Let's Hear It For the Birds... and Dinosaurs!

When was the last time you saw a dinosaur? Particularly a T-Rex? If you think  it was at a museum (fossils or reconstructions) or in animation or a book, you are probably not correct. That's my sideways introduction to the topic of the day. You probably HAVE seen a dinosaur in the last few days... if you've seen a bird! And that's surprising close to seeing T. Rex!

Several books about dinosaur-ancestor-links to modern birds have been hitting the shelves. Books for adults and young readers. I've been devouring many of those as research for a current nonfiction writing project. Books intended for adult and for youth audiences are equally revealing and remarkable. I generally use books from the library for such reading, since I lack both the funds and the floor space for the countless books I choose to read. But among the many gems on this topic, one was so impressive that I now own my own copy. 

WELBECK Children's Books. 2026
Hatchette Children's London

CHICKENS and OTHER DINOSAURS: How Dinosaurs Became the Birds We Know Today, is written by Ben Lerwill and illustrated by Sarah Edmonds. I wasn't aware of either of these creators and enjoyed exploring their websites. Lerwill is a nonfiction researcher and writer who says he writes "clear, readable pieces from in friendly, reliable text", and I agree! Edwards produces art with accuracy but also whimsical humor. Her site is grin-inducing.

Most of us, from preschool to elders, are familiar with the science evidence that linked birds to early evolutionary sources in dinosaurs. Many, if not most, of us, have concluded that the widely known flying dinosaurs, pterodactyls, were the likely great-great-great... originators of birds we see today.

This is where untrained "assumers" have been proven wrong by science investigators. Birds of today, from chickens to hummingbirds to ostriches, appear to be living remnants of the THERAPOD group of dinosaurs. Among those the most well-known is T. Rex, but they include those ancestors with three forward-facing toes, meat-eaters who ran very fast. Oldest fossil records begin about 230 million years ago, but fossil evidence of their smaller, faster, lighter therapod versions begins about 160 million years ago. So, when the author writes,

"When you are looking at a bird, you are looking at a living dinosaur,"

you must keep that time scale in mind. The generational changes that shaped monstrous T. Rex into the sparrow on your feeder are massive, and yet the changes were not simply a side branch on a family tree. That sparrow and all birds share a significantly similar DNA link directly to their theropod origins. 

This incredibly comprehensive and yet child-friendly book incorporates creative sidebar placements with informative illustrations, paleontology and social science evolution debates, along with a thoroughly accurate and exciting explanation of what makes a bird a bird: FEATHERS!

Not necessarily flight, since we know that not all birds fly. But flight certainly did aid in those evolving theropods who could travel to available food sources and habitats, to stay warm as the earth cooled, and to continue theropod survival into present day.

There's a terrific journey through dinosaur history (specifically theropods) including fossil evidence of varied feather-like formations, shifts to smaller, lighter skeletal frames, even evolving hollow bones and hardened beaks with residual teeth and varying arm and claw structures that became wings of one sort or another. Comparisons of fossil-inspired bird-like dinosaurs (none that are pterodactyls) to present day bird species are described in visual contrast and with bite-sized informational text that will stay with readers and bring them back to share facts with others. That's a good thing, because the contents are both detailed and enticing to explore, compare, and then observe in real life. This is a don't-miss nonfiction book for anyone who has ever seen a bird. That would be you, right?

Roaring Brook Press, 2026

While putting titles on hold, or ordering purchases, consider an informational fiction book to pair with the first. THE DINOSAUR AND THE BIRD: A TALE OF PREHISTORIC FRIENDSHIP is written by Richard Ho and illustrated by Jamie Green. Ho's website will reveal the many other appealing books he's written, and Green's website will lead you through an interactive discovery of her own making. This imagined tale about a dinosaur who is not welcomed by others of its species but finds company with a long-billed bird friend. In a modern-day fable of unlikely friendships (think of the lion and the mouse) these tentative, unlikely friends allow a wish to come true-- a wish for a friend. (And yes, some versions of modern birds lived at the same era as the dinosaurs we commonly recognize as such.) 

If this sounds like the end of the story, it would be fiction without the "informational" descriptor. The vibrant and abstractly-rendered backgrounds for each scene offer informational content as well as Disney-like appeal. Then, on a single page turn, the two friends witness a fireball falling from the sky. It is distant. Not an immediate threat. But in a compressed timeline, these two live through the ecological changes that darkened the earth, shifted a previously friendly climate, and reduced available food. 

The actual consequences over years are presented within a few pages about their lives, revealing the efforts and comforts of feathered, flying devotion. Attempts to support a starving, dying friend are tenderly conveyed. The ending suggests both the science underway and the fable at work, with hope and promise. 

Both books contain a wealth of material to think about and discuss, while taking entirely different approaches to their subject matter. Together, they should be in classrooms, libraries, and homes. especially in the hands of anyone of any age who never outgrows a love of dinosaurs, or birds!

THE CRANE and the KEEPER- A keeper of a Picture Book!

 One advantage of living so many years is that much of what a young person might think of as history are actual events and patterns that shaped my life. Memory for such things is easier (at least for now) for lived experiences than for randomly memorized and unemotional facts and dates. As I have recently considered while researching a nonfiction writing project, our mid-century roller coaster ride of technological advances with seemingly miraculous laborsaving results were having subtle-to-catastrophic side-effects. Anchor species like bald eagles and timberwolves were nearly poisoned or hunted to extinction, air pollution was shortening life expectancies on a global scale, addictive tobacco smoking sparked cancerous increases despite tasty filters. The examples of such realizations are staggering. 

Changes were made through the accumulated political and public pressure to save our resources, and, in doing so, to save ourselves and next generations. 

As I view current digital, AI, and smart-technology innovations that also promise wondrous changes in our (nearly immediate) futures, my lived memory of that pattern from the past gives me pause, but also hope. I mention all that because I was living just an easy ride from Baraboo, Wisconsin where the International Crane Foundation pioneered ways to preserve the nearly-extinct sandhill crane population and restored them to natural migration and reproduction patterns. That is only one example from that tumultuous ecological recovery period.

SMITHSONIAN KIDS/Candlewick, 2025

Going back only a few weeks, I posted a review of Susanne Kaufmann's BLUE!  That recent book showcased a magical-realism relationship between a young character and a blue heron. Their mutual appreciation and celebration of each other made me smile before I even opened the cover and I continue to smile whenever I think of the book. 

Cranes are visually obvious cousins of herons, with many similar elements in their appearance and in patterns of behavior. THE CRANE AND THE KEEPER, written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O'Mara offers a similarly magical relationship between bird and human, but one depicting informatively accurate, real-world events. 

We meet WALNUT, a twenty-four year old white-naped crane on the opening spreads, where we learn immediately that she presents a major challenge. She has lived in (and been shuffled among) many zoos, all in hopes of breeding her with others of her kind before their genes disappear from the planet. WALNUT, despite being a delightfully clever, curious and healthy bird, wanted nothing to do with any of the few cranes of her species. 

She was kidnapped from her nest as an infant and deeply imprinted on humans. That's a sign she was treated well, but that poor choice activated an identity reaction not uncommon in birds. Imprinting makes them believe that they are the same species as the first beings who care for them. In this case, Walnut thought she was human.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), located in Virginia, agreed to take on the challenge with a newly-hired keeper, Chris Crowe. As a boy, his parents took him to Yellowstone National Park where he viewed a most magnificent animal-- a bison. After hearing of their near extinction, Chris reached a firm conclusion that guides him throughout his career: 

"If humans harm wildlife species, then humans must save them."

Chris, only a few years older than WALNUT when he first met her, needed to be able to convince Walnut that he was her mate. She was far too old to un-imprint or avoid that process with techniques eventually developed that disguise human keepers as adult cranes so that imprinting won't occur. Instead, Chris would need Walnut to want to mate with him, to lay an egg that would preserve her species. 

The ensuing pages are every bit as delightful as BLUE! in that Chris and Walnut engage in courtship dances, offerings of treats, and a years-long mutual trust-building. That process taught Chris what Walnut wanted in the way of foods and nesting while Walnut gained trust that Chris was always going to return, even if absent for periods of time due to work trips. In time Walnut welcomed Chris's attention and could be injected without distress, growing and laying her egg. Because imprinted cranes have no parenting experiences, Walnut's egg was taken to be raised by an adult crane pair. Walnut was given a substitute. That, too, required some innovative problem-solving before she settled into her role. 

Despite my impulse to share even more details about the years of success that followed, I will hope that this summary urges you to get the book and read it through for yourself. You'll also find valuable and engaging back master and resources for further investigation of the topic. The narrative for this remarkable account spans years and global issues of consequence, but is appealing and kid-friendly. The illustrations will fascinate and entertain. The reference to breeding is young-age friendly, allowing as much or as little further discussion as adult companions prefer. 

The timing on this book couldn't be more perfect. National Parks are a treasure and inspiration source that MUST be fully staffed and funded. Who knows what family trip might inspire another child (yours?) to rescue a species from extinction? The Smithsonian institutions, including the NZCBI, serve our nation and each one of us, even when we are unaware of the work they do. We need to be more aware, of course, and more outspoken in their defense. To learn more about the origins and mission of our National Museum system, explore the history of its establishment and mission here- launched with NO tax dollars.

Support from each one of us matters. We need to learn and encourage full understanding of our history, in science and in all things, to assure a safe, honest, and improving future for next generations. "Conservation" applies to more than raw resources or even species. It applies to our humanity and heritage. Speak up. 

What About the Wolves? Formerly Endangered, not Big Bad...

 

PHOTO CREDIT: 
https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/wildlife/wolf-reintroduction-changes-ecosystem/

Wolves are, in fact, at the top of food any chain throughout their many global habitats and subspecies. In historic times the many and varied cultural tales about BIG BAD WOLVES were cautionary tropes to keep little children alert (and to train shepherds to cry WOLF to get attention on a bored afternoon?). After marking EARTH DAY yesterday and in prior posts this week, it was particularly heartbreaking to see how aggressively various state legislatures are authorizing massive "kills" of their re-emerging wolf populations. 

IDAHO has passed a law that is being copied in many Republican-controlled state houses. All are tragic in their intent and mindless focus on agri-business-hunting lobbies rather than on the truth and value of the role of wolves within ecosystems. The numbers alone should get your attention in the IDAHO legislation:

"BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Legislation that could lead to killing up to 90% of the wolves in Idaho continued its speedy trip through the Statehouse on Thursday.

The bill introduced just two days earlier cleared a House panel after already sailing through the Senate. It could be voted on in the House as early as Friday." Source in link to Idaho law above.

Note, that Friday mentioned is today, as I type this. This is coming to pass during EARTH WEEK, no less. Perhaps they prefer to ignore the facts about the impact of wolf restoration on open spaces, which benefits all levels of plant, water, and animal resources  within their range. Even if you've viewed the video  about Yellowstone National Park previously, do yourself a favor and view it again here.

I hope you'll also click and read  an earlier post about restoration of wolves, featuring  books written by environmental activist JEAN CRAIGHEAD GEORGE and  illustrated by Wendell Minor. Jean died in 2012 and would have been one hundred years old in 2019. She dedicated her entire life to the celebration and preservation of nature, and her books continue that process. 

Many of her picture books were illustrated by Minor, a  longtime family friend and also a devoted naturalist.  I These  titles celebrate the slow, steady, but satisfying success of restoring American endangered species to their natural settings.

The imminent extinction of so many species had triggered the original EARTH DAY and environmental movement fifty-one years ago. Then, yesterday, Idahoadvanced the process of a massive reversal of that success, actions that will undo a half century of progress unless the rest of us take up the cause and resist in every possible way. In this case, the state legislation was made possible when wolves were removed from the endangered species list. Must we wait for legislation like this to generate their imminent extinction again to stop this destruction? If you live in IDAHO, you can speak out. Or in MONTANA. Or in Wisconsin. Or follow the progress of such efforts in your own states. 

Please.

Earth Day? A Single Day? Even a Weekend? No Way!

 I'll repeat something I've included in many prior posts: I am seriously ambivalent about the value of THEME MONTHS or "Designated Days". April 20-22, 2021, are the official EARTH DAY/weekend and signal global action to raise awareness and sponsor actual efforts to improve/protect our Earth. As i write these words, a stack of picture books related to this theme is at my side, and I will celebrate them in coming days, along with poetry books, since this is also POETRY MONTH, (the 25th anniversary of that designation), among other overlapping themes. 

Today, though, I feature a single picture book that combines tragic warnings with a celebration of our potential to redirect the outcome of our planet. That change begins with awareness.

If our eyes have not yet opened to the reality that planet EARTH is on a course to disaster, there is an enormous need for more attention to actual, verifiable news. For example, if you are generally aware that whales are threatened, but not clear about the dangers to and status of particular species, check out these updates on Atlantic Right Whales, HERE, HERE, and HERE. 

Blue Dot Press, April, 2021

The release this month of WELCOME HOME, WHALES, written and illustrated by Christina Booth, is timed to provide a deeply emotional and gorgeous embrace of the present and the past lives of Atlantic Right Whales. It is also a warmhearted story about a sensitive boy (although the art is wonderfully open to interpretation of that gender) whose inner radar senses the presence, and past, of a welcome visitor. Using dreamy and fluid tones and lines the author/illustrator combines ethereal images of whaling history and practices that brought Atlantic Right Whales to the brink of extinction. Within those swirling pages are  dramatic images of the intelligent life of an ocean creature who carries a genetic memory of the damage done to her species. 

The child imagines the whale's message in actual dialogue. Whale's minimal communication and questions present a challenge to the listener/reader. There is awareness that the child is not personally responsible and yet together we experience a sense of human accountability for the harm done in the past. In the course of this very gentle but powerful encounter, the surrounding community gradually recognizes the reality of and importance of the return of this whale and her calf. 

To understand a broader significance to the situation portrayed, take a few minutes to listen to this piece on NPR about environmental observers have spotted Right Whales in their traditional south Atlantic coastal breeding grounds with calves after their extended absence. An even more recent piece about these developments can be heard HERE. 

Within the swirling, dreamy illustrations are accurate depictions of the boy's perceived whale, including characteristic crusty white patches on the skin, called callosities. The whale's images  include the "V"-shaped spray of its spray (tail), its relative size, behaviors, and calving patterns. A double spread in back matter incorporates scientific details about the three species of Right Whales, their feeding patterns, a habitat map, and more.The final page includes resources and suggestions for more information as well as ideas for things that even young people can to do help support the recovery of this species.

There are many reasons I love this book, including the bottom line: It is gorgeous in text and illustration with a theme that is not timely and timeless. In addition, it offers reliable and current information about this seriously endangered species with emotional power while not fantasizing or trivializing the reality of our global environmental dangers. It has enormous potential for use with learners, in science, social studies, and also as mentor text for writing.

Here's hoping it makes its way into your lives and the lives of young people you know, and not just during a theme month or weekend. Children should not be saddled with undoing the harm of past generations, but the fact is that they are our greatest hope of restoring ecological balance on this amazing planet. Books like this one can provide life-changing experiences.