Backyard Birds

In a chapter book format with plentiful, large-scale watercolor illustrations, these first volumes in the Nature Study series introduce two of nature's most accessible environments. Backyard Birds features six common North American birds that live in a variety of habitats: house sparrows, wrens, robins, starlings, hummingbirds and nighthawks. (If all six do not frequent suburban backyards, they can most likely be found elsewhere in the neighborhood.) Adopting an enthusiastic, conversational style (``If starlings were people, they'd be told to be more polite''), Pine describes these birds' courting, nesting, feeding and migrating habits. Tide Pools packs more information, in more polished prose, and takes a broader perspective, with Rood presenting aquatic animals according to body type (``Soft Bodies, Hard Shells,'' ``Jelly in the Ocean'') rather than categorizing by species. Here, young naturalists will meet squid and sea butterflies, coral and sea anemones, as well as plants of the ``undersea forest'' (``Did you know there might have been seaweed in the ice cream you had for dessert?''). Brief chapters and clear focus keep both books eminently approachable. Ages 7-10. (May)