We just returned from a short beach vacation and my 2 year old surprised me with what struck his fancy while away. It wasn't the water or the sand that he has been talking about , instead it was all about the different birds we saw and didn't see. So in honor of that here are a few great books about birds! "Birds" by Kevin Henkes is a magical and beautiful book written by an author who understands kids and illustrated by an illustrator who grabs their attention. The pages are filled with bright stunning paintings by Laura Dronzek and if you are like me you will find yourself opening the book after reading it to your child just to look at the pictures again. The book is non fiction but doesn't throw facts at the readers instead it's filled with observations and thoughts about birds and how they surround all of us. " Tacky the Penguin" by Helen Lester is a goofy but triumphant story. Tacky is an odd bird and doesn't fit in with the other penguins. When hunters come to capture penguins his funny and odd ways of doing things turn off the hunters and saves Tacky and the others. Most kids of any age can relate to Tacky being different and not fitting in. I like how Tacky isn't ashamed of his odd ways of doing things, he embraces his individuality and is confident in being himself. "One Duck Stuck" by Phyllis Root is easy to overlook, the cover is simple and so is the story but it's perfect in it's simplicity! A duck gets stuck and it takes a growing army of animals working together to get this one little duck unstuck. The best part is that there are rhymes, onomatopoeia, and counting all in a repetitive format that begs for kids to join in and they will. "Owl Babies" by Martin Waddell is well loved in education circles and homes with little ones for good reason, it's awesome. This book is about 3 Owl babies that are without their mama. They are very anxious and concerned for her safety while she is gone. They are instantly calmed when she returns telling them that of course she is back, she will always come back. A wonderful book for families that are facing a first time separation.