Against the blue sky of an African savanna, a regal common ostrich stands beside a tiny superb starling, setting the stage for Rockwell's picture-book exploration of birds of all colors and sizes. While comparing and contrasting birds, the author connects them through the refrain, "A bird is a bird because . . ." Pointing to beaks, wings, and eggs as defining features, Rockwell explains the significance of each and crosses other animal candidates off the list (a platypus, a fly, a snake) because they lack one very important avian feature: feathers! Through a combination of gouache, watercolor, and colored pencil, the cheerful illustrations boast a surprising amount of detail and variety, including carefully labeled depictions of both male and female birds. The full-page pictures and minimal text are just right for young readers, but older children will enjoy learning the names of the multitude of birds inhabiting the scenes, ensuring that this book will go far with new readers and budding birders.

PreS-Gr 1 Rockwell answers a common question: What characteristics set birds apart from other animals? It's not just having a beak or wings or laying eggs that makes an animal a bird, she explains. Rather, it's featherswhether colorful or dull, outstanding or camouflagedthat are the key trait. The book includes both common and lesser-known types of birds from around the world as examples, such as the Andean condor, the rock pigeon, and the toucan. Each illustration is labeled and, where pertinent, identified as male or female. Lively but minimal text with short sentences and a rhythmic pattern make this valuable both as a read-aloud and as an option for budding readers. Rockwell's bright, eye-catching images, rendered in gouache, watercolor, and colored pencil, add to the appeal. VERDICT This attractive and informative title is a great addition to school and public libraries and a strong option for curriculum-related studies of nature for the very young.— Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, formerly at Trinity-Pawling School, Pawling, NY