A single cock crows to herald the dawn. A pair of love birds awake to the sound. Three decorative ducks along a wall precede the baby birds (and one cuckoo) in a nest being fed by the mother. A mobile of striped, spotted and coloured fabric birds hang from the ceiling and move slowly in the air.
Wrens in the greenery, magpies in a cherry tree, and a hen with her chicks are followed by turquoise peacocks showing off while painted birds on plates, adorn an outdoor table. Chaffinches pick up crumbs and racing pigeons stretch across the sky in competition.
Pheasants are on parade, but it’s the elegant white swans gliding across the water that take the beauty prize. Ducks dip and bob; geese gossip and gabble.
As the day ends, starlings settle around the chimney pipes. Swallows gather on the wires. Rooks roost, while inside the house a warm red curtain covered in birds closes out the darkness. A barn owl flies over the house.
Winsome birds in bold lines and shapes fill the pages of this stunning publication. Full of warmth, this educational and entertaining counting book is produced on beautiful paper, with a fantastic cover depicting the 17 swans moving across the water. Here’s something to awaken all the senses in the reader and the listener. Simply perfect!
Title: Counting Birds
Author/Illustrator: Alice Melvin
Publisher: Thames & Hudson/Tate, $13.99 RRP
Publication Date: May 2014
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781849762106
For ages: 4+
Type: Counting Picture Book
