Welcome to Day 9 of the On Bird Hill Blog Tour
To celebrate the release of On Bird Hill by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Bob Marstall (5/10/16), blogs across the web are featuring exclusive content from Jane, Bob, and Brian Sockin (CEO and Publisher of Cornell Lab Publishing Group), plus 10 chances to win a copy of On Bird Hill and a window bird feeder!
by Brian Scott Sockin
Bird watching has become one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the world. In the United States alone, more than 50 million people observe birds in nature, and for good reasons. Enjoying the outdoors has been shown to improve humans’ mental and physical health, a benefit which birders immediately can experience. Internet-based citizen science projects allow people to serve as global sensors for the earth’s natural systems simply by watching birds and reporting what they see and millions of people now record their sightings, contributing to citizen science projects. And birds are beautiful and amazing. Seeing and hearing birds makes us happy.
When I was offered the opportunity to help The Cornell Lab of Ornithology reach a wider audience, deepen public engagement (because science needs to be shared), go beyond classroom educational materials and the world’s largest website about birds (allaboutbirds.org receives 14 million unique visitors annually) to share knowledge and passion about nature with a general audience, I raised my hand and jumped in. We created the Cornell Lab Publishing Group to be the home for books about birds and nature for families, and for children ages toddler through tween.
It was important that our first list – Spring 2016 – gave a sense of the breadth of our titles. With just three titles, it wasn’t easy, but I think we accomplished that. For families, there are two Backyard Birdsong Guides by Donald Kroodsma (one for Eastern and Central North America, and a second for Western North America). And for young ones, a single book that celebrated the magic of birding as a fantastical gateway children’s title: On Bird Hill by Jane Yolen with illustrations by Bob Marstall.
Our unfolding list connects titles and subject matter to ornithological projects and expeditions. Parenting is for the Birds (Spring 2017) ties to Cornell’s NestWatch project. Birds of Paradise: A Coloring Expedition (August 2016) is crafted to give coloring enthusiasts the perspective of being a part of an historic expedition. Other titles use crowdsourcing to guide content, such as America’s Favorite Birds adult coloring book (August 2016), for which a public vote on the Lab’s Facebook page went viral, producing more than 250,000 votes in four days from bird enthusiasts across North America!
For children, we have a book where young kids compare their own behaviors and personalities with those of birds: Am I Like You?, which I co-authored with renowned birding author Laura Erickson, illustrated by Anna Rettberg; and Bird Brainiacs, a log book with other games and activities for young birders by former editors of Birds & Blooms Magazine, Stacey Tornio and Ken Keffer, illustrated by Rachel Riordan.
Much more to come – please join in our adventure.
About the CEO and Publisher: Brian Scott Sockin has authored 7 books, including the children’s title C.A.R.E. Treasury of Children’s Folklore. Brian has a B.A. in Psychology from Binghamton University and M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business. Brian is CEO and Publisher of the Cornell Lab Publishing Group, which has afforded him the rare opportunity to pair his passion for nature and writing, with his business career. Brian is a native of upstate NY and now lives in Cary, NC with his family.
June 24th — Rockin’ Book ReviewsJune 27th — Kristi’s Book Nook
July 1st — Can You Read Me a Story?
Loosely based on the old cumulative nursery rhyme/song “The Green Grass Grew All Around,” a nursery rhyme first published as a song in 1912. But in this version, it’s a boy and his dog who find the bird in a nest on a hill in a strange valley.Following in the footsteps of Jane’s highly acclaimed Owl Moon, winner of the prestigious Caldecott Award, On Bird Hill is a beautiful picture book with an enchanting story, fancifully illustrated by renowned artist Bob Marstall. On Bird Hill is sure to attract interest from millions of readers and fans of Jane’s popular classics.
About the Author: Jane Yolen has authored more than 350 books, including the Caldecott-winning Owl Moon, which every budding young ornithologist owns, You Nest Here With Me, which is a popular new favorite, and the New York Times bestselling series How Do Dinosaurs. Jane Yolen’s books have been translated into over 20 languages and are popular around the world.
Jane’s husband, David Stemple, was both a well known bird recordist and a professor of computer science and he taught the entire family how to identify birds. Many of Jane’s books are about wildlife subjects, especially the winged kind. Jane lives in Easthampton, MA. Visit her online at janeyolen.com.
About the Illustrator: Bob Marstall is the illustrator of nine nonfiction children’s books, including the The Lady and the Spider, which sold over a quarter-of-a-million copies and was a Reading Rainbow selection. Bob has also been honored with an ALA Notable; an IRA Teachers’ Choice; a Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children; and three John Burroughs selections.In addition, two of Bob’s books are included in the New York Times Parent’s Guide’s “1001 Best Books of the Twentieth Century.” Bob Lives in Easthamton, MA. Visit him online at bobmarstall.com.
About the Cornell Lab: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a world leader in the study, appreciation, and conservation of birds. Our hallmarks are scientific excellence and technological innovation to advance the understanding of nature and to engage people of all ages in learning about birds and protecting the planet. birds.cornell.edu
1 Comment
Such fun stuff. I bet your collection of books is so nice.