Ten Birds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ten Birds

Ten Birds Front Cover. Illustrated by Cybèle Young
Editor	Tara Walker
Author	Cybèle Young
Illustrator	Cybèle Young
Country	Canada
Language	English
Genre	Children's picture book
Publisher	Kids Can Press Ltd.
Publication date	2011
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
Pages	30
ISBN	978-1-55453-568-2

Ten Birds is a wonderful picture book created by Cybèle Young in 2011. This children's fable tells the story of ten clever birds. They are all trying to figure out how to cross a wide river. Each bird uses numbers and smart ideas to get to the other side, one by one. The book helps younger kids learn to count. It also teaches everyone the importance of thinking carefully to solve problems. Cybèle's book even won a special award, the 2011 Governor General's Awards. The pictures in the book are drawn with pen and ink. This makes them very detailed and beautiful, even though they are black and white.

The Story of Ten Birds

At the start of the story, ten birds are stuck on one side of a river. They need to find a way to cross to the other bank. One by one, each bird comes up with a unique plan. They use different materials and ideas to make their way across.

The first bird is called "Brilliant." It builds some slits and crosses the river. The next bird is named "Quite Advanced." This bird designs a special underwater paddle to reach the other side. As the story continues, each bird finds its own clever way to cross. They all have different, interesting names.

The very last bird to cross the river is called "Needs Improvement." Everyone expects this bird to struggle. But "Needs Improvement" comes up with the simplest plan of all. It just walks across a bridge to the other side! This simple solution surprises all the other birds.

Meet the Birds!

Here are the names of the birds in the story:

• Brilliant
• Quite Advanced
• Magnificent
• Shows Great Promise
• Extraordinary
• Outstanding
• Highly Satisfactory
• Exceptional
• Remarkable
• Needs Improvement

What Can You Learn?

This book is great for teaching kids many things. It helps them practice counting from 0 to 10 as the birds cross the river. It also encourages children to think critically. This means using common sense to solve problems.

Another important lesson is that first impressions can be wrong. The book shows that the best way to solve a problem is often the easiest one. The story is like a fable, which means it teaches a moral lesson. It invites readers to laugh, discover, and be surprised.

Other Languages

The children's book Ten Birds is also available in French. The French version of the book is called Dix oiseaux.

The Amazing Pictures

The pictures in Ten Birds are very special. They are drawn with black, fine lines using pen and ink. The background is a soft, ivory color. Since there is no color, the detailed lines show all the feelings and tell the story. This is a very clever way to draw!

The story seems to take place at the edge of the world. The curved landscape and stars reflecting on the water make it feel magical. It's a world that feels both faraway and familiar at the same time.

About the Author: Cybèle Young

Cybèle Young is a talented artist known around the world. Her artwork has been shown in galleries in big cities. These include New York City, London, Vancouver, and Calgary.

She went to the Ontario College of Art and Design. There, she studied how to make sculptures and prints. Since finishing school, she has won more than twenty art awards. Her work has been featured in many magazines around the world. These include Art in America, Canadian Art magazine, and Maclean's.

Cybèle's own art and her family life have inspired her to create children's books. She lives with her husband and two children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Who Published the Book?

Kids Can Press published Ten Birds in 2011. This publishing company was started in 1973. Its main office is in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Kids Can Press gets financial help from different groups. This support helps them publish many great books for kids. Some of these groups include the Government of Ontario and the Canada Council for the Arts.

More Books by Cybèle Young