Birds Of A Feather- A Book of Idioms and Silly Pictures
By: Vanita Oelschlager
Illustrator: Robin Hegan
Publication Date: May 2009
Children are innately curious about words, especially phrases that make them laugh (“Ants in your pants!”), sound silly.
“Barking up the wrong tree” or “Goosebumps” just as silly. Or phrases that trigger images which can tickle a child’s sense of the absurd (“Like a bull in a china shop”).
Birds of a Feather introduces children to the magic of idioms – words that separately have one meaning, but together take on something entirely different.
Birds of a Feather introduces idioms with outlandish illustrations of what the words describe literally.
The reader then has to guess the “real” meaning of the phrases (which is upside down in the corner of each spread).
At the end of the book, the reader is invited to learn more about these figures of speech.
My Review/Thoughts:
This 32 page children’s book is a gem, the adorable illustrations kept my 3 year old giggling with delight. I know that at the age of 3, he is still a bit young to learn the concept of idioms in their entirety. Although, he does grasp how a simple sentence may not mean what it is supposed too.
For example, that when I tell him he has “Ants in his pants” he is fully aware that I do not mean literally. You can see some of the sample pages in the collage above. Each cute illustrated page has an explanation written at the bottom to help you explain the idioms being represented.
One of the things that really helped with the enjoyment of this book was the activities you can print out on Vanita Books website. You have access to coloring pages, word searches, book plates, awards, and many other fun activities for the kids.
Today, it was raining and my 3 year old ran up to the window squealing “It’s raining cats and dogs, mommy!”. It has been a few days since we have read Birds Of A Feather, so it caught me by surprise when he referenced a saying in the book. It solidified the fact that he absorbed the information taught in the book without realizing it.
This would be a great book for any young child, not necessarily for learning but just as a fun picture book full of silly pictures. I would also say that having an addition in a classroom would be a fantastic way to introduce school-age children to idioms. Plus, add the extra activities and you would have a ready-made lesson.
Visiting Vanita’s Books will give you access to other books that have been written, information on the author and illustrators behind these books, and many more special treasures.
Purchase Links:
* Amazon Paperback * Barnes & Noble Paperback * Amazon Hardcover * Barnes & Noble Hardcover
About The Author:
Vanita Oelschlager is a wife, mother, grandmother, former teacher, current caregiver and, for almost ten years, author and poet.
She was born and raised near Pittsburgh. She is a graduate of Mt. Union College in Alliance, Ohio, where she currently serves as a Trustee.
She has also supported and helped Jim as he built Oak Associates, ltd. into a successful investment management firm.
Today, as an accomplished author, Vanita shares openly the experiences that she, Jim and their families have had with multiple sclerosis. She has likened MS to living with an elephant, one that won’t go away or be ignored. Together, she and Jim have found ways to live with this “elephant”, and to share some of the larger lessons about life they’ve learned through the disease.