Listening to a singing bird outside her window, a young girl remarks on what she knows, and doesn’t know, about birds. They come in all sizes and colors, but where do they shelter in a storm if they are away from their nests? Gorgeous acrylic paintings of brightly colored birds illustrate sensitive, and scientific, avian observations. Full of wonder, the girl may not be able to fly like a bird, but she can sing like one. With Henkes’s perfectly paced prose and Dronzek’s marvelous hues, Birds soars—it is an intimate and exhilarating look at a child’s backyard and beyond. Honor Book, 2010 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 3–7)