Let’s Explore Pigeons
Siski Kalla
Catch a Leaf Publishing

This is one of the Urban Wildlife Explorers series that also includes hedgehogs, snails, ducks and moths.

I was having a coffee in Waterstones cafe last week when a pigeon strolled into the store. Perhaps he was looking to see if a copy of this book was yet on display. Feral pigeons are an ever present bird in our town and cities and an animal which most children will encounter.

Those who wish to learn about his bird will discover plenty of information between the covers of Siski Kalla’s book. There has long been an association between humans and pigeons; they were kept for food – for their eggs and flesh; their homing skills employed to carry messages right up to World War 2 and crates of racing pigeons were a familiar sight not long ago. Did you know the late Queen Elizabeth was a fan of pigeon racing and had her own loft?

Though despised by some as pests, they really are a noble bird, a symbol of peace and the subject of a famous painting by Picasso of a peace dove. Ronni the urban rat tells readers all about these things and much more about what fascinating creatures pigeons are in a chatty, child-friendly manner. Complementing this are gently humorous water colour illustrations.
The book concludes with a spread showing how to make a paper pigeon decoration and there’s information about what to do if you find an injured pigeon.

A book to add to KS1 class collections.