ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

"It's a beautiful day! Bird is up early e's got a lot to do." Starting with breakfast, Bird looks for a worm that's not too big, not too small, and not too strong. It takes a while, but she finds the perfect size. Next, it's time to collect twigs that she can comfortably carry in her beak. Working for hours, "Pushing and pulling, she gets all the twigs in place." Now for comfy cozy items to make "a snug little cup, smooth and soft on the inside." Jenkins' inviting storytelling incorporates a discussion of physical forces in a gentle account of bird behavior. In an expectant tone and encouraging curiosity, Jenkins' text playfully captures the bird's lengthy task of building a home, with an emphasis on the bird's physical actions, like pushing, pulling, and carrying. Jones' mixed-media illustrations, rendered in muted natural tones, nicely underscore the concepts, especially as the nest gets gradually bigger. An instructional preface offers tips for adults sharing the book with children. Inquisitive little ones will appreciate this approachable STEM-friendly read.

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Jenkins deftly weaves natural and physical science into this tale concerning birds' life cycles; inside that narrative he unobtrusively introduces the concept of force with examples of pulling and pushing, heavy and light, and gravity. In their stylized beauty, Jones's striking, collage-like mixed-media illustrations depict the most basic elements of the natural world and highlight the text's focus on science. Ind.

Kirkus Reviews

A generic mother bird learns to conquer the forces of physics while going about her daily chores.In an unusual take on the well-worn topic of birds and their nests, the common activities associated with feeding and nest-building are used to teach the science of force and gravity, albeit at a very elementary level. The preface encourages caregivers to discuss the law of motion, stating that "More force is needed to change the motion of heavier objects than to change the motion of lighter objects." (Caregivers may find themselves searching for other words to make this clear to youngsters.) Furthermore, "Earth's gravity pulls objects towards the Earth, which makes things fall down when they are dropped." Aspects of these principles are illustrated with somewhat dated-looking mixed-media pictures in a muddy color palette as the bird pulls worms out of the ground; struggles to find twigs light enough to carry; creates a nest with twigs, feathers, and grass; and finally lays five speckled eggs, out of which hatch baby birds. Five questions again address the physics illustrated in the story, asking about pushing, pulling, moving, and dropping. A worthy, if somewhat forced, venture into multidisciplinary teaching for very young children that may require caregivers to do some heavy lifting of their own. (index) (Informational picture book. 4-6)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

In this kickoff to the First Science Storybook series, author and biologist Jenkins follows a bird as it builds its nest, but his real goal is to explore the concepts of force and gravity (which are discussed in an introductory note to parents). Drab shades of rust, brown, and pale blue-green lend a sense of calm to Jones-s flattened and slightly abstracted mixed-media images. The bird constructs its nest by pushing and pulling twigs together, then fills it with -softer things- such as feathers and grass: -Can you guess what it-s waiting for? Eggs!- Closing questions invite readers to revisit the book with the concepts of pushing and pulling in mind: -Can you find some places in the book where Bird pushes something?- It-s a neat way for readers to see science fundamentals at work in nature. Ages 4-6. (Feb.)

School Library Journal (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

PreS-Gr 1 This simple book about a bird's nest-building activities is accessible as both a story and a book about science. The title introduces a number of concepts, including gravity, heavy versus light, and pushing and pulling. After being foiled in a tug-of-war by a large, strong worm and settling for a more manageable one, Bird begins building her nest. Youngsters learn how the bird constructs a secure home for her future offspring by gathering, weaving, and smoothing the nest's walls. Large, clear mixed media illustrations reveal a variety of perspectives and will engage listeners. A brief "Thinking about Pushing and Pulling" section explains the forces seamlessly included in the text and an index is appended. VERDICT This new series launch serves as a gentle introduction to scientific principles for the very young. A solid read-aloud for young nature lovers. Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI