The Nest That Wren Built

Nature lovers and poetry fans alike will be drawn to this lyrical picture book depicting how Carolina wrens build a nest for their young.

This is the bark, snippets of twine,
spidery rootlets, and needles of pine
that shape the nest that Wren built.

In the rhyming style of “The House That Jack Built,” this poem about the care and specificity that Carolina wrens put into building a nest is at once tender and true to life. Papa and Mama Wren gather treasures of the forest, from soft moss for a lining to snakeskin for warding off predators. Randi Sonenshine’s lilting stanzas, woven with accurate and unexpected details about Carolina wrens, and Anne Hunter’s gentle, inviting illustrations reveal the mysterious lives of these birds and impart an appreciation for the wonder of the life cycles around us. Back matter includes a glossary and additional interesting facts about wrens.

Randi Sonenshine is a middle-school literacy coach and writer. This is her first picture book. She lives in northwest Georgia with her family.

Anne Hunter has written and illustrated many picture books, including Possum and the Summer Storm, Cricket Song, and Possum’s Harvest Moon. Originally from South Florida, she now lives in Vermont with her family.