A Note to Readers
My friend Janet Halfmann has three books releasing almost back to back. The first two are nonfiction, the third fiction, and all have lots of fun science. This is the first of three posts (the dates for the second two are yet to be determined) featuring Janet’s new books. I haven’t seen the other two yet, but I have to tell you that I absolutely adore Who Is Singing?!
Enjoy,
Rochelle
Teaching Who Is Singing?
Tell us about your book.
Who Is Singing? released this summer and is a celebration of birds and their songs, such as the cardinal’s wheet, wheet, wheet, birdie, birdie, birdie. Lyrical text describes the birds and their behaviors and habitats. The publisher is Pen It! Publications and the pictures are by Chrissy Chabot.
What do you hope your young readers will take away from your book?
I hope that this book will make kids more aware and appreciative of the birds singing all around them. I also hope kids feel joy when they learn to recognize a bird from its song.
How might a teacher or librarian use your book in the classroom?
They might use this book as a first guide to recognizing birds. Kids might take a nature walk after reading this book to listen for bird songs and try to identify the bird singing. The book also has a page of birdsong facts at the end.
Can you share an exercise or activity that teachers can do with students after they’ve read your book?
Kids might come up with their own words and sounds for the songs and calls they hear—because everyone hears bird songs a little differently.
What books pair well with your book?
The Little Book of Backyard Bird Songs (sound book) by Andrea Pinnington 2016
Backpack Explorer: Bird Watch: What Will You Find? by the editors of Storey Publishing, 2020
About the author. Janet Halfmann is an award-winning children’s author who strives to make her books come alive for young readers and listeners. Many of her picture books are about animals and nature. She also writes picture book biographies about little-known people of achievement. Janet has written more than forty fiction and nonfiction books for children.
Before becoming a children’s author, Janet was a daily newspaper reporter, children’s magazine editor, and a creator of coloring and activity books for Golden Books. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of seven. She grew up on a farm in Michigan and now lives in South Milwaukee, WI. Find out more about Janet and her books at: http://www.janethalfmannauthor.com
