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Summary
Summary
A grandfather shares with his grandchild the quiet wonder of birdwatching - and a wry talent for telling a tall tale. "When I go birdwatching, things happen," Granddad tells little Jess. Sometimes, he says, while he's drawing pictures of the birds, they draw pictures of him. And sometimes they help him out by finding their own names in his bird book. "Birds are amazing," says Granddad, but Jess isn't so sure. So one day she goes birdwatching with Granddad to see for herself. With expressive line-and-wash drawings, Simon James captures the leafy grandeur of the outdoors and the warm, special rapport between a child and a granddad, illustrating once again the huge happiness to be found in little things.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-Jess's grandfather is fond of telling fantastic stories about his adventures while birdwatching. The girl takes his declaration that "Birds are amazing" with a grain of salt and decides to find out for herself if this is true. When she accompanies him into the field one day, she is clearly underwhelmed, at first unable to see anything on her own. They then make their way to a bird blind overlooking a pond, and Jess is bedazzled by the array of warblers, ducks, and waders that greet them. They make "lots of notes and loads of drawings." Not only does the child catch the birdwatching bug, but she also picks up Granddad's penchant for spinning tales. This engaging text laced with subtle humor strikes just the right chord. No one can fully grasp the thrill of observing nature in the wild without experiencing it firsthand, ideally with a knowledgeable and amiable mentor at one's side. The whimsical elements keep the story's tone light and joyous and the lively and expressive watercolor cartoons have the verve and charm of James Stevenson's best work. An enchanting tribute to small, simple pleasures.-Luann Toth, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The pacing of James's (Leon and Bob) meditative tale takes its cue from the avocation he salutes. Granddad tells the narrator, "Jess, when I go birdwatching, things happen." The opening pen-and-ink and watercolor wash depicts a mild-mannered bespectacled fellow with a cap and binoculars. But the narrative quickly takes a turn: the elderly gent explains that, when he sketches the birds, they sometimes make drawings of him as well (the accompanying illustration shows man and feathered friend perched high on a tree limb, sketch pads and pencils in hand er, wing). They even help him locate their names in his bird book. These antics make for humorous, understated visuals, and the stories inspire Jess to tag along one day. At first, "Nothing happened." Peering out from a birdwatching hut, however, the duo spies various species ("Yellow Warblers, Ring-necked Ducks, herons, snipe, and Western Grebes") floating on the surface of a nearby pond. James's brushstrokes fill all but the sparest patches of watercolor paper, and the white that shows through simulates sunlight filtering through the trees. Heading for home, Granddad asks Jess what she liked best about the day; picking up on his wry humor, she announces, "I liked it best when the dancing penguins came and shared my sandwich." (Sure enough, a pair of penguins waddle behind them.) This attractive volume rewards those who like its protagonists possess a degree of patience and an appreciation of nature. Ages 4-8. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Granddad says that interesting things happen when he goes bird watching. For example, he claims that the birds make drawings of him and help him identify them in his bird book. So when Jess joins her grandfather on a birdwatching trek, she turns the tables on Granddad with her own wild tale. Line and wash drawings enhance the thin story. From HORN BOOK Fall 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
This gentle, intergenerational story successfully conveys in a simple and authentic voice a granddaughter's first birding experience. Grandfather claims: "When I go birdwatching, things happen," and " . . . when I make drawings of the birds, sometimes they make drawings of me, too," or " . . . sometimes the birds help me when I can't find their names in my bird book." What her grandfather tells her is hard to believe, so Jess decides to go along. At first she sees nothing, but finally, she is rewarded with a full panorama of winged creatures. When Grandfather asks her favorite part about her birdwatching venture, as a quick study, she can tell a story of her own: "I liked best when the dancing penguins came and shared my sandwich." The line-and-wash drawings are a perfect pairing with the text, creating a seamless flow of story to illustration. The warmth of the autumn sun creates amber tones of luscious fall foliage that fill the pages and convey the grandeur of nature, which dwarfs the humans and birds inhabiting each setting. The grandfather's love of birdwatching and the pleasure of sharing this passion with his granddaughter, coupled with the frustration of the novice birder who can't spot a bird, rings true to anyone facing a new challenge, especially a child. (Picture book. 4-8)
Booklist Review
PreS.^-Gr. 1. Granddad tells Jess tall tales about his bird-watching, so one day she goes along with him and discovers an exciting world in the woods. The drama is in James' vital, line-and-wash pictures that show the small girl, first at home in the center of the big empty page, and then as a tiny part of the packed, dynamic, fall country landscape. At first she's overwhelmed and lost, even with binoculars ("I couldn't see anything. Nothing happened"). But then Granddad takes her to the bird-watching hut and shows her all kinds of birds. In the wild woods she looks closely and discovers her connections with small things. She also finds her own wild, playful stories. This is Thoreau for preschoolers; it's all about the company you find in a solitary place. --Hazel Rochman
