Amazon Friends in the Meadow Category:  Children Publisher: Friesen Press ISBN-10:  1770674357 Type: Fiction Pages: 90 Copyright: April, 2014 ISBN-13: 9781770674356 This book is an introduction to bird watching for children. It also introduces them to nature in general.               Friends in the Meadow-Birds Excerpt The Blue Jay J.J. is one of Lovie Dove’s loudest friends. When J.J. becomes alarmed, he screams, “Jay, Jay”, to let others know there may be danger. He learned this from his parents. They are quick to sound the alarm even when Mrs. Wilson goes out to fill the feeders. It helps J.J. and other birds to fly to safety when needed. He is one of the largest birds around the meadow. J.J.’s parents are about eleven inches in length. Their color is much different than the Eastern Bluebird. They are a brighter blue on their neck and back with some black around their neck. They are white down their chest and part of the face. They have a crest on their head like the Northern Cardinal. Blue Jays are permanent residents of the Southeast, so Lovie sees them every day. The couple has up to eighteen babies each year. Most birds have many babies but only a few will live to adulthood due to predators or accidents. The older siblings stay around the parents long enough to help raise the new brood of siblings. Blue Jays love to eat acorns, peanuts, sunflower and other seeds. They also eat insects and very small animals. The Blue Jay is considered to be a very smart bird.

Bird Watching - Sound Like Fun!
Bird Watching - sounds like fun!, September 17, 2009
By M. Stanhope

This book titled "Friends in the Meadow-Birds", by author Peggy Williams is all about bird watching. It's quite unique in the fact that it starts out with a couple who keep bird feeders filled and enjoys watching all the birds stop by to feed. As you go through the book, it describes each bird and little facts relating to the species. There are also pictures for each bird described. How cute!

This would definitely be a book to work with if you were interested in getting started on bird watching. If you wanted to start a hobby with a child this book has a blank list at the end so they can fill in birds that they've seen. It also offers a certificate of completion if you wanted to use this book as a project. It even offers a detailed glossary at the end of the book.

Most importantly, it offers ways for adults and children to have fun, find a hobby to share and become familiar with the environment, nature, and the serenity it offers. I found this book quite enjoyable.





Guide for Future Generations of Bird Watchers
Guide for Future Generations of Bird Watchers, September 16, 2009
By G. Reba

"Friends in the Meadow: Birds" offers children the chance to experience birding from a unique point of view...that of the "educated" watcher. Author Peggy H. Williams brings to life the wondrous world that exists just outside our front doors. In story book fashion, you are introduced to such loveable "characters" as Lovie Dovie, Robby Robin, Reddy Cresty Cardinal, Fee Bee Chickadee, as well as others, while learning about their way of life. From habits to habitats, and friends versus foes, young readers are certain to walk away with a better understanding of the feathered world around them if not a newly uncovered desire for birding!

At the stories heart is a message of acceptance. By accepting each other the way we are, not in spite of our differences but with them, the world can be a more peaceful place. Who wouldn't want to impart both the knowledge of Nature as well as these heartfelt sentiments to the next generation? For the budding birdwatcher in your neighborhood, a definite must read!





Delightful
September 15, 2009
By Kbird

Peggy Williams has written a delightfully fun and educational introduction to bird watching. The reader gets to meet Lovie Dove, a mourning dove that lives on Mr. and Mrs. Wilson's farm. Lovie Dove introduces us to all of her... bird friends, both those that visit the farm year round and those that stop on their migrations. The reader learns about doves, finches, bluebirds, cardinals, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and many, many more. Wonderful color photographs are included of each bird along with a detailed description. I love that Mrs. Williams includes a very detailed glossary, a place for notes, a Life List (a place to enter all the birds that have been found, when, where, etc.), and a Certificate of Completion. The book is wonderfully written with younger children in mind, perhaps pre-school through elementary school. I think this book would make an excellent addition to elementary school science curriculums, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troop activities, 4-H and Cloverbud group activities, or for that special child who loves nature. I hope Friends in the Meadow: Birds is just the beginning of a wonderful nature series.