A Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston (review)

Elizabeth Bush

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Volume 68, Number 10, June
2015, p. 480 (Review)

Published by Johns Hopkins University Press

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2015.0439

For additional information about this article

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/581932

Access provided at 3 Jan 2020 05:04 GMT from University of Nebraska - Lincoln
480 • The Bulletin

clichéd, cast that allows the novel to reflect on issues of racism and intolerance in
a way that has personal resonance. The underlying message about acceptance and
compassion is at times heavy-handed, but it never detracts from the narrative’s
emotional poignancy. This novel is a strong choice for readers new to science fiction
who appreciate the power of storytelling to change the world. AM

Aston, Dianna Hutts A Nest Is Noisy; illus. by Sylvia Long. Chronicle,

2015 32p
ISBN 978-1-4521-2713-2 $16.99   R Gr. 2-4
With this title, Aston and collaborator Long seem to have come full circle in their
popular run of elementary nature books. The focus now shifts from the babies in
their debut An Egg Is Quiet to the nursery itself. Once again, readers are directed
to consider not only young birds but also fish, reptiles, and even a mammal who
begin life within an egg, nestled in a, well, nest. Organization is free form, but
within each themed double-page spread there are aspects of nests to compare (e.g.,
size from three inches to thirty-six feet; material from paper to pebbles to bubbles)
and fascinating info nuggets to enjoy (“peculiar” nests may be made of interlocked
army ants or swiftlet saliva; the kingfisher risks his life crashing headlong into a
termite hill he hopes to “adopt” as a nest). The intricacy and textural variety of
nests displays Long’s artistic skill to advantage, and despite a couple of visual slips
(the orangutan nest appears pages before it’s introduced in the text, and the mea-
surements of the tiny hummingbird and massive scrubfowl nests are not clearly
delineated), illustrations are a delight even viewed apart from the text. As an added
bonus, separate spreads of nests and their transient residents appear toward the front
and back of the volume, offering the nature lovers an entertaining self-quiz. EB

Baker, Matthew If You Find This. Little, 2015 [368p]

Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-316-24008-6 $17.00
E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-316-24010-9 $9.99
Reviewed from galleys   R Gr. 4-6
When his elderly grandfather is released from prison and comes to live with Nicho-
las and his mother, Nicholas is intrigued by the man’s stories of hidden heirlooms
and mysterious maps. Though his mother dismisses these claims, Nicholas feels
compelled to seek out the truth—and, hopefully, much needed fortune. It’s a race
against time, as their house is up for sale (Nicholas’ dad is already in Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula trying to find work), and, with it, the backyard tree planted to
commemorate his stillborn younger brother. Nicholas’ conversations with this tree
provide some of the most beautiful moments of this novel. Baker paints a poignant
picture of a sad, lonely boy, isolated from his peers due to his constantly associat-
ing his surroundings with numbers and music, and isolated from his parents due
to strains of life and circumstance. Though the use of italicized subscript musical
terms to describe vocal quality can be distracting, Nicholas’ melodic yet melancholic
narration beautifully captures pain and sadness and hope. Ultimately, the writing
here is as sophisticated as Nicholas’ way of thinking; this is a book of insight and
treasures for those tweens with spirits old enough to discover them. AA