Feathers: Not Just for Flying

Author: Melissa Stewart

Illustrator: Sarah S. Brannen 

Genre: Non-fiction

Grade level: K-4

In this book we discover the beauty and multipurpose functions that bird feathers possess. There are 16 varieties of birds and their feathers that this book talks about and examines closely. A blue jay's feathers act as a warm blanket. A willow ptarmigan grow long feathers to cover their toes so they can run through the snow. Mute swans use their  feathers to stay afloat like a life jacket and much more. 

This book can be used in the classroom to inform students about birds. These are interesting facts that many people are unaware of. When learning about animals we can learn how they can have different functions. 

The illustrations are beautiful watercolored illustrations. They look as if they are in a scrapbooking fashion. There are sidebars that include interesting facts about each. There are pictures of the bird as well as a picture of the feather life sized.