PreS-Gr 1 Following on the heels of Step Gently Out (Candlewick, 2012), which combines verse and photography to bring readers into the wonders of the insect world, this new title takes readers into the sky to fly with the birds. "Rise into the air/on the strength of your wings--/go out to play in the sky,/trusting it to hold you/as you learn to fly." One motivational poem stretches easily throughout the book while the photographs work with it to capture impossible split seconds of flight and rest through a variety of conditions. ("You may find yourself/shaking off raindrops/or caught in a blizzard at night /You'll pause for a quick conversation,/meet wingtip-to-wingtip/in flight.") Each page showcases a different type of bird including goldfinches, starlings, ducks, and woodpeckers, and the back matter uses the photographs to connect readers to the birds' names and basic information. The sharply focused birds stand out against blurred backgrounds, creating a stark contrast that invites close and repeated observation. VERDICT With a gentle text and dramatic visuals, this book has much to offer beginning birders, science classes, and storytimes for very young listeners. Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Even during the drab of winter, backyards and parks may be dotted by bright, colorful cardinals, blue jays, or woodpeckers. But spring arrives, and with it come rejuvenated colors of other backyard birds. In this instance, Frost's sweet poem acknowledges the importance of the wind to birds' flight; and its movement is mimicked by Lieder's exquisite photographs capturing birds in flight, almost as if their wings are gracefully dancing to silent music. The subdued background on each page allows the intricate, colorful pattern of the birds' wings to be paramount. The featured birds are common to all of North America and would likely be ones children know. For bird lovers of all ages, this small book offers a glimpse of feathered friends not otherwise often seen so close-up. Thumbnail photos accompany brief, interesting profiles of each of the 11 species of birds.