School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3An expanded version of an English folktale originally collected by Joseph Jacobs in the 19th century. A bossy pair of magpies give lessons in nest building, but few of the other birds have the patience to follow their instructions completely. The subsequent plainness or complexity of their nests shows how long they stayed to listen. Foster adds detail and more examples-a whippoorwill who dozes through the whole thing, and a cuckoo and cowbird who lazily decide they'll let others do the work for them-but her retelling remains true to its roots. The bright watercolor illustrations have closeups and dramatic angles to draw readers in. Unfortunately, though the central birds in each picture are wonderfully alive, those on the edge of the action often appear sketchy and awkwardly formed. The endpapers show a variety of birds' nests and their eggs. A good story that will bring youngsters closer to nature.Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
