12 April 2020 NESTING by Henry Cole, HarperCollins/Katherine Tegan, March 2020, 40p., ISBN: 978-0-06-288592-0

“Robin in the rain

You don’t mind the weather

Showers always make you gay

But the worms are wishing you would stay at home

Robin on a rainy day”

-- Raffi (1976)

“Day after day, the babies need more food. The parents make many, many trips.

Down below, a snake sees the robins’ nest. The snake is hungry, too, and climbs the apple tree.”

My earliest childhood memories include robins in our backyard apple tree, above the swing. I hope that, wherever you are, the robins are singing somewhere nearby for you.

NESTING by Henry Cole is a stunningly beautiful picture book in which a pair of robins build a nest, hatch four eggs, and raise the babies. It’s all true to nature, making this a valuable science book as well as an entertaining story. There is love, danger, and the excitement of first flights. 

The exceptionally detailed black and white micron pen drawings are occasionally highlighted in blue--the robin eggs and touches of sky.

The world has changed in a billion ways since I first experienced robins. It’s comforting to visit my little grandkids and see them fascinated by the robins singing and fluttering in their backyard. This beautiful picture book captures these little creatures in their own world. 

Richie Partington, MLIS

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