Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. The year is winding down, but the windfall of fabulous picture books of 2018 is not. And the author of today’s book is offering a VERY special giveaway: a Picture Book Critique OR the first 10 pages of a novel.
FINDING A DOVE FOR GRAMPS
Written by Lisa Amstutz
Illustrated by Maria Luisa Di Gravio
Published by Albert Whitman (November 2018)
Ages: 5-7
Themes: Christmas Bird Count, family, persistance
Synopsis: From Amazon:
“A boy and his mom continue the family tradition of participating in the annual bird count. Since Gramps went South for the winter, the boy hopes to spot Gramps’s favorite bird for him—a dove! But with so many different birds in the nature preserve, will he be able to spot one? This heart-warming family story about nature celebrates a holiday census that was first started in 1900 and happens every year.”
Why I like this book:
- I’ve always been fascinated with the Christmas Bird Count…and I was thrilled to see there is a new picture book that will introduce young children to this.
- Bold illustrations draw the reader into the story.
- I loved that the family is helping the young boy keep his connection with his Gramps strong, even though he is not living close by any more.
RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Photo courtesy: https://adayinourshoes.com/backyard-bird-feeders-and-bird-watching-activities-for-kids/
Make a cool bird feeder, but just remember that if you make a habit of feeding birds, they may come to depend on it and if you don’t follow through in the winter, they may not be able to find food elsewhere. For detailed instructions: https://adayinourshoes.com/backyard-bird-feeders-and-bird-watching-activities-for-kids/
Find out more about the Christmas Bird Count and how it started: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/history-christmas-bird-count
Lisa Amstutz, the author of FINDING A DOVE FOR GRAMPS, has a wonderful website with activities for teachers: http://www.lisaamstutz.com/for-teachers.html
And please remember that the best gift we can give our favorite authors is to
- Buy their books
- Write reviews
- Tell friends about the book
- Ask your local library to purchase it for their collection
I hope you all enjoy the weekend. Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway. I’ll be flying to Chicago tomorrow morning to spend the week with family, so I’m wishing all of you a very Safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
I learned something new. I wasn’t aware of this tradition and what a help it is. I can’t wait to read the book.
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YAY! That’s one of the best things about Perrfect Picture Book Friday…for me, lifting up new books and introducing them to the world – maybe you will participate in this year’s Christmas Bird Count. 🙂
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I’d never heard of this bird census but I think it’s wonderful!
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I knew about the bird count, and this pb looks like a great way to celebrate it and family ties. Thanks, Vivian, and have a wonderful week with your own family.
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We used to live in the migration route. The birds were fabulous and the count was exciting! Lovely theme -tradition, grandparents, and preserving nature. A wonderful read for all, Lisa.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone…”gooble, gooble up all the vegetables and dessert,” says Tom. He wants to be counted, too.
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How neat to live along a migration route! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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I learned something new today! Until now, I had never heard of the Christmas Bird Count! Thanks, Vivian! 😊
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What a beautiful tradition – I learned something new today! This book would make a great holiday gift – the illustrations look darling and I’m sure it’s a wonderful story!
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Love being able to introduce this tradition to so many people!
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This looks lovely! Can’t wait to read it & pair it with Heidi Stemple’s #NF #PB biography about the man who started the bird count.
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Great idea to pair those!
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How lovely to connect across generations through nature. Congrats Lisa!
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I love Lisa and am thrilled she has a new book!
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I can’t wait to read this book. I’d never heard of this bird count until the Yolen/Stemple video.
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Lisa is such a joy. Can’t wait to read this book I followed in its making.
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I love the bird count! What a nicely personalized view of it – with various bigger, too.
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Congrats to Lisa on another wonderful book!
I am looking forward to reading this one because I love birds. My favorite are the chickadees that visit our bird feeder. We also get quite a few Eurasian blue tits, European robins, coal tit, common chaffinch and lots of sparrrows. In warmer months I get to enjoy the blackbirds. They let me get very close to them without being scared away and they wake me each morning with their beautiful songs.
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I love chickadees too! They are so adorable!
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This is such a great topic! I also like the inter-generational theme.
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Happy Thanksgiving Vivian. I hope you have a wonderful time with your family. Thank you for posting this lovely book!
Best,
Lily
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Sounds like a beautiful book. And I love the bird symbolism with Gramps heading South!
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Wow, this book can probably start a new traditions for families, right? Thank you both for the generosity. I mean, a possible critique AND this amazing book? Just WOW! Man oh man, this community!
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I hope so! And thanks for stopping by!
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Looks very sweet! Thank you for sharing!
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Happy Thanksgiving! This book sounds adorable.
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For every budding ornithologist!
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Doves have always been my favorite. Charming idea.
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I have a friend that does the bird census in our area every year. She also directs and teaches an outdoor preschool program. What a perfect gift this will make for her! Thank you Lisa and Vivian.
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Sounds like a perfect fit!
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I fell in love with the cover of this book! I love watching birds, despite always having a cat or two around…Thanks for sharing this book with us! Yay!
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Lisa, what a beautiful way to celebrate the bird-count tradition. It sounds like there are so many wonderful things packed in those pages. Exciting! Happy Thanksgiving!
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I want to read this one. Love stories about birds, and enjoy watching them every day at our feeders. Sounds like a very touching story.
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This is the first PB I’ve seen teaching kids about birding. But, I have reviewed many MG novels the past few years that include birding in the story. Will check this out.
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What a lovely tradition. Wonder if they do it around the globe. Seems like the perfect way to celebrate the holidays— doing something to give back to nature.
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Sara, it is international, but only in the Western Hemisphere. Love the way you put that – doing something to give back to nature!
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I’ve never heard of a Christmas Bird Count – what a lovely idea 🙂
Safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving.
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Love Lisa. Will have to add this book to my “Lisa” books! Thanks for a chance to win a critique. Wow! And, thanks Vivian for a year of reviews and giveaways. Happy and blessed Thanksgiving to all.
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Aww, thanks Mona! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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I can’t wait to read this! I just heard about the count a few weeks ago, courtesy of Jane Yolen. Since this is the 2nd time in as many weeks, perhaps it’s a sign for our family to take part 🙂 Best of success!
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Definitely must be a sign! 🙂
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I have never heard of this bird counting tradition-sounds super fun!
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This sounds like a lovely book about a wonderful tradition. I love stories that focus on family time. Can’t wait to read it with my kids. Thanks for sharing!
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I loved Lisa’s applesauce book and can’t wait to read this one, too!
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I never heard of the Christmas Bird Count. I love it when picture books teach us all something new!
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What an original concept!!
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As a bird watcher, I am happy to see this book and Counting Birds by Stemple/Yolen. I can’t wait to read yours Lisa!
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Thank you for sharing this book with us! My parents are avid birdwatchers and they participate in the Christmas bird count every year. They have also passed their love of birds on to my children. This will be the perfect Christmas gift for both the children and their grandparents.
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How wonderful that they have passed that on to their grandkids!
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Looks like a great book
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This looks like such a wonderful book! Our bird count happens on Hawk Hill in the Golden Gate Headlands each year in the fall. But my son and I spot them while I drive him to school down Ocean Beach every morning. We usually see one or two on our drive. We spot other species in our back yard once the Pyracantha and Contoneaster berries are ripe. Cedar Waxwings, wood peckers, and lots of robins. There are others, but I have’t been able to identify them yet. Happy TG to you, Vivian!
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So cool – I love cedar waxwings!
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I look forward to reading this- what a wonderful winter tradition! Thanks for sharing.
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I love books that uncover little know facts or events. This is no exception, Lisa! I will read it, review, and make sure our library has a copy!
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Thanks so much, Jarm!
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I love the concept of this book. Bird stories takes me to a peaceful place. A great nature story.
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Wow what a fascinating story, I had never heard of the bird count before.
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I do the bird counts every year! I can’t to see this book.
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What a wonderful tradition, and no better way to introduce it to children than a picture book❤️
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Gorgeous book and I love the way it introduces kids to nature.
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Wow I had no idea about the Christmas bird count! What a wonderful book to teach us all. I just looked it up, and I live in one of the counting circles! I can’t wait to participate!
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I’m so happy to hear that!!!
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This is a great idea for a PB! We actually did something similar in my family in the spring. : )
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Thank you all for your kind comments on the book and for stopping by!
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