Have You Seen Birds?

"Have you seen birds?

Long-legged tall birds,

Tiny bug-sized small birds,

Brightly breasted,

Gaily crested,

Meadow tan and fancy fan,

Have you seen birds?"

(Have You Seen Birds, Barbara Reid)

I read the book Have You Seen Birds to the Kindergarten class at Brantford Christian School today.  No one handles a ball of plasticine like Barbara Reid.  In Have You Seen Birds, she crafts some beautiful birds: the hummingbird, the sparrow, the great blue heron, the Canada goose, the robin, the peacock.  The texture of each bird is so clear due to the plasticine designs.  

Barbara Reid is not just a talented artist, but also a prolific writer.  She draws the reader into the world of birds with her words.  We can hear the squawks of the crow, the whoo of the owl, the cockadoodledoo of the rooster.  We learn about Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer birds.  The author builds up an unmistakable rhythm with her words, punctuated by the line "Have you seen birds?"  

Like in Two by Two, The Party, The Subway Mouse and others, Barbara Reid tells a captivating story in Have You Seen Birds?  It's worth reading!

media.treehugger.com