Written by Susan Vande Griek
Illustrated by Mark Hoffman
Kids Can Press, 2019. Informational Picture Book.
Birds come in all different shapes and sizes, and they move in different ways as well. Vande Griek writes a poem for each of these different types of birds, using her words to mimic the motion of every species. Along with the poetic text, there is a straightforward paragraph giving some details about the movement described in the poems. Through these two pieces, readers can get a more lyrical understanding of the flight of each bird, as well as a more detailed description. The poems are enjoyable to read, and they do their best to mimic the movements made by the birds themselves, making them descriptive in both words and form.
Hoffman's soft illustrations pair beautifully with the idea of birds flying. His illustrations swoop and swerve, and show motion without extra noise on the page. Hoffman does an excellent job of portraying the individuality of each species, with every page demonstrating different emotions and movements that are distinct enough to convey the message without the text. Together, they work to make each bird species memorable. Whether you read this book just to learn about birds, or to reinforce concepts of individuality, it makes for a lyrical and enjoyable read.
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