When Swanda first moves to Brooklyn from the country, she misses the
wildlife she left behind. But not for long. "Oh, look! What dear little
birds!" Swanda says to her dog when she notices all the pigeons outside
her apartment. "Come, Waldo, we'll get them a bird feeder all their
own." It's fun to watch the pigeons flock to the feeder, at first. But
then more arrive ... and more ... and more. And before she knows it,
there are too many pigeons! Swanda seeks some "Sound Practical Advice"
from a few experts --- a pest control officer, the keeper of birds at
the city zoo and an exotic bird fancier from Peru --- but that gets her
nowhere. So her neighbors step in with their own Brooklynese solution:
"SWANDA, YOU GOTTA STOP FEEDIN' DA BOIDS!" Author James Sage's funny
picture book explores what happens when a nature-loving girl meets city
birds. The playful, vibrant artwork by award-winning illustrator Pierre
Pratt offers its own comic narrative. Readers are in on the havoc below
the bird feeder that Swanda doesn't see. This book makes a terrific
choice for a humorous, entertaining read-aloud. It would also work as an
introduction to social studies lessons on urban versus rural
communities, and on accents and dialects. It would easily launch a life
sciences discussion on how species adapt and survive in urban habitats
as well.
