Why Do I Sing? - by Jennifer Blomgren (Hardcover)

About the Book

Illustrations and rhyming text explore the many voices in nature, from the call of a spotted owl above treetops at night, to the buzzing of honeybees in summer, to the songs of fin whales in the ocean.

Book Synopsis

Animals sing for all kinds of reasons and make all kinds of sounds in the process. The spotted owl sings at night, high above the treetops. A honeybee's buzzing is the sound of summer. And the low voices of fin whales broadcast in the blue Pacific Ocean. In a rhythmic cadence, this richly illustrated celebration of animal calls and noises surveys the region from summit to field to ocean to backyard. The world is alive with song! Why Do I Sing? possesses a beautiful cadence for reading aloud, as it invites us to consider all of the voices in nature.

Review Quotes

Humans aren't the only creatures with the urge to sing. Blomgren describes the wild songs of marmots, fin whales, meadowlarks, loons and others, imagining what might compel them. Of the starfish, she writes delicately: "They just might be singing a song we can't know. / We don't see or hear the world the same way / As so many living things near us each day." Gabriel's big, rough-textured watercolors give a good sense of the particular beauty of the region.
The New York Times

...the lovely scenes and animal portraits will be much enjoyed by those young children who like to talk their way through picture books. Gabriel's luscious pastel work on heavily textured paper will surely invite touching and some lingering viewing.
School Library Journal

Gabriel's handsome, atmospheric watercolor paintings on textured paper capture scenic panoramas or zoom in to render animals larger than life, from honeybee to meadowlark.
Kirkus Reviews

Celebrate the sounds of Pacific Northwest animals, from howling wolves to buzzing honeybees. With lively lyrics and delightful illustrations, this rhythmic family read-aloud book explains calls of the wild through poetic verse.
Alaska Airlines Magazine

The question, "Why do I sing?" is answered in short four-line rhymes by 15 resident species of the Pacific Northwest. Cheery two-page illustrations of the creatures accompany each joyful celebration of the call of the wild... Easily shared in read-aloud rhyme and informative watercolor illustrations..."
Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children's Books

If you've ever hiked or camped in the Northwest, chances are you've heard owls hooting, marmots whistling or maybe even wolves howling. This book, written from each animal's perspective, is a combination of rhythmic verse and beautiful illustrations that will captivate you as well as your kiddos as you learn what gives animals their voice. Author and illustrator team Jennifer Blomgren and Andrea Gabriel, both Washingtonians, come together to bring you a book that will delight and entertain your whole brood.
Red Tricycle

Why Do I Sing? Animal Songs of the Pacific Northwest has amazing illustrations with stories that take you through the sounds of the Pacific Northwest. From the Meadowlark, to the Spotted Owl and the Whistling Swan. This book is beautifully written. ...It is a great book to sit and read together as a family.
Local Haven

Animal songs - so unique, so poignant, and so mysterious. In this beautifully-illustrated book, author Jennifer Blomgren explains the voices of animals and birds through human cadence of poetry. Excellent read-aloud book from birth on up.
AK on the GO

Author Jennifer Blomgren and illustrator Andrea Gabriel, who previously collaborated for Where Do I Sleep? A Pacific Northwest Lullaby and Where Would I Be in an Evergreen Tree?, bring to the world of children's nature books a third title that is just as warm, fun, and visually appealing.
Portland Book Review

The pictures in this book are lovely, and the text that goes along with it is simple, but still manages to teach about the animals and their habitats.
Growing My Kids Reviews

The painterly illustrations and rhyming prose make it a visual delight for children...
The Herald

With rhyming verse and beautiful paintings, the book celebrates the Northwest's noisy natural inhabitants, from the "long, low voices" of fin whales to the bugles of a Roosevelt bull elk.
The Seattle Times

Narrated in verse, this captivating picture book for children three years of age and older introduces a number of creatures that buzz, chirp, howl and hoot. ...This volume offers a fun way to explore some of the animals of the Pacific Northwest. Its watercolors by Andrea Gabriel are big and bold, thus complementing the rhymed and informative narrative that Port Townsend, Washington, resident Jennifer Blomgren provides.
BookLoons

Why Do I Sing? Animal Songs of the Pacific Northwest is a beautiful introduction to many of the amazing animals that live in the Pacific Northwest. ...The stunning illustrations are captivating and the story flows as the words are read rhythmically. This lovely story is a wonderful way to teach children about the wonders of the natural world and the critters that live in their backyards.
In the Know Mom

About the Author

Jennifer Blomgren authored the highly acclaimed Where Do I Sleep?: A Pacific Northwest Lullaby. She is a professional greeting card illustrator in Port Townsend, Washington.

Andrea Gabriel is a painter and book illustrator who has created works of natural history subjects primarily for children's books. She is the author and illustrator of My Favorite Bear.