This book takes readers outside both day and night and through the seasons to see and hear all the sights and sounds of the birds around us. The illustrations are fun and use the sounds of the birds to direct the readers eye to all the cool sounds they make. Accurate scientific information accompanies all of the fun of heading out to go bird watching! Every kind of bird has their very own kind of sound! Cheerful sounds, mournful sounds, sweet sounds, weird sounds. Identification will happen without even opening your eyes. And what fun to sing along with an owl or any bird! John Himmelman knows those sounds well and loves to share his enthusiasm for birds. He explains how to call birds by "pishing," gives tips on how to attract birds by feeding them, how to make your list of birds, and more. John is the creator of "The Big Sit!"―an event in which participants all over the planet choose one spot, a 17-foot circle, to count all the birds they see and hear in 24 hours. A perfect book for: parents and teachers needing homeschool materials for kindergarten (or any grade!) - anyone looking for singalong books for kids - anyone looking for children's books to help instill an appreciation of our planet! A say-along, sing-along invitation introduces the art of birding by ear through simple, recognizable bird songs and sounds and, mostly, familiar birds.From the "Cheery up? Cheerio!" of the robin to the "tap, tap, tap" of the downy woodpecker, each spread includes a common phonetic description of a bird's sound ("Oh Sweet Canada"; "Who cooks for you"; "Chick-a-dee-dee-dee") and where and when the bird might be found. Spare illustrations accurately show the birds and something of their environments: a yellow warbler on a cattail, a mallard in a pond, a house sparrow on a brick wall. Many of the birds are familiar daytime visitors to backyards and parks; young readers are less likely to encounter nocturnal singers like the barred owl, whip-poor-will and woodcock. A few are specifically northern or eastern. The Anna's hummingbird is only found on the Pacific coast, but its sound and appearance are not too unlike its eastern ruby-throated counterpart. Further information is included in the backmatter, where readers will find a description of the male woodcocks' dance and the advice to "pinch your nose shut" while imitating the call of the white-breasted nuthatch. There are also suggestions for other birding activities. For fostering nature awareness, this is a welcome companion to the author's previous titles about noisy bugs and noisy frogs. (Informational picture book. 4-9) --Kirkus Reviews When John Himmelman was eight years old, he started his first Bug Club in a friend's garage, and he's been playing with insects ever since. Even now, on summer nights John is often in his wooded yard in Killingworth, Connecticut, flashlight in hand, searching for little creatures. Some of his most exciting discoveries are found just a few feet from his house! John co-founded the Connecticut Butterfly Association, is past president of the New Haven Bird Club, and both gives nature programs and makes school visits. He is an author and illustrator of over 75 books for children. John's enthusiasm extends to his family―his wife is an art teacher, his son is an artist, and his daughter is an actress.