
Part of the Animal Diaries: Life Cycles series
A child chronicles a cardinal family's journey from nest to flight.
In a backyard, a child observes a female cardinal building a nest and begins documenting the cardinal family's life in a diary. From eggs to fledglings, the young narrator captures the intimate moments of the birds' lives. As the chicks grow and prepare to leave the nest, readers are invited to explore the cardinals' life cycle and behaviors. This engaging diary format encourages young readers to observe and record their own natural world discoveries, fostering a love for nature and scientific inquiry.
A child watches a female cardinal building a nest in his backyard and decides to record what happens to the cardinal family in her diary. Readers will follow along as the young narrator observes the birds’ behavior up close, including the mother bird brooding her eggs, the chicks peeking from the nest for the first time, and the parent birds feeding and fledging their young. All the details of the birds’ lives are explored up to the time when the juvenile birds are ready to leave home. Large photos, diagrams, and clear, age-appropriate text will engage young readers as they explore the life cycle, natural habitat, physical characteristics, diet, and behavior of these colorful birds. The diary format models scientific observation and critical thinking–and encourages children to keep notebooks recording their own investigations into the natural world.
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