder to listen in a story that children will love as they watch Wordy Birdy ignore all of her friend's warnings...delightful. Mottram's illustrations make the story even more fun.
January 22, 2019
The book jacket flaps and lining of the covers are true gems on this fun picture book.
December 17, 2019
Excelente cuento para trabajar las destrezas de escuchar - mindful listening. Recomendado a la niñez de 3 años en adelante.
November 11, 2020
A chatty bird learns to listen.
March 25, 2024
Honestly, I was hoping this book would be geared more toward adults listening to children. That's why it's not a 5. It's got a bouncy flow, good dialog, fun voices, accessible art. I just think that the ones who need to talk less and listen more aren't the kids this is geared towards but the adults reading it to them.
March 30, 2018
Okay. Kate read the dialogue bubbles.
February 2, 2018
He's chatty and amusing in an annoying kind of way.
July 4, 2019
Wordy Birdy talks incessantly, to the point of not paying attention to her surroundings. When she chatters her friends into a dangerous situation, she finally understands the power of listening. At least for a moment. Bold, colorful illustrations match Wordy Birdy's personality.
August 30, 2018
This book is the antithesis of the sort of pious crap the Berenstains turn out in that it has a lesson (about why it's important to listen) but it carefully covers in a fabulous, funny story. The smart aleck tone begins with the inner jacket "stop reading this jacket and dig into the real thing," and goes through the comments on the back cover. You could hand this to that adult wanting a lesson, but you could also read it with an older preschooler/early elementary age kid, and just enjoy the fun. Dialogue balloons might make this harder to use with a group, but again, it's fun, so it might even work in a classroom/story time setting.
March 10, 2018
Wordy Birdy uses a lot of words. She narrates everything in her life, even if no one is around to here it. When others try to tell or warn her, she can't hear because she is too busy being a wordy birdy. She finally learns to be quiet and let others talk after a scare with large furry mammal and a dark cave.
The illustrations of this book were fun but the story felt undeveloped towards the end: the birdy learns her lesson and then THE END. It could have been expanded a bit more to show her new found attitude.
The illustrations of this book were fun but the story felt undeveloped towards the end: the birdy learns her lesson and then THE END. It could have been expanded a bit more to show her new found attitude.
February 28, 2018
Wordy Birdy is too wordy for her own good. Luckily she has wonderfully patient friends to put up with her constant yammering and to keep her away from danger.
The illustrations are fun and colorful, the dialogue is fast-paced and to the point, the action is fun and funny.
Such a fun book - perfect for a read-aloud, especially if you can do many voices!
The illustrations are fun and colorful, the dialogue is fast-paced and to the point, the action is fun and funny.
Such a fun book - perfect for a read-aloud, especially if you can do many voices!
March 1, 2018
Oh my gosh, I totally want to engage my inner Valley girl and talk super fast and read this aloud to a bunch of kids in storytime. A wonderful and hilarious story about he art of listening and friendship.
November 6, 2017
Ha! Kids will all know someone who NEVER listens. Love the colorful goofy illustrations.
February 15, 2018
This has potential for a really fun and funny read-aloud!
September 28, 2019
Would be a fun book to share with younger kids about the importance of listening, and helping out your friends, but I'm not sure the lesson is actually clear at the end.
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July 29, 2020she talks too much.
February 12, 2018
Like many of us, Wordy Birdy loves to talk, and often gets so caught up in what she wants to say that she doesn't listen to others or heed warning signs. While some might be tempted to let her fend for herself when she heads down a dangerous path, ignoring them, her three friends come to her rescue just in the nick of time. Apparently, she learns to listen to them at just the right time. I liked the colorful illustrations although some of the pages are filled more than I might like, and I also could appreciate all the chattering from Wordy Birdy, but I'm not sure what she has done to be deserving of rescue since her friends could have told her what the outcome was going to be. All in all, this humorous picture book will prompt a laugh or two from young readers and maybe some older ones who see themselves in her loquaciousness.
October 3, 2018
Wordy Birdy written by Tammi Sauer is a cute book about a very vocal bird who gets into some trouble. While walking through the forest, many other animals warned birdy about walking the wrong way, into a danger zone. The birdy comes across a big, scary bear - if she just listened to her friends, she wouldn't be in that predicament in the first place. Birdy learns that listening is just as important as talking, maybe even more. The illustrations (by Dave Mottram) came to life with the bright colors and full page art. I believe this should be the 2018 Caldecott winner because of the large vocabulary and meaningful lesson this book portrays. This book will be very fun to read aloud to the class as a whole and have them interacting with you .."What do you think will happen next?!" I recomment kindergarten - 3rd grade & will keep this on the shelf all year around!
October 3, 2019
Wordy Birdy is a bird who is constantly talking. She talks about everything under the moon. Unfortunately, since she is always talking, she never listens to anyone. One say she was walking and everyone tried to warn her not to go that way but she didn't listen. She ran into a bear! Luckily her friends were there to bail her out and she learned that maybe she should start listening to other people too.
I really liked this book because it had a pretty great story and a nice moral to be learned with it. The characters would also talk to the reader which I thought was pretty humorous.
A major theme in the book is the importance of listening to others.
I recommend this book to teachers or parents who are trying to teach their children to listen. It is a necessary skill to learn in this world and this book does a great job showing its importance.
I really liked this book because it had a pretty great story and a nice moral to be learned with it. The characters would also talk to the reader which I thought was pretty humorous.
A major theme in the book is the importance of listening to others.
I recommend this book to teachers or parents who are trying to teach their children to listen. It is a necessary skill to learn in this world and this book does a great job showing its importance.
April 27, 2025
This book goes over the heads of picture book readers and could even frighten them.
For starters, toddlers aren't equipped cognitively to understand a word like WORDY.
Think about what that word means. It's far too abstract for a picture book reader.
But it gets worse. Squirrel, Raccoon, and Rabbit have to save their distracted friend, since Wordy Birdy almost gets in trouble because of what????
Talking too much????
Doesn't Ms. Sauer remember being a chatty two-year-old? Language acquisition takes practice.
Also, assessing that a child -- or book character -- is "distracted" goes far beyond the cognitive understandings of a picture book reader.
Sorry, but TWO STARS is the most I can offer for this one from prolific Tammi Sauer. Much as I believe that most authors deserve respect. And the benefit of some doubts.
For starters, toddlers aren't equipped cognitively to understand a word like WORDY.
Think about what that word means. It's far too abstract for a picture book reader.
But it gets worse. Squirrel, Raccoon, and Rabbit have to save their distracted friend, since Wordy Birdy almost gets in trouble because of what????
Talking too much????
Doesn't Ms. Sauer remember being a chatty two-year-old? Language acquisition takes practice.
Also, assessing that a child -- or book character -- is "distracted" goes far beyond the cognitive understandings of a picture book reader.
Sorry, but TWO STARS is the most I can offer for this one from prolific Tammi Sauer. Much as I believe that most authors deserve respect. And the benefit of some doubts.
November 14, 2018
Super cute and adorable story, I love Wordy Birdy, and I feel I can totally relate to her, though I do hope I listen a bit better than she does at the beginning of the story. I liked the illustrations and the text and how everything worked together. I like that speech bubbles and placement of speech near characters was used instead of simply using the phrase "this character said" I think even though there is less use of different types of speech (yelling, whispering, etc) with this method, given the characters mostly just talk with normal tones there is nothing wrong with that and it avoids the repetition by using speech bubbles.
The story is structured really well and I think this is a book I would recommend to kids because it is fun and cute.
The story is structured really well and I think this is a book I would recommend to kids because it is fun and cute.
December 21, 2018
I enjoyed reading this story. The plot is fairly simple; the bird talks too much and doesn't pay attention. Her friends save her and she learns the value of listening. But the way it is told, and the illustrations make it a great package.
I think this would be a great read aloud-if you can do at least one voice different than your own. You really need a voice for narration and a voice for the bird. Best if you can have a voice for each of the three friends as well. I can see how this could be adapted to be told with puppets and be super cute with one person using a bird puppet and just chattering away, while a second person is the narrator and has the three friends. But one person could read this aloud from the book and it would be super cute as well.
I think this would be a great read aloud-if you can do at least one voice different than your own. You really need a voice for narration and a voice for the bird. Best if you can have a voice for each of the three friends as well. I can see how this could be adapted to be told with puppets and be super cute with one person using a bird puppet and just chattering away, while a second person is the narrator and has the three friends. But one person could read this aloud from the book and it would be super cute as well.
August 4, 2018
In this silly story, Wordy Birdy is so busy talking that she doesn't listen to the warnings her friends try to give her. Not until she's in serious trouble does she bother to listen. As anyone who works with children can explain, listening is not a skill that comes naturally to everyone. Young children especially prefer to talk rather than listen. Stories like this one can gently point out that listening is a valuable and important skill. The story is both funny and thoughtful, making it's point through the events of the story rather than through preaching. The bright, colorful illustrations are appealing and eye-catching and add to the book's effectiveness.
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February 23, 2019Wordy Birdy's cover art is amazing! Who wouldn't want to plop down and read when you see the illustration on the cover? This book would be an amazing read aloud, especially if the reader employs a narrator's voice and a voice for the main character who can talk really fast without stopping! As the title shares, Wordy Birdy talks too much and doesn't listen. As the cautionary tale unfolds, the expressive illustrations make it even more enjoyable! To add to the "wordiness" of this book, the characters have even more to say on the end papers! As an elementary school librarian, I would use this book to teach predictive text, develop fluency and even reader's theater!
August 5, 2019
A catchy title, and absolutely stunning illustrations...but the plot is fairly bland.
Wordy Birdy talks a lot, then she learns to listen. Not much else happens. It's a fable - but without the glorious rises and fall in tempo of a good journey story, it's just a tad too moralising.
The irony of this book is that - although the bird is supposed to be chatty - the extent of her chattiness detracts from the story. This makes it difficult for younger children to follow - especially if their listening skills are still maturing...so it kind of defeats the purpose for (what I assume is) the intended audience.
Wordy Birdy talks a lot, then she learns to listen. Not much else happens. It's a fable - but without the glorious rises and fall in tempo of a good journey story, it's just a tad too moralising.
The irony of this book is that - although the bird is supposed to be chatty - the extent of her chattiness detracts from the story. This makes it difficult for younger children to follow - especially if their listening skills are still maturing...so it kind of defeats the purpose for (what I assume is) the intended audience.
February 6, 2021
Meet Wordy Birdy, a very chatty bird who talks WAY more than she listens!
Wordy Birdy LOVES to talk. "Hello, sunrise. Hello, pink sky. Hello, orange sky. . . ." But does she love to listen? NOPE. One day, while she's walking through the forest, her gift of the gab gets her into hot water: "That's a pretty tree and that's a pretty tree and that's a pretty danger sign and that's a pretty tree. . . ." Will this inattentive bird walk right into danger? Will her faraway thoughts lead her along a path of doom? It's up to her long-suffering, heard-it-all-before pals Squirrel, Raccoon, and Rabbit to save their distracted friend.
Wordy Birdy LOVES to talk. "Hello, sunrise. Hello, pink sky. Hello, orange sky. . . ." But does she love to listen? NOPE. One day, while she's walking through the forest, her gift of the gab gets her into hot water: "That's a pretty tree and that's a pretty tree and that's a pretty danger sign and that's a pretty tree. . . ." Will this inattentive bird walk right into danger? Will her faraway thoughts lead her along a path of doom? It's up to her long-suffering, heard-it-all-before pals Squirrel, Raccoon, and Rabbit to save their distracted friend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews