Everyone loves bluebirds, and this delightful book lets us share the adventures of Belle and Beau, a pair of eastern bluebirds, as they raise a family in early spring in North Carolina. A nest cam in the nest box allows us to watch the wonderful progression from egg to hatchling to fledgling and we get up close and personal with the family. Being able to see inside the nest box gives us insights into how birds raise their young, and then we learn how the fledglings learn to fend for themselves after leaving the nest. We even get a glimpse into the lives of a family of tufted titmice, and at the end of the story there is further information on bluebirds and useful links. All the photos in the main part of the book were taken of the same pair of bluebirds and the family they raised in April 2016.
This popular book is now in its second edition with some new photos. Providing an inside look at the lives of a family of birds teaches children to respect all creatures and to see that in many ways they are not very different from us.
Annette Meredith is the author and photographer of children’s nature books, including the series Nature on Our Doorstep, which aims to inspire children to learn more about the natural world around us.