Review by Booklist Review
When Ruby stays in Grandma's apartment one day, a neighbor, Eva, takes her for a walk in Central Park, where they sing made-up songs. In the woods, Eva stops. Still and silent, she looks through binoculars. When Ruby begins to sing loudly, a startled bird flies away. Eva explains that seeing a golden-winged warbler was special for her. It was the only one she'd seen since leaving home, Costa Rica. Though they wait, the bird doesn't return. The next Sunday, Ruby leads her family through those woods. She suddenly stops, listens, and smiles when she spots a warbler. And like Eva, she shares this joyful moment with her companions. The concise story is told from Ruby's point of view. Nicely varied and well-structured, the colorful digital illustrations sometimes show the scenes from a bird's-eye perspective. The back matter introduces 14 birds often seen in cities and offers ""Ruby's tips for taking a nature walk."" Published by the noted Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this picture book ties in well with classroom discussions on birds, bird-watching, and migration.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-This enlightening introduction to birding captures the wonder and excitement of nature. Ruby, a young black child, loves to sing, make music, and generally add noise and excitement to her world. Ruby has never gone bird-watching until the day that Eva, her neighbor, takes her on a walk to Central Park. Ruby thinks they're just there to play, but actually they are on a bird-watching mission, for Eva is hoping to catch sight of a special bird from her homeland. With Eva's help and some practice, Ruby learns how to move carefully, pay attention, and wait patiently in order to see the birds that are present all around her. Published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this is a perfect resource for anyone hoping to spark curiosity about the avian world. Bright, clear illustrations feature 14 birds that readers can discover hidden throughout the pages, and the dust jacket transforms into a wall poster. Back matter discusses how readers can find birds at home and in their city, includes links to online resources, and offers tips from Ruby for taking a nature walk. -VERDICT Chock-full of information, this title is an excellent read-aloud or read-alone -addition to any library.-Laken -Hottle, Providence -Community Library © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young girl learns how to bird-watch from her neighbor, then teaches her family.Ruby, a black girl with afro puffs and a missing front tooth, likes to spice things up when it's "too quiet" at home. When her neighbor, Eva, hears Ruby making noise, she invites Ruby to the parkCentral Park. When they get to the woods there, Eva is quiet, looking up, using binoculars, frozenbut smiling. Ruby starts singing again, and a frustrated Eva sits her down to tell her about the golden-winged warbler she was looking at, a bird she'd only seen back home in Costa Rica. They try to find him again, staying quiet and paying attention. On Sunday, Ruby begs her family to go to Central Park during their regular family time. She leads them into the woods and shows them how to watch, quiet and still. Her efforts are rewarded when she sees a warbler. Dvila's illustrations, done with the abundant green and brown of nature and splashes of colorful clothing against ample white space, depict caring relationships and communities. With a bird on each spread and a key in the back, it serves as a Where's Waldo-type introduction to birding guides, one readers can return to again and again. A bird poster and an endnote addressed to children round out the package.A good story, perfect for bird lovers and likely to entice the uninitiated. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
