In her picture book debut, artist Jorey Hurley opens our eyes to the wonders of the natural world and tells a universal story of family.
From birth, to first flight, to new friend, the first year of a bird’s life is full of activity and wonder. Artist Jorey Hurley pairs vivid, crisp artwork with simple, minimal text—often just one word per spread—to create a breathtaking, peaceful chronicle of nature and life’s milestones.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
Timeless wonder for all ages
By Kate
The crisp, detailed yet simple in the best way, and colorful illustrations paired with a single yet completely perfect word on each page create a compelling story as well as a work of art. My 17 month old, my 4.5 year old, and their grown up parents all love this book equally. It is a favorite at bed time (every night since it arrived) and I have already ordered it for future baby gifts and birthday presents. The illustrations are art worthy of hanging on the wall and the story is touching and engaging. Possibly the best new children's book of the year!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.Fantastic gift for a new baby
By K. Blaine
I absolutely loved this picture book. With starkly lovely illustrations and a minimum of words, the author takes us through the first year in the life of a baby robin, and by analogy, the growing up and launching of a child. As I "read" this book, I marveled at the ways a parent or teacher could engage a child in its various aspects. For example, in the depiction of the parent birds feeding the chick, you could talk to your child about how human parents feed their babies, what foods your child used to like/hate, and how gross it would be if human mommies fed their babies as birds do. In another picture, the baby is learning to fly, and a cat lies in wait. Not to fear, however: the parent birds are there to protect their chick. I see this as a gentle way to get across the idea that parents always want to protect their children and keep them safe, and are aware of dangers that the child may be oblivious to. Even the endpapers of the book, huge robin's eggs, could be used for a little elementary math. I also loved the way the seasons were portrayed in the book, with lovely illustrations that invite the reader to look at nature in a fresh way. It seems to me that this is a book that invites a parent and child to engage with one another on so many levels. Mostly, this book is about family bonding and love. I will be giving this book at the next baby shower or christening I go to, and I give it my highest recommendation.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.What a beauty
By Christine Nesbit
This picture perfect book helps illuminate the extraordinary acts of nature that take place right outside our windows. The beautiful illustrations invite the reader to join this family of robins on their journey. "Nest" makes for a delightful gift for all of the young children in my life. My own kids love guessing "what's next" for the baby robin as we turn the pages. Best of all, we can't help but listen with a closer ear and watch with a more attentive eye to the robin's in our own neighborhood.
