Today Ann Eriksson launches her new book Bird's Eye View: Keeping Wild Birds in Flight, a compelling children's nonfiction title. Author and naturalist Trevor Herriot writes,  "Anyone, young or old, who wants to learn more about the birds that live in their neighbourhood or on the other side of the planet will love this book."

For more on bird books for kids, see our Children's Librarian Julie Booker's recent list of bird-inspired (and inspirING) picture books.

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The Elevator Pitch. Tell us about your book in a sentence.

Bird’s-Eye View: Keeping Wild Birds in Flight, is a nonfiction book with colour photos for middle readers about wild birds and bird conservation with a special focus on what kids (and their adults) can do to improve the lives of our feathered friends. 

Describe your ideal reader.

Loves nature, interested in taking positive actions for the planet, wants to know more about wild birds and how to engage with them and protect them and their habitat.

What authors/books is your work in conversation with?

Other books in the Orca Wild series including Orcas Everywhere, by Mark Leiren-Young; Gone is Gone and Sea Otters, by Isabelle Groc; and Return from Extinction, by Linda L. Richards. 

What is something interesting you learned about your book/yourself/your subject during the process of creating and publishing your book?

I learned that wild birds are even more amazing and fascinating than I already thought, and that lots of children are passionate about birding  and are working hard to “keep wild birds in flight.”

What’s the main message you want readers to take away from Bird’s-Eye View?

The knowledge that everyone, no matter how young, can contribute to the conservation of wild birds in large and small ways, both close to home and around the world. And that learning about birds is fun!

Go ahead and acknowledge someone whose support has been integral to this project.

Wow, so many people helped me make this book happen: ornithologists, friends, fellow writers, my family and of course the team at Orca Book Publishers who produced not just a beautiful book but a work of art. My biggest thank you goes to the marine birds, songbirds, woodpeckers, birds of prey and hummingbirds that I see every day in the forests, sky and ocean habitat near my home and which bring me inspiration and enjoyment. 

What are you reading right now or next?

I’m currently reading (and loving) Mad Hatter, a novel by Amanda Hale.

Learn more about Bird's Eye View:

Wild birds are everywhere, from the dry deserts to the icy poles. We see them soaring overhead, paddling across water, flitting through trees, pecking at the ground or our backyard bird feeders and singing from fence posts. Birds contribute to the health of the planet and provide pleasure for millions of people, but wild birds are in trouble. Today, almost 200 bird species are critically endangered. They are threatened by habitat loss, invasive species, climate change, pesticides, plastics in the environment, human-made structures and other animals. Bird’s Eye View looks at why wild birds are important, why they need help and what young people all over the world are doing and can do to give wild birds a boost.