Cons: Story might be too young for confident readers in third grade and above
The Bottom Line: This re-told English folktale teaches more than listening skills, it provides an enjoyable lesson on birds and nests with appeal for elementary students.
pestyside's Full Review: Doris L. Mueller - The Best Nest
As with all folktales, lessons are learned through new perspectives and interpretations. These provide explanations, although not necessarily factual (generally very far from fact), but through the story observations might create unexpected insight. The Best Nest is an old English folktale that illustrates the importance of listening but through this lesson we also learn how some birds build nests. Doris L. Mueller uses this book to demonstrate how the patient bird actually gets the best nest and the impatient bird’s life really doesn’t change.
For example:
"Long ago, when the world was very young, only the magpie knew how to build a nest. Her nest was large and so well built that her babies were kept safe."
During this same time other birds were laying eggs on the ground, in logs, and unsafe locations. Their eggs were frequently lost to predators and the mother birds were understandably sad. So, they all decided to ask Mother Magpie, Maggie, to show them how to build a nest. She was honored and agreed. But, some of the birds must have had attention deficit disorders and as soon as she provided one tip some flew away. The killdeer was excited and hurried off to build a nest.
The killdeer heard Maggie say, "First of all you must find hollow space that is the right size." The killdeer knew the perfect spot, it would be easy, and she laid an egg in a hollow space on the ground. (Today, that’s where the killdeer still lays her eggs.)
Then other birds began forming their own opinions, before Maggie provided any more tips. The screech-owl thought it would be easier to place the eggs in a hollow tree trunk. Some of the remaining birds wanted to learn more and listened, at least for the next tip, which was taking some mud to plaster twigs on to the inside wall of the nest. Naturally another bird (the blackbird) flew off with just this much information. Today, that’s how the blackbird builds a nest.
Eventually Maggie became frustrated, but she did provide all of the directions before flying off. Of all of the birds, the last to listen to the instruction was the oriole and to this day it creates the best nest thanks to Maggie.
"The Baltimore Oriole carefully weaves a deep hanging pouch of plant fibers, hair, yarn or string, and attaches it to a tree branch. This pouch, or sack, has a top opening. The nest is lined with hair, wool, or fine grasses. The female usually builds the nest while her mate stays nearby and sings. It can take from five to eight or more days to build this intricate nest."
Illustrator Sherry Neidigh brings this book to life. The detail on the birds, their eggs, the background is very impressive. She did her research on the appearance of the eggs, birds, nests, and background insects. The evergreen needles, chew holes on leaves, markings on butterflies are in themselves educational experiences for the careful observer. In retelling this story Doris L. Mueller substituted birds native to North America for the ones common in England and in doing so she made this a familiar tale that introduces children to birds they are likely to see.
But There’s Educational Content in this Folktale
Sylvan Dell Publishing has been providing amazing educational content with their books. I just expect it. Besides the fact that this story quickly engages the reader, they enhance the experience for child, parent, and teacher in numerous ways.
For Creative Minds is a collection of activities found at the end of the book that builds upon the learning. This offers Bird Fun Facts, Bird Math, Is it Injured? and Match the Nest. I especially like the match the nest activity, which shows the birds from the story nest to a written description of the nest that the reader matches to the image of the nest. (The above description of the Baltimore Oriole's nest comes from the nest activity.) Do you want more?
Online at www.sylvandellpublishing.com teachers can select this book from the home page to discover so much more. A 30-page PDF of teaching activities completes the learning experience with questions, language arts, science, math, research, geography, and listening. There are writing prompts and comprehension questions. They’ve begun to align this book and its lessons to learning standards for both early elementary and late elementary. Standards are provided for National Standards, the North American Association for Environmental Educators, as well as 13 states (including Illinois, California and Texas). As a teacher I enjoy what they offer, but if I’m going to use this for more than a day building this around other resources can make it a more valuable experience. The Learning Links (also found on their website) includes general bird information, general bird nest and life cycle information, math-related activities, and lots of bird specific resources from highly respected online sites. (These include Cornell Ornithology Lab, Audubon, Wild Bird Unlimited, Project Feeder Watch, and US Fish & Wildlife Service)
To say I’m impressed is an understatement. Everything about this book and the online resources enhances its value for bird education, habitat awareness, and adaptations, as well as listening skills. Hmmm, the folktale about birds and listening provided an intriguing opportunity to learn about more than building nests. If you’re looking at birds with younger elementary children, let me recommend this highly informative and fun book. There are two levels of readers, those learning to read and those reading to learn. The younger readers will enjoy the story and pictures while the older readers will benefit from the facts and the details.
I wish to thank Sylvan Dell Publishing for the opportunity to provide an honest review of this book. I find their products impressive and incredibly valuable resources for teachers. Who says you can’t teach science through reading—certainly not me!
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.