The Bird Alphabet Book (Jerry Pallotta's Alphabet Books) Paperback – February 1, 1989

I bought this book because one of my new students has claimed the classroom copy as her favorite book. Each day she looks for it. She has carried it for almost a month. She is about 3.5 years of age. She asked me to sit with her while she read to me. She pointed out her book was about "birds." There are three larger birds on the cover over a nest of baby birds. The "reader identified them as, "Mama, Daddy, Me. 'Mama, Daddy & me go home." The baby birds with their mouths open were identified as "baby birds". She pointed out the red and the blue (feathers) on the wings of two of the big birds. Also,she said, "Mama went to get food for the baby. Baby want snack." If you notice the feet of the birds you might understand why she said they were coming home (legs & feet were down like they were ready to land)" I think Mr. Pallotta would have enjoyed watching her. No, she was not interested in the sequence of the alphabet or the names of the birds but she was enjoying the book. I could go on with her comments and how she related to the locations, colors, perceived emotions like hunger, happiness and the bird for Jj. The "reader" looked at the picture of the bird for Jj and said, "One foot was raised (right here, pointing her finger) because the water (was) hot". The enjoyment was written all over her face as she laughed at what she said. Seeing herself as a reader is another necessary component of literacy. My eyes teared up because it was obvious someone had read and discussed what they read with her before she started preK. Her first name starts with a "R" and she recognized it and the "3 birds on her R".

These are not your average alphabet books. The choices are often educational, entertaining, and thought provoking. Our youngest learner loves the Bird Alphabet Book and our almost fluent reader finds it tantilizing enough to put in that last extra bit of effort. It is colorful, too, with large alphabet letters that we trace with the youngest's fingers.

I can't say enough great things about these books. Jerry Pallotta has a unique take on the "ABC" type books you usually see for kids. These are not just for learning the alphabet (and probably actually not intended for that at all) but are more of an encyclopedia of quick facts about the subject matter. My 3-year old LOVES this one and the others that he has -- He points out the letters of course, but also now knows what a Riojasaurus is (from the Dinosaur version), too! My husband and I even have learned from reading these to him. Highly recommended for an "outside of the box" ABC book.

Beautiful illustrations! Text is not too complex (as suggested by others)and completely comprehensible for 3 year old. I learned that there in fact a Crocodile bird which "cleans" Crocodile's teeth by eating leftovers in his mouth...such bird-crocodile pair was featured in one of the cartoons that I watched when I was a child. This book is nice complement to Cat in the Hat library's "Our Fine Feathered Friends" because Pallotta's book features detailed illustrations of some of the birds described in Fine Feathered Friends, for example, spoonbill and bald eagle. I would say "W" as in Woodpecker and C as in Cardinal ...some bird names are quite complex.

My son and I absolutely love Jerry Pallotta's Alphabet books. My son is only two-years-old, and I don't think he probably understands half of what I'm reading (and sometimes I'm not even sure if I'm pronouncing the animal, machine, etc. correctly), but he still can't get enough of these books. We own all of them and could never say which is our favorite. I have learned a lot from the books, and my son picks up something new every time we read them.

Jerry Pallotta Bird book is an awesome way to teach ABC's or reinforce letters while learning about birds. Scientifically correct information, colorful illustrations will stimulate minds of all kids. Adult reader will learn a few things too.

This is another in Jerry Palotta's amazing series which teaches the alphabet and counting to children using information that adults will also enjoy. The illustrations are beautiful, the factual information is interesting, and the book is so colorful it will engage even the youngest "reader." My three month old grandson loves to be read to and the eye-catching illustrations grab his attention. His parents are happy to be reading something other than 'a is for apple' so they are much more inclined to read to him daily.Unless you are a birder, the information provided imparts new facts to both the reader and the person being read to. Therein lies my reason for downgrading this book to four stars when it could have a five star product. In what I assume is an attempt at humor, Palotta has bats as the first "bird" for the letter "B." In the text, he tells the reader that bats are actually mammals that can fly and then goes on to list a bird which does begin with the letter "B." I have known many an argumentative two year old who would insist that a bat is a bird because this is a bird book and the bat is in it. Thus, I would have preferred sparing the child confusion in having to explain Palotta was being "humorous" and sparing parents having to reason with a verbal toddler.

My LO loves these alphabet books. They have beautiful illustrations and are so informative.