ALA Booklist (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

"There are treasures hiding in the trees and on the ground and in the air" begins this inviting picture book. Among those treasures are chickadees, bluebirds, sparrows, wrens, robins, warblers, doves, hummingbirds, hawks, and an owl. The double-page spreads offer lovely watercolor paintings of outdoor scenes and text suggesting that children search for 10 back-capped chickadees, 9 bluebirds, and so on, while offering hints and changing the game a bit as it progresses. One scene includes bugs instead of birds, and in another, a hummingbird suddenly flies upward, pestering the hawks that are intently watching two mice on the ground. Intended for a somewhat older audience than Matheson's previous picture books, from Tap the Magic Tree? (2013) to Plant the Tiny Seed (2017), this one is similarly interactive but considerably more challenging. It provides practice in visual discrimination, as well as fun for fans of seek-and-find pictures. A two-page appended note introduces birdwatching and provides more information about the 10 common North American birds appearing in the book. An absorbing picture book.

Kirkus Reviews

From 10 black-capped chickadees to a single great horned owl, a countdown seek-and-find presents common birds.Matheson imitates actual bird-watching with this deceptively simple "I spy"-type outing that goes from morning through night, through sun and shower, ending on the following day. Each spread contains birds (and sometimes other creatures) hidden among the kinds of trees and plants where North American readers with access to the wooded outdoors might find them in real life. It requires significant patience and persistence to find them all; the reward is a special surprise. The author opens with a "birding checklist," invites readers to "go outside and look carefully," and describes the chickadees as "your first treasure." A short accompanying text uses generic names for the birds to look for and gives readers some clues. The birds pictured can be found in San Francisco, the home of the author, but because she has chosen widespread species, most readers from all over the continent will recognize most of them. Besides the chickadees and owl, she hides bluebirds, sparrows, wrens, robins, warblers, doves, and hummingbirds. Complete common names for the actual birds shown are given in an afterword, and for each she includes a short paragraph of other information about appearance and behavior as well as a suggestion for further resources. The author/illustrator used watercolor and collage for her carefully painted images, which are a good combination of reasonably realistic and satisfyingly challenging. Fun and surprisingly successful as an invitation to look closely at the natural world. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

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

Matheson takes readers on a tranquil counting and bird-watching expedition. On the first page, a checklist identifies birds that readers may spot throughout: chickadee, warbler, and bluebird among them. Matheson provides quiet, guiding observations: -As a few raindrops fall, you just might find seven wrens singing. Try to spy their stripy tails.- Insects and mammals pepper the flower-filled landscape as well, with some at risk of becoming prey. Airy watercolors featuring light strokes and pale skies give the spreads a feeling of openness. As the skies turn an inky blue, -one more beautiful bird--an owl-appears. Matheson urges readers to observe the natural world with wide-open senses. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)

School Library Journal (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

PreS-Gr 1 Bluebirds, warblers, hummingbirds, and a mighty hawk are among the hidden treasures to be found in this serene counting book about birds. Urging children to look carefully, Matheson's watercolor and collage illustrations use a soft, quiet palette to marvel at the beauty of the natural world. From 10 black capped chickadees hiding in a green fir tree down to one powerful owl soaring in the night sky, young children will delight in finding the hidden birds, insects, mice, and even a slimy banana slug among the flowers and ferns. The gentle text offers consistent encouragement to continue the search and a birding checklist illustrates the hidden quarry. End notes offer further information on each of the birds and their locations. This engaging work will be useful as a nature study, a counting book, and as a fun way to promote careful observation. VERDICT A peaceful look at nature for little ones. Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, formerly at Trinity-Pawling School, NY