The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon

by Jacqueline Davies

Book Overview

This fascinating picture book biography from beloved author of the Lemonade War series Jacqueline Davies and Caldecott honor-winning illustrator Melissa Sweet chronicles the life of scientist John James Audubon, who pioneered a technique essential to our understanding of birds thanks to his lifelong love for the species.

If there was one thing James loved to do more than anything else, it was to be in the great outdoors watching his...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0618243437
• ISBN13: 9780618243433
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.2" x 10.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Great book in wonderful condition! I will enjoy incorporating it in my Geography lesson!

This book is simply written, great for one perspective of a biography. It is well written and gives a decent taste of John Audubon.

Breathtaking!

My 5 children,ranging in age from 3-11 years,were absolutely captivated by this book. The author tells the story of a young John James Audubon and the illustrator brings the story alive thru rich mediums. This book is a perfect stepping stone to a variety of unit studies.

A survey of his pioneering observational techniques

John James Audubon loved nature and the outdoors as a child, and was determined to study birds in the wild rather than from books even as early as 1804. Jacqueline Davies' lively story of his youth and pioneering attitude will reach grades 3-6 with an excellent survey of his pioneering observational techniques. Drawings by Melissa Sweet provide lovely accompaniment to the story of the naturalist's early years.

Bird Lovers Take Note!

I loved reading this beautiful book with my nieces and nephew. There's so much to look at in the illustrations, and the writing flows naturally like the countryside Audubon explored. Children will be inspired to conduct their own investigations in the outside world after reading this. Each time you read this book, you find new things to look at and words to enjoy.

An Exquisite Marriage of Art and Text

Like a bird's song, the lyrical text by Jacqueline Davies is both simple and rich with undertones--the repetition of pattern, the careful selection of noun and verb, the staccato rhythm interspersed with longer musical lines. Paired with the exquisite collage art of Melissa Sweet, it is a perfect marriage. Children will love to pour over the tiny details in the illustrations. Teachers will revel in the biographical details of the text. All readers will come away with a feeling of enormous admiration for John James Audubon, whose passion gave the world so much knowledge and beauty.

Spectacular!

The Boy Who Drew Birds is one of those rare picture books that appeals to all ages. Young collectors will marvel when reading that Audubon's "Every shelf, every tabletop, every spare inch of floor, was covered with nests and eggs and tree branches and pebbles and lichen and feathers and stuffed birds . . ." Young artists may be shocked to discover that each year, on his birthday, John James removed the drawings on his wall that he had completed in the past 12 months, and burned them in the fireplace. All will be inspired by Audubon's inquisitiveness, his exploration of bird habits, and his ability to follow his passions (not to mention Melissa Sweet's amazing art). A beautifully written, gorgeous book!