Nonfiction Form (Biography and Information Books)

Your Name: Karla Castro Title: The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John
James Audubon Author: Jacqueline Davies
Illustrator: Melissa Sweet Publisher/Date: September 27, 2004
Genre: Biography

https://youtu.be/NQevGPnyNsE

EVALUATE THE BOOK USING THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS

Explain how the cover and first pages of the book attract and hold the reader’s interest.
Give 3 examples from the book
1. The pictures have a bit of color in them. The colors are not too vibrate and not too dull so
it gives children a sense of realism.
2. The drawings have a sense of realism. Children are able to identify what the illustration is
easier since it looks more life-like
3. In the first couple of pages the book dives into the early life of John James and how he likes
to explore and look at birds. Children can relate to this because they too may like to go
outside and explore.
STYLE AND LANGUAGE – Explain how the book shares information with children.
Examples: “little-known facts;” new vocab sprinkled in the text; and selection of
information to create/maintain reader’s interest. Give 3 examples from the book
1. This book uses similes and some onomatopoeias in order to keep the reader’s attention
 The female bird flew out of the cave like an arrow shot from a bow.
 The birds beat his wings above John James’s head and snapped his beak, Clack, Clack,
Clack!
2. New vocab words are also sprinkled in the text (Different birds (pewee, redwings,
grackles, etc.), migrate, naturalist, etc.
3. Share the life of John James growing up and his fascination with birds. Then it showed how
that lead him to become a Naturalist.
ACCURACY – up-to-date research, any sources or references provided, no mixing of fact and
fiction.
Explain:
 This book for the most part s quite accurate. It follows chronological events on John
James journey into studying birds and becoming a naturalist. However, it also incudes
some dialogue in there, and there is not sources or anything that John James actually
had that dialogue with the other people in his life such as housekeeper or father. This
could possibly be a mixing of fact and fiction in order to just entertain the reader.

INFORMATION –Explain how the book captures a child’s interest: unusual subjects or
viewpoints - personalized content – new perspectives, first-person accounts, and
fascinating comparisons.
Give 3 examples from the book.
1. This book gives the interesting viewpoint of the process of a naturalist, which of course of
John James
2. The process was how John James observed the birds and what he learned from them
3. This book also provides actual images that John James drew regarding birds. It also lists
what information he found.
ILLUSTRATIONS-- Select a 2-Page Spread to evaluate the book with following:
Media (paints, pencils, pen, watercolors, charcoal, photographs, crayon, acrylics, chalk,
oils): Explain the media choices used:
 This book uses acrylics and also watercolor
illustration and text combine to share the information:
What does the text explain and how illustrated?
 There is quite a bit of text so the text explains plenty of what is happening such as
what John James is doing for his observations.
What do illustrations show that text does not explain?
 The illustrations and text work together so the illustrations show what the text is
explaining and the setting.

Page design – Describe the following: use of borders; text placement and font size; use of
information boxes, charts or identification of vocab use of white and dark space; types of
illustrations and placement on both pages:
 There are no borders on the pages as the illustrations extend to edge of the page.
 There is quite a bit of text to read so the text size is quite small
 Along with that the paragraphs are placed on the outer most edges of the page.
 There is use of blank space in order to place the text
 There are various forms of illustrations such as one whole page dedicated to the
setting of the page, or there could be sort of a collage where it shows John James
findings and research (such as various picture of birds, nests, and “writing” that John
James did)

Child Development Theories –Select 1 theory:

Identify the stage Piaget’s Formal Operation Stage and age level 12 and up from the theory.
Select one trait from the developmental stage/level.
 Begin to use deductive logic, or reasoning from a general principle to specific
information.
Explain and give 3 specific examples from the book that fit the development al stage/level.
1. Since John James fascination with birds started from an early age, as he grew he began
to think of the question if birds migrate and come back to the same nest they were born in.
2. As he grew older, he began to think about how he figure this question out and what
observation and research methods he can use.
3. He tied a silver strong to the birds foot and got his concluding answer that yes birds
come back to an area nearby of where they hatched.
1. OVERALL RATING 1 2 3
(3 high, 1 low)
Explain the rating:
 I would give this story about a 2 or 2.5 because it is on the lengthier side of the story.
However, this book does give plenty of information about what a Naturalist does and
what specifically John James did in order to figure out his question (whether or not
birds come back to the same nest). It also does a good job being accurate.