Best Seller

Bird Girl

Name: Bird Girl
Price: 10.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Jill Esbaum
ISBN: 9781635926873

Ebook

Published on Mar 12, 2024 | 48 Pages

Buy from Other Retailers:

Published on Mar 12, 2024 | 48 Pages

Buy from Other Retailers:

This lively STEAM picture book is about the life of Gene Stratton-Porter, a pioneering wildlife photographer and popular author from the late 19th and early 20th century, who showed the world the beauty of nature, especially birds, and why it was worth preserving.

Gene Stratton-Porter was a farm girl who fell in love with birds, from the chickens whose eggs she collected to the hawks that preyed on them. When she grew up, Gene wanted nothing more than to share her love of birds with the world. She wrote stories about birds, but when a magazine wanted to publish them next to awkward photos of stuffed birds, she knew she had to take matters into her own hands. Teaching herself photography, Gene began to take photos of birds in the wild. Her knowledge of birds and how to approach them allowed her to get so close you could count the feathers of the birds in her photos. Her work was unlike anything Americans had ever seen before—she captured the true lives of animals in their natural habitat. A pioneering wildlife photographer and one of the most popular authors of the early 20th century, this bird girl showed the world the beauty of nature and why it was worth preserving.

A Bank Street Best Book 2025
2025 Kansas NEA Reading Circle List
2025 Capitol Choices

“Esbaum’s…conversational text engagingly conveys her subject’s single-minded pursuit of her passion: sharing her love of birds with the world. Gibbon’s…evocative acrylic-ink and colored-pencil illustrations depict the era and the beauty of the environs.” —The Horn Book

“It’s a pleasure to meet the bold bird ambassador and watch her flourish, and the vibrant acrylic and colored-pencil illustrations offer a superb sense of play and movement, beautifully matching Gene’s zest for adventures in the natural world. A splendid introduction to a lesser-known life that is sure to inspire.” —Booklist

“Esbaum relies on simply stated language and syntax, emphasizing Gene’s love of birds and allowing her determination to shine through. Gibbon’s glowing, detailed acrylic-and-ink illustrations appear in vignettes or in full-page or double-page spreads, matching and enhancing the text. Though greatly respected in her own time, Gene Stratton-Porter is far less well known today; this work rectifies that oversight—this self-taught woman naturalist will come alive for young readers. Fascinating and inspiring.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A captivating biography of Gene Stratton-Porter, a bird lover and photographer… Gibbon’s warm, mixed-media illustrations (paint and colored pencils) bring Porter’s story to life, showcasing her emotional depth and determination. Esbaum’s narrative masterfully conveys Porter’s struggles and triumphs…more about her life and work appears in the very thorough back matter. VERDICT An inspiring tale of passion, resilience, and innovation, covering a remarkable life and encouraging children to pursue their own interests and their dreams.—School Library Journal

ISBN9781635926873

Published onMar 12, 2024

Published byCalkins Creek

Pages48

Dimensions11 x 9

Age Range7-10 years

GradeGrades 2-5

Reading LevelLexile: 830L | Fountas/Pinnell: R

Author

Jill Esbaum

Jill Esbaum is the award-winning author of several books for young readers. Some of her titles include LITTLE KIDS FIRST BIG BOOK OF HOW, CHERRY BLOSSOMS SAY SPRING, and HOW TO GROW A DINOSAUR. A frequent school visitor and conference speaker, she also teaches writing for children.

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Illustrator

Rebecca Gibbon

Rebecca Gibbon is an award-winning illustrator. Her titles include A Take-Charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress, Nellie vs. Elizabeth, which made the Bank Street Best Books list and was one of Smithsonian Magazine‘s Ten Best Children’s Books of 2022, and Marjory Saves the Everglades, which received many honors. Her work has also made the ALA Notable Book list and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal. Visit rebeccagibbon.com.

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Bird Girl

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By Jill EsbaumIllustrated by Rebecca Gibbon