This Bird: Noticing Our Urban Birds (Astred Hicks & Holly Parsons, CSIRO Publishing)

Created by author and illustrator Astred Hicks in collaboration with ecologist Holly Parsons, This Bird: Noticing Our Urban Birds is a vibrant celebration of Australian birdlife, designed to inspire wonder in young readers aged 6–12. Spanning over 64 pages, the book highlights the diversity of Australian birdlife and shares fascinating details about each species – their behaviour and habitats – with engaging dialogue and playful examples. It also offers tips on how to recognise and appreciate birds in urban and rural environments. Hicks cautions against feeding wild birds – regardless of how charming the King Parrot can be – and emphasises that sometimes simply observing is satisfying enough. The illustrations are a real treat and play an essential role in communicating the book’s scientific content. Hicks includes maps, keys and a handy glossary to help readers digest the terminology, which is informative without ever feeling overwhelming. This Bird is more than just a useful companion for birdwatching, it’s especially suited to classrooms or read-aloud settings thanks to its use of onomatopoeia for bird calls. Hicks briefly connects species like the Bush stone-curlew to their significance for First Nations peoples – an insightful inclusion that I would have loved to see expanded in the book. This Bird is a delightful resource to stimulate curiosity, foster a connection with nature and build awareness of the lives unfolding in treetops, skies, mangroves and gardens.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Jasmine Pirovic is a culture writer from Western Sydney who is based in London. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews