A Peek at Beaks
Tools Birds Use
by Sara Levine
Lerner Publishing Group
Millbrook Press ™

Birds, beaks, and how they use them! So many types of beaks and this explains in a fun way how each type of beak is used by what birds! What birds use a net? What uses a jackhammer? What about a strainer?

The birds are illustrated adorably and identified in each category. With the explanation on why the beaks are used for each category, it will be easy for the young reader to remember. Educational and entertaining!

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this terrific book of birds and beaks! ( )

*If you would like to see the pictures associated with this post, please refer to the original blog post. Thanks!

A Peek at Beaks was a quick read that we mostly enjoyed. The illustrations were lovely, and I thought it was clever of them to have the reader guess which birds had certain beaks by using silhouettes with actual tools for their bills. The kids had a lot of fun guessing which birds might use each tool, and it was a creative way to get them involved in the story.

However, I do think it would have been better if the silhouettes had actually resembled the birds they were supposed to be depicting, but all of the shadow shapes looked exactly the same. It made it hard for my kiddos to correctly guess which birds were being discussed, because they were only trying to think of birds that resembled the silhouettes and not necessarily which birds had those specific "tools" for a beak.

A wonderful concept that I wish had been executed better.

I also disliked the fonts that were used and thought they were distracting. I know that's a personal preference, but I don't feel like they complimented the story or the illustrations. In fact, I would say they hurt both. Would a child notice or care? Probably not. Although, I do think different fonts would improve the overall aesthetic of the book.

Something else that slightly grated on my nerves: the double identifications and repeated information. The author lists which other birds have similar tools for beaks, and the illustrator includes drawings of them with labels attached. I feel like only one is necessary. Additionally, I wish the information being shared felt more like a story and less like a lesson. I understand the author is sharing facts, but there has to be a more entertaining way to present them. I felt like I was reading dictionary definitions and not fun facts about birds. (★★★☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

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