I Heard a Bird

Here is the final picture book in this very successful series of four titles by the talented author/illustrator Rob Ramsden: Whilst I Saw a Bee was longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize; both We Planted a Pumpkin and We Found a Seed were shortlisted for the Teach Early Years Awards 2021.

I Heard a Bird is a delightful story about a little girl who notices that the bird she was listening to is frightened away by two cats screeching. As she endeavours to find her bird, she meets lots of insects and minibeasts whilst connecting with nature.

I particularly liked the way in which this poetic narrative draws the reader in so that they feel part of the action. The text describing the ‘Caterpillars crawling, centipedes strolling,’ (p. 17) is cleverly positioned to demonstrate the different movements of these creatures. Whilst the illustrations are bold and relatively simple, they clearly show the beauty of the natural world and the wonder of the little girl.

This picture book considers some big themes: wellbeing, mindfulness and the beauty and 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’ (p.29).

I am sure any teacher, parent or carer sharing this book with a toddler or young child will delight in getting involved in this gentle adventure together. 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. Congratulations to the relatively new Scallywag Press on a beautifully produced series with important messages.