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A little girl discovers a varied community of animals participating in interesting adventures in her backyard. First, she observes a mother rabbit giving birth to two babies and shows this to her brother Michael while he is mowing the lawn. He moves the babies out of harm’s way while he finishes the yard work. Next, the girl observes a father blue-jay feeding his baby worms while the mother keeps the baby warm, after which the baby flies free. The girl then finds a skunk and compares his size with that of a dog. She is excited to see the skunk again in the future. Finally, while lovebirds splash and whistle, she imagines that they are singing for everyone to wake up and have a good day.
This upbeat book provides delight and laughs for children. The author creatively takes the reader on the journey through an imaginative little girl’s backyard. She allows the reader to ponder the nurturing activities of mother and father in the blue-jay story, the beginning of life with the baby rabbits’ births, and the possibilities of love in the lovebird tale. The happy and playful relationship between the little girl and her brother Michael is apparent as she shares her observations of the rabbits and robin with him and also when they share lemonade. Respect and care for animals are apparent in the actions of Michael and the little girl. A child reading this story will likely want to observe nature, discover another world of life happening in his or her own backyard, and practice respect for animals.