Books are a great way to help engage your child in learning more about birds while building literacy skills at the same time. These bird books for preschoolers would be fun to read on a blanket outside together.
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Bird Books for Preschoolers
Here is a collection of my favorite bird books for preschoolers. Whether you are doing a bird theme or just looking for ideas for books to read this spring, these are fun books that preschoolers love!
This list includes both fiction and non-fiction bird books for preschoolers. At the bottom of this list is a place to get a free printable list so you can take it to the library or keep it as a reference. Enjoy!
Fiction Bird Books for Preschoolers
Just a Baby Bird by Mercer Mayer
Little Critter and his sister find a baby bird on the ground. With the help of their dad, they try to find the bird’s mother. They are unsuccessful and so they end up taking care of the bird themselves (with the help of their parents). When the bird is grown, they let it go free. A year later, the bird revisits with a pleasant surprise.
Baby Bird by Joyce Dunbar
Baby faces all sorts of obstacles in his quest to learn how to fly, but is determined to reach his goal. This teaches little ones that if you want to learn to do something, don’t give up.
Flap Your Wings by P.D. Eastman
Little ones will find this story funny. A young boy finds an egg on the ground and, trying to be helpful, places it in a nest he sees in a tree. When Mr. Bird and his wife return home, they are surprised to see the egg. Eventually, the egg hatches and they care for it – even though it’s not a bird!
Who Took The Farmer’s Hat by Joan Nodset
I love this story! (Even though the bird only shows up at the end.) It’s one of those stories that make preschoolers proudly feel like they know something in the story that the characters don’t know.
One day, the wind takes a farmer’s hat. He sets off asking all the creatures around the farm if they’ve seen it. Each has seen a strange thing, but no hat. Your child will probably get a smile on his face because he’ll see that those strange things are really the farmer’s hat! In the end, a bird turns the hat into a nest, and the farmer decides to go into town to get a new hat.
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
This is a classic favorite! A baby bird hatches while its mother is out getting food. Since he doesn’t know what his mother looks like, he asks all sorts of creatures if they are his mother, which your little one will find humorous. With a little help from an unexpected source, he ends up being reunited with his mother.
The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman
Mrs. Bird declares that she no longer likes her current nest. So she and Mr. Bird go searching for a new one. It turns out not to be as easy as they thought it would be. After a day of searching, one incident makes Mr. Bird mistakenly think a cat ate Mrs. Bird. Giving up his search, Mr. Bird reunites with Mrs. Bird who actually ended up finding the best nest.
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
This is an adorable story about 3 owl siblings whose mom has left their home. Two of the owls, Percy and Sarah, are sure she’s out looking for food for them. They constantly try to reassure the littlest owl, Bill. Your little one will soon be chiming in with Bill, each time as he replies, “I want my Mommy!”
There is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems
This is a FUNNY story, like all the books in the Elephant and Piggie series. In this story, a bird lands on Elephant’s head. That bird falls in love with another bird and the two birds build a nest on his head, and eventually baby birds hatch
Piggy can’t do much but answer Elephant’s questions about what’s going on up there on his head and offer a few suggestions. Finally, to Elephant’s relief, one of Piggy’s suggestions works. Now guess whose head the birds are on – lol
Today I Will Fly by Mo Willems
Piggy can’t do much but answer Elephant’s questions about what’s going on up there on his head and offer a few suggestions. Finally, to Elephant’s relief, one of Piggy’s suggestions works. Now guess whose head the birds are on – lol
The Day the Goose Got Loose by Reeve Lindbergh
This is a story about the mayhem a goose caused when she got loose on a farm. In the end, the goose flies off with other geese, and the girl in the story dreams about the goose’s adventures.
Penguin Says Please by Michael Dahl
In this short story, a little penguin learns to say please. A good book for younger preschoolers.
Fiona and the Rainy Day by Richard Cowdrey
This is a story about friendship and kindness. It starts raining at the zoo where Fiona lives, and her friend the Flamingo stops by to share her umbrella. Look for other birds in this book like ducks and a parrot.
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
This is a silly, whimsical story about a duck that rode a bike around the farm one day. Each of the animals that sees him has their own opinion about him riding a bike. But then, bikes suddenly become available for each of them.
The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
This is the classical tale that teaches, what you sow you reap. You probably know this story from your childhood. The red hen lives with three lazy critters – a cat, a dog, and a mouse. The little red hen does ALL the work. The others never help. Then one day she finds a grain of wheat and asks for help planting it. She continues asking for help as the wheat grows, and she finally bakes it into bread. Never once do any of the others help in any way. So, when it’s time to eat the bread, guess who eats every last crumb herself.
One Stuck Duck by Jane Chapman
This is a counting book read in a sing-song style. Ten different types of animals around the pond try to help the duck get unstuck. None of them can do it by themselves, but when they all work together, the duck gets unstuck.
Non-Fiction Bird Books for Preschoolers
Run, Roadrunner, Run! by Trish Kline
This is a nonfiction book about road runners. Large text and colorful pictures make this a great book for older preschoolers. The book explores roadrunners’ eating habits, nest building, eggs, dangers, and more in a simple way that young learners will understand.
Raging Raptors! by Ripley Readers
Raging Raptors! is another non-fiction book. Short text and up-close, vivid photos are sure to capture preschoolers’ interest.
Why Does It Fly? by Chris Arvetis
This is from the Just Ask Book series, which teaches preschoolers science topics on their level. In this story, Christopher the mouse wants to know why an airplane can fly. A bird has the answer and explains things like gravity, lift, drag, and thrust. Many similarities are seen in the birds in the story.
Fine Feathered Friends: All About Birds by Tish Rabe
This is part of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series. With this book, preschoolers will learn fascinating facts about a variety of birds told in Dr. Seuss’ style.
Be sure to print out your FREE Bird Book List!
Bird Books for Preschoolers – pdf
These books will go great with our Bird Activities for Preschoolers – be sure to check it out!
Looking for more spring book lists?
