Birds can do some amazing things: some of them rather silly, at least from our perspective. Like the lorikeet that can act quite drunk after eating too much nectar and the honeyeaters that do a unique flash dance to attract a partner. Then there are the crakes that build their nest like a lakeside cottage retreat and the crazy cockatoos that would make great jailbird break-out artists. These colorful birds are unique, not only in their appearance but in the unusual abilities they display. These are Australian birds, but there are probably just as fascinating unique birds in other parts of the world as well. Like all living creatures, even humans, birds have some crazy quirks.

As an amateur birdwatcher in the northern hemisphere, I really enjoyed Daryl Barnes’s picture book story, Crazy Bird Stories: Prepare Yourself for Strange Birds Behaving in Strange Ways Book 1. I found this book an interesting way to learn about different birds, particularly those in a different part of the world from where I live; in this case, Australia. The birds are introduced in rhyming verse, sometimes a little silly, but certainly clever and accurate. Accompanied by colorful illustrations that highlight their unusual traits and habits, this book makes an interesting way to learn about these birds. Focussing on the birds' unique and strange behaviors is a sure way to make the information about these birds stand out. The end of the book includes a brief outline of each bird featured. This is a great way to introduce birds to young readers in an entertaining manner.

Crazy Bird Stories: Prepare Yourself for Strange Birds Behaving in Strange Ways, Book 1 is an educational adventure picture book for children written by Daryl Barnes, with illustrations by Stephen Adams and photography by Marlis Schoeb. There are so many really strange birds out there, and the things they do seem anything but normal. Take the Handsome Honeyeater, who spins madly to attract its mate, or the Creative Crake, whose home-building skills can be seen on a distant lake. The author introduces ornithology and bird-watching to young readers in this fanciful and fun guide that takes a few liberties with the actual descriptions of birds and their habits. Those adults fortunate enough to grow up with an introductory book of birds will find the appendix featuring thumbnail descriptions of each featured bird, accompanied by Schoeb’s photographs, to be more familiar, but going from those descriptions back to the Crazy Bird Stories makes the crazy adventure even more fun.

Daryl Barnes’s Crazy Bird Stories had me remembering the first book I ever bought for myself. It was at a book fair at my school, and I had just enough money to buy one book -- and it was a book of birds, one I read over and over again. Barnes’s book had me reliving that first book and wishing that my first bird book had as much whimsy and fun as his Crazy Bird Stories does. I love how he uses actual bird behavior in fashioning his crazy stories and appreciated learning more about Australia’s bird species. Stephen Adams’s illustrations are brilliant! Each imaginative panel gives the reader so much to look at and explore. Marlis Schoeb’s photographs give readers a good sense of each bird’s coloring, identifying features and natural habitat. Crazy Bird Stories: Prepare Yourself for Strange Birds Behaving in Strange Ways, Book 1 educates as it entertains. It’s most highly recommended.

Crazy Bird Stories is a fun, educational story about birds that are mostly endemic to Australia. Through a storybook form, it introduces children to twelve bird species found in the Land Down Under. Daryl Barnes shows children the strange habits of some notable Australian birds that are downright fascinating and will most likely give children that “wow!” reaction. Told in a style of a rhyming story, each bird featured is introduced with the opening, “Have you heard of this crazy bird?” This is a question that will keep young readers engaged.

Daryl Barnes, in collaboration with illustrator Stephen Adams, uses arresting visual elements to go with each featured bird. Illustrations are professionally rendered with detail to fully aid young readers with visual learning. At the end of the book, photographs of the twelve birds are added with short information about their habits. The rhyming approach to storytelling allows for smooth reading, and children can follow the pattern in getting to know the birds. At the same time, the strange avian behaviors that serve as the highlight of this story will arouse children’s curiosity and make them formulate open-ended questions during storytelling time.

Crazy Bird Stories by Daryl Barnes is not only fun but educational as well. In a world where conservation is making a noise, it is important for children to get to know the other creatures that also inhabit this world. This book aims to create awareness for children to cultivate a love not only for birds but for the environment as well. This book will teach readers about bird fauna in the Southern Hemisphere. Crazy Bird Stories fills up that much-needed gap in a beginner reader’s knowledge of ornithology.

Lunatic Lorikeet is a crazy bird. She would fall all over the street after eating rich foods that were sweet. The Communal Crow is another crazy bird who would put on a squawking show in a language no one could understand. The Handsome Honeyeater is another crazy bird as the male spins like an egg beater and performs a dance so he can impress the female bird. There are more crazy bird stories so let's read this book and get acquainted with their strange behaviors and adventures.

Crazy Bird Stories: Prepare Yourself for Strange Birds Behaving in Strange Ways, Book 1 by Daryl Barnes introduces children to Australian birds in a fun and entertaining way. The catchy stories about the 12 different birds are fascinating and will give readers information about these birds, making them curious to learn about more bird species. Stephen Adams brings the stories alive and makes them tangible with his colorful and wonderful illustrations, giving each bird their own memorable identity and personality.

What I like about this book is the way the author tackles the topic; he has included information about these birds in a manner that will appeal to and captivate young readers. It is a wonderful book for educators and parents to use for storytelling sessions in classrooms and school libraries and makes science interesting and adventurous for children. I cannot wait for Book 2 of this series and I am sure readers will also be waiting for it.