She Heard the Birds by Andrea D'Aquino

She Heard the Birds

by Andrea D'Aquino

She Heard the Birds tells the story of pioneering birder and activist Florence Merriam Bailey, whose compassionate approach to nature influenced modern bird-watching and inspired a lasting sense of curiosity and respect for the world's feathered creatures.

Spending much of her life outdoors, Bailey studied birds in their natural habitats by quietly waiting, watching, and listening. Bailey was a passionate advocate for kindness toward birds and all wildlife, and her efforts encouraged many others to raise their voices in support of animal welfare. Following A Life Made by Hand, the beautifully illustrated biography of artist Ruth Asawa, Andrea D'Aquino's colorful illustrations and lyrical text animate the birds Bailey sought to celebrate and remind us to look up into the sky and listen.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

She Heard the Birds is a beautifully illustrated biography of Florence Merriam Bailey aimed at young readers Due out 12th Oct 2021 from Princeton Architectural Press, it's 38 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

Written and illustrated by Andrea D'Aquino, the collage and oil pastel illustrations are colorful and quirky and full of small details which enhance the simple prose and encourage readers to pause and think about the text. The author manages to relate the less salubrious details of pre-conservation movement society in an age-appropriate and truthful manner.

The book includes a timeline and short capsule bio with a photo of Bailey at the end of the book which includes numerous links for further reading.

This would be a good selection for public or school library acquisition, classroom, or home use. It would also make a nice bedtime read.

Four stars. Simple and engaging.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 3 September, 2021: Finished reading
  • 3 September, 2021: Reviewed