A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

A Nest is Noisy

Written by Dianna Hutts Aston; Illustrations by Sylvia Long

Chronicle Books. 2015

ISBN: 9781452127132

Preschool on up

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

They’ve done it again! 

The award-winning duo, Dianna Hutts Aston & Sylvia Long, have added a fifth title to their informational science picture book series. (An Egg is Quiet, A Seed is Sleepy, A Butterfly is Patient, and A Rock is Lively). Their books stand out for their simplicity in language melded flawlessly with Long’s delicate, yet very expressive illustrations.

This book begins with a simple statement--A nest is noisy. It is a nursery of chirp-chirping buzzing squeaking peep-peeping bubbling babies—followed by brief paragraphs that gives just enough information about different types of nests without overwhelming readers. Aston packs a lot of information about a variety of nests. From birds to amphibians, mammals, insects and fish, this is one introductory science book budding naturalists will not want to miss.

Papery is the word that describes a nest for hornets, yellow jackets and paper wasps. A lamprey’s nest is pebbly. I like the two-page spread, A nest is neighborly. We learn that some nest builders prefer colonies. Long has partnered the nests of the Baya Weaver bird that hang down from the top of the page with Black-tailed Prairie Dogs labyrinth of underground burrows below. 

Every illustration is clearly labeled. As Long did in the other titles, here the front shows a variety of nests and the actual animal that uses the listed nests at the back.

And, just like our own households that are noisy and chaotic when our children are little, everything changes once they are ready to fly, swim, or crawl away…Then a nest is Quiet.

 Read another review of A Nest is Noisy by our friend, Alyson Beecher over at KidLitFrenzy.