I heard a Bird

I Heard a Bird is the 4th book in Rob Ramsden's award-winning In The Garden series. It is a wonderful story about a little girl who notices that the bird she was listening to is frightened away by two cats fighting. As she searches for her bird, she encounters lots of intriguing insects and minibeasts whilst enjoying the sights and sounds of nature all around her.

Full of rhyme and rhythm, this is a lovely text to read aloud. The text describing the 'Caterpillars crawling, beetle burrowing' is positioned to demonstrate the different movements of these creatures. The bright, simple illustrations clearly show the beauty of the natural world and the wonder of the little girl.

This beautiful picture book considers some big themes and could be used as part of a focus on: wellbeing, mindfulness and the beauty and the sounds of nature. As the little girl closes her eyes and enjoys the silence outside, she decides to lie down and experience being at one with her surroundings: 'I breathed in - I heard the breeze…I breathed out - I heard the leaves'. It is an ideal starting point for discussing the importance of wellbeing, how to get out and enjoy being in nature, as well as how we all share the duty of looking after the natural world where we live, with young children.

I am sure that it will not be long before this book joins others in the series (We Planted a Pumpkin and We Found a Seed) in being shortlisted for an award.

Suggested Reading Age 0+