Songs of the Birds

On each spread of this board book likely to appeal to preschoolers as well as babies and toddlers, North American birds imagined in graceful paper-cut collages are paired with embedded sound chips that play bird calls or songs at the touch of a button. Birds are grouped together by their habitats (woods, river, mountains, town), while relevant facts caption each one, and Otter’s brief text unifies each scene. With twenty-four bird calls or songs, including the northern cardinal’s iconic song, the mourning dove’s melodious coo, and the bald eagle’s surprising chirp, this title packs a wealth of information, appealing to birders of all ages. For another soundscape, this one more baby-centered, turn on Baby Talk (Tiger Tales) by Rosamund Lloyd, illustrated by Summer Macon to hear babies giggle, say “goo-goo,” blow raspberries, and sneeze. Caregivers will appreciate the off switch on the backs of both offerings.–Horn Book Magazine