Although we’ve studied various types of birds in other units, we’ve loved studying birds as part of our vertebrate series and animal classification theme. Here are some of our favorite books from our bird unit.
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Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking out the “Look Inside the Book” feature on Amazon and reading reviews there. Another place to learn about a book is on YouTube. You can typically see the entire book there.
Montessori-friendly books use photos or realistic illustrations. They don’t have talking animals or a lot of fantasy. But many books that have fantasy and talking animals are wonderful books, and I love sharing them with children who understand the difference between fantasy and reality.
For toddlers and preschoolers, about ¾ of the books I use are typically Montessori friendly (focusing on reality without smiling or talking animals or smiling or talking vehicles).
Books for a Bird Theme
Note: be sure to check out my posts with the best nest books for kids, the best duck and duckling books for kids, and the best bird books for kids, too. While many of the books are the same, this post focuses especially on books for older preschoolers and elementary-age kids. There are books for preschoolers through elementary in those as well, but you’ll also find books for babies and toddlers.
Again, in this post, there’s also a major emphasis on bird books as used for animal classification, since this is part of our vertebrate series.
I’m featuring books here for a bird theme mainly for preschool through elementary-age kids. The books on our forward-facing shelf are all Montessori-friendly, nonfiction books.
Books for a Bird Theme
Top Shelf of Forward -Facing Display:
- The Big Book of Birds is part of a great series (I have the whole series)!
- Birds Everywhere is part of a great series illustrated by Britta Teckentrup.
- Animal Classification: Birds
2nd Shelf:
- About Birds
- National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Birds is from one of my favorite kids’ book series. I absolutely love the photographs in National Geographic kids’ books, and the information is inviting and easy to understand.
- Beautiful Birds: This series (I have and recommend the whole set) is great for young readers and preschoolers who are learning about animal classifications!)
3rd Shelf:
- The Little Book of Backyard Bird Songs is one of the very few items with a battery that I
like for young children. It’s an inviting way for children to learn to identify a variety of bird songs. Not only is there a clear image and description of each bird but the book includes each bird’s scientific name, where found, what it feeds on, its nest, its eggs, adult characteristics, and length. Of course, the best part is the set of buttons with a bird-head button that plays each bird’s unique song. Recommended for ages 5-9, although I love it for toddlers on up! - My grandkids all loved The Little Book of Backyard Bird Songs so much that I ordered The Little Book of Woodland Bird Songs. This has been so popular with them, especially the silly sound of the common loon.
- The Little Book of the Dawn Chorus is another awesome book from the series. (Note: Over the years, I’ve purchased every book in the series because my grandkids love them so much, and they’ve learned so much from them!)
like for young children. It’s an inviting way for children to learn to identify a variety of bird songs. Not only is there a clear image and description of each bird but the book includes each bird’s scientific name, where found, what it feeds on, its nest, its eggs, adult characteristics, and length. Of course, the best part is the set of buttons with a bird-head button that plays each bird’s unique song. Recommended for ages 5-9, although I love it for toddlers on up!4th Shelf:
- The Little Book of Wetland Bird Sounds is another awesome book from the series but unavailable right now. (Note: Over the years, I’ve purchased every book in the series because my grandkids love them so much, and they’ve learned so much from them!)
- Birds, Nests and Eggs has lots of information about 15 common birds along with a few bird-themed activities. The illustrations are clear and inviting, and the information is easy to understand.
- The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubonis wonderful. This Montessori-friendly book is recommended for ages 4-7.
Bottom Shelf
- National Geographic Kids Bird Guide of North America has beautiful photographs of over 150 species of birds. (Recommended for ages 8-12, but younger children will enjoy the photos and learning some details about a variety of birds.)
- Backyard Birds (Peterson’s Field Guides for Young Naturalists) is a detailed field guide for kids that’s recommended for ages 8-12. Younger children could enjoy the drawings and photographs and learn a variety of details, too.
- Songbirds (Peterson’s Field Guides for Young Naturalists) is another detailed field guide for kids
- The Ultimate Hummingbird Book has lots of great information about our featured bird.
Shelf with Fun, Fiction Books for a Bird Theme
On the other side of the room is a shelf with some fun, bird-themed fiction books:
- The Best Nest
- Are You My Mother (available in English or bilingual)
- Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
- The Pigeon Needs a Bath!
Basket with Books for a Bird Theme
We used other books that we keep in a large book basket, such as:
- Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth
- Nature Anatomy
- DK Smithsonian Animal Book
- National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Big Book of Animals
- The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth is great for plant and animal classification as well as animal themes.
- DK Smithsonian Animal Book
- Animalium: Welcome to the Museum
- Bird pages from My Encyclopedia of Very Important Things
- Bird Pages from DK’s First Animal Encyclopedia
- The Egg (First Discovery Books) is a fun nonfiction book because of its 8 transparent overlay pages. I have the original version from when my now-adult kids were little, but it’s now available in paperback.
- About Hummingbirds
- Ten Little Bluebirds (a fun counting book for young preschoolers, and a fun subtraction book for older ones)
- Books from my Best Bird Books for Kids post.
You can see lots of the bird books as they’re published here.
More Bird Resources and Activities:
Montessori-Inspired Bird Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
Montessori-Inspired Backyard Bird Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my newsletter to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
Free Bird Printables and Montessori-Inspired Bird Activities
Free Backyard Bird Printables and Montessori-Inspired Backyard Bird Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Bird Unit
- Montessori-Inspired Life Cycle Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Arctic and Antarctic Unit {Hundreds of Resources}
- Montessori-Inspired Continent Activities – Penguins of Antarctica
- Montessori-Inspired Multi-Level Penguin Activities
- Free Penguin Printables and Montessori-Inspired Penguin Activities
- Free Penguin Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Penguin Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download
- Simple Arctic vs. Antarctic Cut-and-Paste Activity {Free Printables}
- Free Penguin Songs and Educational Videos
- Free Arctic vs. Antarctic Songs and Educational Videos
- Easy and Fun Antarctic Sensory Bin for Winter or Summer
- Free Owl Printables and Montessori-Inspired Owl Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Owl Unit with Free Printables and Activities
- Great Horned Owl Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download
- Montessori Nature Tray with Owl-Themed Craft and Art Appreciation
- Free Owl Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download
- Free Nest Printables and Montessori-Inspired Nest Activities
- Free Nest Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Montessori Nature Tray with Bird-Themed Nest Building and Art Appreciation
- Free Bird Sounds, Songs, and Rhymes for Circle Time
- The Best Nest Books for Kids
- Free Nest Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Montessori-Inspired Fun with Easter Eggs and Oviparous Animals
- Free Duckling Printables and Montessori-Inspired Duckling Activitie
- Free Make Way for Ducklings Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- The Best Duck and Duckling Books for Kids
- Fun 100 Board Extension – Count 100 Ducks {Free Printable}
- Free Duckling Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Oviparous Animal Printables and Montessori-Inspired Oviparous Animal Activities
- Free Oviparous Animal Songs and Educational Videos
- Free Egg Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Oviparous Animal Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download
- Penguin Game, Puzzle, and Editable Tracing Pack in Print or Cursive
- Bird Unit Study Pinterest Board
FREE Warbler and Yellow Warbler Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
FREE Backyard Bird Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download
Helpful Animal Classification Posts
- Living and Non-Living
- Plant and Animal Sorting
- Montessori Animal Classification
- Free Zoo Printables and Montessori-Inspired Zoo Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Animal Units
- Montessori Vertebrate Resources for Preschool Through Elementary
- Free Amphibian Printables and Montessori-Inspired Amphibian Activities
- Free Reptile Printables and Montessori-Inspired Reptile Activities
- Free Fish Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fish Activities
- Free Bird Printables and Montessori-Inspired Bird Activities post
- Montessori Invertebrate Resources for Preschool Through Elementary
I hope you enjoy your bird study!
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