STEM Tuesday — On the Wing with Birds — Book List

It’s spring. Birds are on the wing and creating nests. Discover these amazing creatures in our April booklist. You’ll probably notice that some authors have written multiple books about birds. Explore them all and, perhaps, they will inspire a passion for birdwatching in your students.

Where Have All The Birds Gone? Nature in Crisis by Rebecca Hirsch

The author of Where Have All The Bees Gone? returns with this well-researched book about the world’s disappearing birds.

Superpower Field Guides – Ostriches by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Nicholas John Frith

This installment of the fun, graphic series focuses on fascinating ostriches that can outrun most horses.

Condor Comeback by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Tianne Strombeck

The population of California condors once reached the brink of extinction. This Scientists in the Field book details the recovery story of these highly endangered birds.

Birdology: Adventures with a Pack of Hens, a Peck of Pigeons, Cantankerous Crows, Fierce Falcons, Hip Hop Parrots, Baby Hummingbirds, and One Murderously Big Living Dinosaur by Sy Montgomery

This is another bird-focused title from Sy Montgomery that shouldn’t be missed. Readers will explore many species in this title for older readers.

Crow Smarts: Inside the Brain of the World’s Brightest Bird by Pamela S. Turner, photographs by Andy Comins, illustrations by Guido de FeLippo

Let’s talk about bird brains. Turner’s book focuses on the best and the brightest – crows. This is also a Scientists in the Field title that will introduce readers to the scientists at the heart of this brainy bird science.

Beauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3d-Printed Beak Rescued a Bald Eagle by Deborah Lee Rose and Jane Veltkamp

Animal rehabilitation is fascinating, but when it depends on cutting edge technology it is a leap ahead. This story involves a magnificent bald eagle and beak reconstruction.

The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk by Jan Thornhill 

This 2016 book about the extinction of the great northern penguin known as the auk is worth searching for in your library. Readers will learn how their demise played a part in our modern conservation movement.

The Triumphant Tale of The House Sparrow by Jan Thornhill

Thornhill’s recent title explores the natural history of the perky little house sparrow that will be familiar to most readers.

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose

Can a bird fly the distance of the moon? It sure can. This is the story of a red knot that had an outstanding flying career.

The Race to Save Lord God Bird by Phillip Hoose 

Many birds are endangered and many have become extinct. The story of the race to save the ivory-billed woodpecker from extinction is as huge as the bird itself. It’s extinction has been as momentous as the dodo.

Crows: Genius Birds by Kyla Vanderklugt

This is a perfect companion title to Crow Smarts. Readers will love the comic format.

Falcons in the City: The Story of a Peregrine Family by Chris Earley, photographs by Luke Massey

Cities are full of wildlife. Explore these urban residents.


Photo of DESERTS author Nancy Castaldo

Nancy Castaldo has written books about our planet for over 20 years including, THE STORY OF SEEDS, which earned the Green Earth Book Award, Junior Library Guild Selection, and other honors. Nancy’s research has taken her all over the world from the Galapagos to Russia.  She strives to inform, inspire, and empower her readers. Nancy also served as Regional Advisor Emeritus of the Eastern NY SCBWI region. Her 2022 titles are When the World Runs Dry (Jr Library Guild Selection), The Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale (Scientists in the Field) and Buildings That Breathe. Visit her at www.nancycastaldo.com. 

Patricia Newman writes middle-grade nonfiction that empowers young readers to act on behalf of the environment and their communities. Academy Award winner and environmentalist Jeff Bridges calls Planet Ocean a “must read.” Newman, a Sibert Honor author of Sea Otter Heroes, has also received an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book Award for Eavesdropping on Elephants, a Green Earth Book Award for Plastic, Ahoy!, and a Eureka! Gold Medal from the California Reading Association for Zoo Scientists to the Rescue. Her books have received starred reviews, been honored as Junior Library Guild Selections, and included on Bank Street College’s Best Books lists. During author visits, she demonstrates how young readers can use writing to be the voice of change. Visit her at www.patriciamnewman.com.

STEM Tuesday
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