Cardinals, robins, blue jays…the list goes on and on. Hang a bird feeder near the window and you are pretty much guaranteed to attract these animals to observe. Now, grab some bird books for kids and take the learning even deeper. It’s just one of the many animal book lists you’ll find here at Growing Book by Book.
Bird Books for Kids
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Board Books About Birds
Duck & Goose were staples in our house when my kids were babies and toddlers. I can not even count the number of times we Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin. The duo is playful, silly, and all-around entertaining.
National Geographic always has stunning photographs that fill their works. Check out National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Birds (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Books) by Catherine D. Hughes.
Learn about birds and colors in Baby’s First Book of Birds & Colors by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes.
Hooray for Birds! by Lucy Cousins is busting through with vibrant colors in true Cousins’ style.
Simple and beautiful is what you get with Nest by Jorey Hurley. One word per page (great for building vocabulary) paired with an amazing illustration.
Charley Harper’s Count the Birds by Zoe Burke introduces little ones to birds and counting at the same time.
Curious About Birds by Cathryn and John Sill introduces young kids to basic information about birds combined with beautiful illustrations.
Little ones can press the sounds to hear 24 different bird calls of North American birds from Robins to Cardinals. Enjoy Songs of the Birds by Isabel Otter.
Maisy Loves Birds by Lucy Cousins is filled with basic information about birds from where they nest to what they eat. Plus, all those bright bold colors you expect with a Maisy book.
Learning About Birds for Kids
Bird Watch by Christie Matheson is a great introduction and inspiration for bird watching through all the seasons. Plus, you can bird watch right in the book and find the birds on each page. The dedication sums it up by E.B. White, “Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.” You’ll want to grab a bird guide from the library and head out into nature after reading.
Stunning illustrations and packed full of bird facts is what you’ll discover in this tall book, The Big Book of Birds, by Yuval Zommer.
Birds by Kevin Henkes works especially well for little ones. It’s a good introductory book to all the different shapes, sizes, and colors of birds. Also, check out Egg by Henkes.
In This is the Nest That Robin Built by Denise Fleming, you dissect the nest of a bird, there are a lot of animals that interacted with the ingredients before they became part of a nest. It’s a neat story about the connections in nature.
One Dark Bird by Liz Garton Scanlon is an interesting counting book about starlings. You’ll definitely be watching the sky more after reading this one.
Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook by Martin Jenkins works really with preschoolers. Journey along with a bird while it builds it nest.
My Happy Year by E. Bluebird written by Paul Meisel is written in a diary format. Whose diary is it? Well, and Eastern Bluebird of course.
Also, check out My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird by Paul Meisel. We meet the hummingbird in this story on May 15th and get to travel the whole year with it including its migration to warmer weather.
Back matter includes a glossary and sources and recommended reading. And, don’t forget to take in the endpapers. They are loaded with visuals and more information including how you can attract hummingbirds to your yard.
Did you ever wonder what all those tweets mean? Bird Talk: What Birds are Saying and Why by Lita Judge explores the meaning behind all those bird songs.
Birds, Nests and Eggs (Take Along Guides) by Mel Boring is a guide meant to be taken on a bird watch. You will learn how to spot nests and identify a bird’s eggs.
National Geographic Kids Bird Guide of North America: The Best Birding Book for Kids from National Geographic’s Bird Experts by Jonathan Alderfer will help you identify over 100 species of birds from the east coast to the west coast.
Hummingbird by Nicola Davies is specifically about the Ruby-throated hummingbirds which weigh less than a nickel. The book is informative and beautiful. Don’t miss the endpapers-GORGEOUS. I’m half tempted to get out the messy hummingbird feeder again.
One of the first signs of spring is when the robins start bumping into my windows. Robins!: How They Grow Up by Eileen Christelow takes us on a year-long journey of two robins and their life.
Bird Count by Susan Edwards Richmond is a must read if you are doing bird counts with children. It explains how to identify as well as other bird watching requirements. Plus, we get to learn about lots of different birds and using tally marks.
Also, learn about birds and activities related to birds in the Audobon Birding Adventures for Kids by Elissa Wolfson and Margaret A. Barker. You’ll find tips for watching birds and identifying them. Plus activities for helping birds including make bird feeders and bird homes.
Which birds tough out the cold winter months further north? Find out in the poetic book, Snow Birds by Kirsten Hall.
Nesting by Henry Cole is a gorgeous read. Children will learn lots of facts about American Robins from the text and endnotes but more than anything they will love to see those little eggs hatch and then the birds grow.
Bird Show by Susan Stockdale is vocabulary packed with limited text. What really shines in this book are the gorgeous image of birds and the details about them from their colors to their crowns.
Birds Everywhere by Britta Teckentrup is decked out with beautiful illustrations paired with lots of facts. Did you know that Artic terns travel 1.5 million miles in their lifetime? Bird enthusiasts and older kiddos will love learning with this gem.
I love interesting stories based on true experiences and the kids will like this one too. Meet an injured toucan that is helped by humans to repair a damaged beak. Read Building a Beak: How a Toucan’s Rescue Inspired the World by Becca McMurdie.
Clever Crow by Chris Butterworth is super accessible for young listeners or new readers learning to navigate informational books. The crow doesn’t seem like the most interesting bird but did you know it is probably the most clever? Scientists think they may be as intelligent as monkeys and apes. Loved how approachable this book was for the younger crowd.
Fun and Playful Bird-Themed Books
Fly! by Mark Teague is a wordless book that sends a great message about having confidence and giving things a try. See baby bird isn’t too excited about learning to fly, but her parent keeps trying to get her to take the leap. Baby bird has lots of other ideas for getting south for the winter, but her parent keeps urging her to give flying a try. The illustrations are gorgeous and there are lots of thought bubbles to infer what baby bird is thinking.
Kids will have a blast adding in Pigeon Math by Asia Citro. The pigeons are on the wire, but they never stay for long constantly flying to and from creating all sorts of wild addition stories. We even have printable story mats to go with the book.—>Pigeon Math Book Activity
Speaking of pigeons. You can’t not enjoy Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog, or The Pigeon Has to Go to School by the great, Mo Willems.
Also by Mo Willems, There’s a Bird on Your Head! is one of my favorite Elephant & Piggie books. Gerald has acquired a nest of birds on his head and he needs Piggie’s advice.
The chicks are out on the playground playing a little basketball. And they are doing a little adding in Arithmechicks Add Up by Ann Marie Stephens.
Molly Idle has some beautiful bird-themed wordless books to enjoy from Flora and the Flamingo to Flora and the Peacocks.
Imagine flying through the night sky exploring Paris. That’s just what you get to do in Hoot and Peep by Lita Judge.
It’s cool to be nerdy. That is what Nerdy Birdy discovers in Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds.
Penguin Books
We dedicated a whole list to those waddling tuxedo-wearing birds.—>See the Penguin Book List
Books About Chickens
Read all about chickens too. I’ve got a whole list for you.—>Books About Chickens
Printable Bird Books for Kids List
Grab a printable book list of the bird books above.
Enjoy enjoying birds in nature and in books.