Sparrow Loves Birds by Murry Burgess, illustrated by Tamisha Anthony (Christy Ottaviano Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Sparrow is an observant girl, who loves noticing the people, animals, and sounds of her neighborhood. Most of all, she loves to watch birds, and she’ll often head out with her sketchbook and binoculars to look for them. She learns to identify different birds by their movements, colors, and songs, carefully drawing them and labelling them when she knows their names. The last page invites readers to explore their own neighborhoods, and there’s lots of back matter to help them, including tips for birdwatchers and a guide to eighteen birds mentioned in the text. There’s also an author’s note describing her journey from a childhood spent learning about nature to a career in wildlife biology, and encouraging kids to get outside and observe nature, whether they live in rural, suburban, or urban neighborhoods. This a great introduction to birdwatching, and just generally enjoying the outdoors, that introduces lots of different birds and birdwatching techniques through an enthusiastic young narrator. The illustrations and back matter add to the educational value.

Owls in Our Yard! The Story of Alfie by Carl Safina (Norton Young Readers, 48 pages, grades 2-5). For some real-life backyard birdwatching, here’s the story of Alfie, a baby eastern screech owl found on the ground and given to ecologist Carl Safina for rehabilitation. After nursing her back to health, he and his family gradually reintroduced her to the wild. He wasn’t sure she would ever completely lose her reliance on humans, but slowly, Alfie started leaving her nesting box for longer periods of time and learned to hunt for food on her own. Eventually, she showed up with a mate, and Carl discovered that Alfie had built a nest and laid three eggs. During the pandemic, the family had plenty of opportunities to follow the adventures of the new baby owls, including battles with blue jays and robins for backyard territory. While Alfie has stayed close to her old home, she’s completely integrated into the wild now, having raised three broods and raised a total of ten owlets. The photos and compelling nonfiction story make every step of Alfie’s journey an adventure that animal lovers are sure to enjoy. It’s a bit text heavy, so younger kids may need some help with the reading, but the narrative is engaging enough to keep them going to learn what happens to Alfie and her babies.