What Makes a Bird a Bird?
Ages 5^-8. Using a friendly, informal tone and strategic questioning, Garelick leads readers naturally to the discovery of what makes a bird a bird. "Is [a bird] a bird because it flies?" poses the author. Instead of a hasty, authoritative no, Garelick provides examples like butterflies, bats, flying fish--all of whom fly but are not birds--and chickens and ostriches who are birds but cannot fly. She continues the questioning, gently nudging readers toward the conclusion that the quality unique to birds is not wings, singing, or nest building, but having feathers. Readers will not only learn about birds and other creatures with similar qualities, but they will also get a thorough workout in the reasoning involved in classification. This is excellent for reading aloud, too. Its questions, suspense, and up-close, realistic illustrations should elicit plenty of audience participation.Julie Yates Walton