Snow Birds

by Kirsten Hall, Jenni Desmond (Illustrator)

Discover birds who survive winter against all odds in this poetic, gorgeously illustrated picture book   Snowflakes whirling, snow-flocks swirling, streaks of white twirl through the night . . . You’ve heard of birds who migrate to warmer climates in the wintertime—but what about those who persevere through snowy weather and freezing temperatures? With elegant verse and striking illustrations, Snow Birds salutes the brave and resourceful birds who adapt to survive the coldest months.  

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

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2020

About the author

Kirsten is a native New Yorker. After college, where she majored in English and minored in Child Development, Hall taught preschool and then Kindergarten while studying Early Childhood Education in NYU’s masters program. Her first easy reader book was written (and published) when she was in the 7th grade. Since then she has written approximately 150 early reader and chapter books for children, on a broad range of topics, for publishers including Scholastic, HarperCollins, Barnes & Noble, Random House, and Chronicle.
In addition to writing, Hall operates her own boutique illustration and literary agency, Catbird Productions. Hall currently resides in New York City.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully and realistically illustrated picture book. Each of these birds, who don’t migrate in winter, is honored with a poem telling us about the bird and the sounds it makes. Back matter includes more information about the birds and a letter from the author encouraging us to pay attention to these birds who are affected by climate change.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

American author Kirsten Hall and English illustrator Jenni Desmond pair up in this poetic picture-book examination of snow birds - avian creatures who do not migrate south during the winter. From the blue jay to the snow bunting, the great gray owl to the cardinal, each bird is featured on a two-page spread, with a brief poem, plentiful onomatopoeia and beautiful artwork. An afterword gives more information about each type of bird profiled...

Snow Birds is the third picture-book I have read from the wonderfully talented Hall, who is (full disclosure) a personal acquaintance and friend, and the fourth from Desmond. I found it delightful, enjoying both the brief but clever poems and the lovely visuals. I don't know that I'd ever given much thought to the birds that stay around in winter, but as someone who has always lived in northern climes, I certainly appreciate their presence during that season. Recommended to young animal lovers and bird watchers, and to picture-book readers looking for works of natural history that are both poetical and educational.

[Brenda Kahn]

Lovely poems and beautiful illustrations about birds that stay through the winter months. Loved this.

[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snow Birds is a lovely picture book in verse that highlights the many different species of birds who stay north during winter. The verse is especially wonderful when read aloud; many of the poems cleverly integrate a particular species’ song. And the poems also often use whitespace and word placement to their advantage. The realistic art style has whimsical touches and serves as a celebration of the true beauty of nature!

[Rebecca]

Nice illustrations, fun short poems about different birds in winter.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharp little poems that evoke the birds that the illustrations bring to detailed life. I don't actually live in a snowy place, so most of these birds are unknown to me. Also, I'm the worlds worst birder. But it was relaxing and delightful to read.

I don't think my kids would have liked it, but I would have enjoyed attempting to read it to them.

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy watching the birds, and I like children's books about science, so I loved the idea of this book, but I felt it was somewhat lacking in the execution. The artwork by Jenni Desmond is fantastic! She really captures the birds' personalities. But the text was not informative. The little poems that Hall scatters throughout the book are merely hinting at things, and if you already know about the particular type of bird, you will get the hint, but if you are unfamiliar with the bird, it will be meaningless.

The last two pages of the book are "Meet the Birds!" with little facts about each bird. How much stronger and more wonderful this book would have been if those facts had been included in the main body of the book!! One fact that is not included is: where are these birds found? I looked some of them up.

The ivory gull, for example, is found only in the arctic region: the coasts of northernmost Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. Most kids are not going to be familiar with the ivory gull. The black rosy-finch (a bird I'd never heard of) is found only in parts of the Rocky Mountains in the western US. The snow bunting spends summers in the arctic, and comes down to the northern US for winters. The bohemian waxwing (another bird I'd never heard of) is much rarer than its more common cousin, the cedar waxwing; it spends summers in northern Canada and winters in northern US. The Atlantic puffin - a bird everyone knows but few see in the wild - spends summers and winters off the coast of Maine, eastern Canada, and Greenland. The Northern cardinal and the blue jay can be found almost everywhere in the eastern US & Canada, and the downy woodpecker can be found in almost all of the US and Canada. (The remaining nine birds are: Carolina wren, common redpoll, snow goose, great gray owl, ruffed grouse, snowy owl, black-capped chickadee, golden-crowned kinglet, and American tree sparrow.)

I would really like to know why Hall chose these 17 birds in particular. It's an eclectic mix of common birds and rare birds, with no rhyme or reason apparent. Some birds are found only in eastern North America, some only in western North America, and some are found only in the arctic.

I was particularly surprised that the junco was not included - it's range is almost all of North America, and it is a bird so closely associated with winter and snow that some people call them "snow birds."

[Hayley Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This lovely illustrated book explores those birds which have adapted to survive the cold winter months when others travel south for the winter. Lots of rhyme included and it has lots of information about different types of birds.
This would be a useful story to explore with a class around different types of birds, different habitats, seasons, why birds migrate, the effect the weather can have on animals, how animals have evolved to survive. A class could go outside for a walk and see what different birds they can see. Links to geography through migration. Links to poetry. A class could also try to draw different types of birds.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, informative book that introduces the reader, through shape poems, to many North American birds that don't migrate in wintertime, but develop behaviors to adapt and thrive in the snow and cold. The rhymes are cute and the illustrations - done in watercolor, acryclic, pencil crayons, ink, drypoint printmaking, and Photoshop - are beautiful and accurate. "Meet the Birds!" at the end provides detailed descriptions of each, including how they adapt to the wintry season in terms of feeding, resting, and nesting. Each reader will be sure to find a favorite bird in this gem of a picture book.

[Ann Haefele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stunning artwork of winter birds accompany poems about each of these birds who do not migrate to warmer climates. The poems do not include many facts about each of these birds. The bird info is found at the end in a 2 page section titled “ Meet the Birds”. This would have been a 5 star book if the poems had included more facts about each of the birds, instead of just describing their actions in the cold in the poetry.

[Deborah]

Poems & sounds of winter birds in beautiful snow scenes.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young (and old) birdwatchers will enjoy this poetic celebration of our feathered friends. Backyard species as well as more exotic birds are covered.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers who are familiar with the artwork of Jenni Desmond won't be disappointed with the images in this picture book highlighting 17 bird species that stick close to home during the winter months. While other birds seek warmer climes, these birds don't migrate, somehow managing to survive cold temperatures. The illustrations, created with watercolor, acrylics, pencil crayons, ink, prints, and Photoshop, highlight the birds scattered across the pages and certainly in motion as they seek shelter or food, and the poems feature onomatopoeia that allows readers to hear the birds for themselves. For instance, the Black Rosy-Finches are shown pecking in the snow and munching on their findings with a "Chew chew chew!" (unpaged), and the Black-Capped Chickadee huddles against the elements ["...shaking / quaking / in a tree /" (unpaged) as it emits a "Fee-bee! Fee-bee!" (unpaged) cry. The poet's decision to start and end the book with poems about the Blue Jay enables readers to see the cyclical nature of life and the seasons, possibly pondering if birds are just as eager for spring's greenery and warmth as humans are after those cold, snowy winters. Thumbnail sketches of the birds can be found in a "Meet the Birds!" section in the back matter. Readers may finish this book with a strong sense of respect for these survivors while also wondering at the different ways they cope with severe weather. Perhaps there are lessons to be learned from their examples.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earlier this week, a wild rain and windstorm raged through our entire state. Along the Great Lakes in northern Michigan waves rose and trees bent from these forces. This event heralded the arrival of much colder conditions. Clouds spit snow earlier this morning.

Winter is nature's seasonal pause. Now is the time to enjoy this yearly rest.

The silence in the mornings as the sun rises is complete. Many of our feathered friends have flown to more southern regions for winter. Others that remain have distinctive times of the day when they make appearances. Fortunate are those who see a flash of red, reminding us of the presence of cardinals. Sometimes when the sun shines brightly, chick-a-dees will gather in the trees, singing. Blue jays squawk and swoop, sometimes alone or in a pair. At dark, the hooting of an owl signals their nightly rituals. Snow Birds (Abrams Books for Young Readers, November 3, 2020) written by Kirsten Hall with pictures by Jenni Desmond is a poetic, pictorial ode to those birds who remain in winter or thrive in colder climates. Eighteen poems about seventeen birds will have you seeking their presence every time you step outside.

My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carefully crafted poems and illustrations so real you can almost feel the cold work together to make this book a seasonal top pick.

These short poems flow off the tongue and are written in a variety of formats, with one double-page spread per bird. Each page also has that bird’s unique vocal sound written across the page. “Meet the Birds” section in the back gives a brief look at each bird and describes how they have adapted to survival in cold habitats.

Add this to your units on migration to show that not all birds migrate. It could also be used for adaptation, seasonal, poetry forms, bird identification, or just the joy of reading aloud to early and middle elementary youngsters - and adults may find themselves also enjoying the sights and sounds of these hardy birds.

[Valentine]

This is a really lovely book in most ways - both the illustrations and the rhymes/prose are so beautiful, and I loved the back page with information all about wintering birds. For the benefit of anyone buying this for a child who it has the potential to upset, there is however a double page depiction of a polar bear and gull eating a seal - it’s a bit out of place in what is otherwise an entirely gentle book, and I know the child I bought this for will probably not like this - I didn’t really either as an adult! Just to bear in mind if you’re giving this book to a child who may be sensitive to this sort of thing.

[Sarah Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the wonderful illustrations to the bird sounds written into the text, I loved this non-fiction book about birds in winter. There is a "Meet the Birds" section at the back that gives more information about each breed. The only reason I dropped a star from my rating is because one illustration depicts a polar bear eating a seal with a specific type of bird nearby. Even though it is as tasteful an illustration as it could have been given the topic (pun not intended), it could be disturbing to sensitive kiddos so families should be aware that it is there and could be easily skipped over with a paperclip holding the two-page spread together.

[Andrea Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is gorgeous. The illustrations, mostly watercolor with pencil (illustrator note says - acrylic, ink, drypoint printmaking and photoshop too), capture both the essence of the bird, as well as the different feels of winter. As someone who lives in a place that's winter close to 50% of the year, I can say confidently that there are different feels to winter. It's not all bleak and white and gray. The poems are fun, rhyming, rhythmic. The publisher's choice to have text fly across the page sometimes also gives life to the poems. Very beautiful.

[Peggy Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

SNOW BIRDS by Kirsten Hall is a tribute to birds that adapt to cold and snowy winter weather. This collection of poems opens as Blue Jays collect and hide food in preparation for winter, then comes full circle at the end of the book where they look forward to the arrival of spring. In between are poems of different sorts about birds who brave the cold and snow. The poems include different forms of poetry, and the beautiful illustrations by Jenni Desmond are a treat for anyone who loves birds and nature.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it's true that many birds migrate, there is a menagerie of species that are fine with living in the same habitats year round, including frosty winters. Snow Birds is packed with so many beautiful illustrations of these regal, marvelous avians! Each feathered friend you find featured gets their own poem to accompany their portraits. The artwork manages to feel both so classic and so alive. Snow Birds is a perfect book for birders of any age!

[Raven Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations and poems about the birds we see everyday and ones a bit more exotic. Each feathered friend has their own poem (some shaped to fit the essence of the bird) and the book as a whole is one larger poem. Yet, this reads as a straight-forward story/book and not as if you have to stop and take long breaks in-between to find a deeper meaning. An afterwards gives more scientific based facts.

[Laurie Hnatiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although catalogued as an everyone book, there is a lot of factual information that could be gleaned from the poems and the additional facts on each of the different snowbirds in the book. Useful to those who experience winter, birds that are included that readers may not be aware of include: Ivory Gull, Ruffed Grouse, Atlantic Puffin along with more common birds (Chickadees, Blue Jays, Snowy Owl and Bohemian Waxwings).

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

focusing on North American birds and their behaviour in the winter, an array of birds are featured , each to a double page. The illustrations by Jenni Desmond are glorious with full colour pages of realistic, but slightly stylised portrayals of each bird, with added information provided through the setting, or featured food or behavior. The layout of the text is carefully planned to add meaning, expression and movement to the verses, which are mix of free and rhyming text.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens to birds that DON'T fly south for the winter? Many hunker down in their snowy climes and adapt to survive the season. Onomatopoeic poems, a few of them concrete, share the stories of seventeen birds, with additional information on each in two pages of backmatter. Lovely for poetry units and STEM conversations and a wonderful addition for families who participate in the Bird Count!

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was beautifully done. The whole book is package so nicely from the gorgeous
illustrations, the quick snippets of poetry, and there is even a section to educate about each of the species that was showcased. Many of these birds I see every day outside my window, as I try to help them in the winter time.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Cybils poetry finalist.
Poem by poem and page by page, Kirsten Hall flies through birds who live in winter climes. Beautiful illustrations show what the poems tell about how these lovely parts of our nature for those who have winter snows and cold survive. It is a must for those who love to study birds, whether adults or children.

[Carol Doeringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every page of Snow Birds is filled with music. Bird calls and songs are beautifully rendered in onomatopoeia. The author writes rich, vivid text, in a variety of rhyme meters and schemes, to explain how seventeen birds adapt to winter’s harsh weather. The illustrations are simply gorgeous. This is a terrific book to help kids discover not only birds, but also the magic of musical language.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done poems that include the sounds of bird calls and soft lovely illustrations chronicle 17 birds who stay in the winter zones. Many of these are not commonly found here in the midwest. Back matter includes additional information on each of the species.

[Emma Refvem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very fun to read! The birdies are so good and I love that there's a new rhyme style for each bird. The first time I read it to Bats he did cry but when Byron reads it Bats actually loves it so live laugh love.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poems about winter birds, with either the poems or the illustrations featuring the sounds those birds make. The book moves from roughly the beginning to end of winter. More information about each bird in the back matter.