Warblers & Woodpeckers

September 15, 2018

Montana native Collard is the author of several books for children and young adults, including Dog 4491. This most recent work is a charming, fun record of travels with his 13-year-old son on a quest to see as many birds as possible in a year. The duo aren't seeking to break any records; instead, they take time to appreciate the places they visit while enjoying the triumphs of discovering new species. Their enthusiasm for many of these ordinary birds is engaging. Collard recounts their adventures in California, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Arizona, Texas, and elsewhere, with a diversion to the Galapagos Islands. Descriptions of the ensuing friendships, landscapes, memories, and father-son moments drive this informal, at times self-deprecating, narrative, which is characterized by short, soundbite-sized chapters. VERDICT For those interested in basic birdwatching, natural history, ecotourism, U.S. travel, and father-son relationships, this accessible personal account is full of warmth and wonder.--Henry T. Armistead, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2018
A "big year" birding adventure with a personal twist.The attempt to identify as many species as possible in one calendar year has been the subject of numerous books since Roger Tory Peterson's Wild America. What makes this big-year book different is the father-son bonding element. Collard (Catching Air, 2017, etc.), a marine biologist by training who has written more than 75 books for young readers, and his teenage son, Braden, a budding birding enthusiast, share a strong common interest, which makes their relationship one that many parents of teenagers will envy. The author may have omitted or softened some of the inevitable tensions or disagreements, but the picture of a teenager that emerges has the ring of truth. A proficient storyteller, Collard writes with style about their travels together in 2016 around Montana, where the author lives (Missoula), and to Arizona, Texas, and California. There are the usual disappointments of bad weather, closed refuges, broken equipment, and missed sightings as well as encounters with enthusiastic fellow birders and time spent with knowledgeable nature lovers. The author also describes an unforgettable brush with a swarm of mad bees. Overall, though, the focus is on the excitement of spotting and identifying new species. The point of a big year is to keep a list, and the longer the list, the happier the birder. Aware that big-year birders can become hung up--even unhealthily obsessed--with competing and with compiling statistics, Collard tried hard to broaden his adventure into a learning experience; for the most part, he succeeded. He and his son's goals were modest--they weren't competing with the pros--and the author shows the two of them willingly revising an identification when further examination reveals that their first one was wrong. For readers who are counting, end-of-chapter lists report their sightings, and an alphabetical big-year list appears at the end of the book.An easy-to-read, pleasurable account that will find its greatest appeal with fellow birders.

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.