WHO NESTS HERE?

A mind-expanding read for those who think that only birds build nests.

“Twigs in branches, / Bumpy swell, / Leafy perch in which to dwell. / Who nests in trees?” The answer may seem obvious, but in fact there’s not a bird to be seen in Kaulitzki’s misty woodlands or the rest of the peaceful natural habitats that follow. Instead, in her simple interrogatory rhymes, Jameson offers two dozen alternative answers to the titular question—from squirrels, gall wasps, and orangutans and other apes that shelter in trees to rock dwellers like snow leopards and octopuses and other creatures that build safe homes in mud, sand, water, snow, and soil. The artist adds extra appeal to the wild animals she depicts, even the termites and the king cobra, by giving most of them human eyes and posing many with cubs, kits, or other young. Plainly aware that her revelations can’t help but arouse curiosity in readers, the author adds digestible tidbits of scientific information about each entry at the end before closing with guidelines for young observers and nature lovers: “Leave rocks, shells, pine cones, and other natural elements as they are. They may be someone’s home.”

A cozy selection to share with curled-up human nestlings.