Bowerbird Brood by Aura Parker

In the first book - Bowerbird Blues - the pair of bowerbirds find each other. Time has now moved on and there are three eggs in the nest and the female is charged with all the work - keeping the eggs safe and warm over the long days and night until they hatch. Then when the three little chicks arrive we watch them grow and change all expressed in the most delightful language.

"When the wind blows, my wings are walls, sheltering, keeping. Cuddling, caring. Softly, slowly stroking, gently with my feathers. Whispering, over and over, little ones you are safe and warm and loved."

Special mention with this book goes to the magnificent end papers and the soft colour palette used throughout the book. This is such a visually appealing book with illustrations to linger over and revisit. 

Before or even after reading Bowerbird Brood with your library group, class or young reading companion it would be good to look at some photographs of male and female bowerbirds. As with many bird species - the female bowerbird has very different plumage to her male companion. I also recommend you dip into my previous post about bowerbirds. 

The female bowerbird has sole responsibility for raising the chicks. The female builds a shallow cup-shaped nest from sticks and twigs, in a bush or tree. She lays 1-3 eggs of pale brown with darker markings, which she will incubate for about 3 weeks. The chicks leave the nest when they are 17-21 days old and are dependent for food on their mother for several more weeks.

Here is a description of the art process in Bowerbird Brood by Aura Parker:

The illustrations created for this book are a mixture of digital and traditional watercolour, with some elements painted by hand on smooth watercolour paper and others with a Photoshop brush. 

You can see inside this book here. 

This is the companion volume to Bowerbird Blues.