Book Review of Anyone Else Awake?: A Dawn Chorus
The Children’s Book Review
Anyone Else Awake?: A Dawn Chorus
Written by Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Illustrated by Bonnie Kelso
Ages: 4+ | 32 Pages
Publisher: Muddy Boots (2025) | ISBN: 9781493090570
What to Expect: Dawn Chorus, Songbirds, Backyard Birds, Nature Observation, and Early Morning.
Anyone Else Awake?: A Dawn Chorus provides a lyrical introduction to the dawn chorus of eleven common songbirds, each with its own distinctive voice and personality.
A young child with long hair awakens in the pre-dawn darkness of astronomical twilight, along with the musical sound of a warbling robin. As the morning gradually brightens, so does the sequential awakening of backyard birds. Each species announces itself with characteristic sounds and behaviors as pages turn toward a high-stakes moment when a bird of prey introduces discord to the symphony. From the earliest risers through the full chorus of daylight, parents have now awakened too, stepping outside with their pajama-clad children ready to join the chorus, bringing the story to a sweet, gentle close.
Coyle’s language is wonderfully suited for reading aloud, with rhythmic text mirroring the cadence of actual bird calls. She skillfully assigns personality traits to each species that feel both accurate and endearing, making the birds memorable characters rather than simple subjects: “Is anyone else awake-wake-wake? / I am . . . I am. / Me-too-too . . . hee-hee-hee-hee.” The writing invites participation, and bird-loving adults will find themselves naturally adding the actual calls as they read. The substantial back matter offers bird “chatter” that speaks directly to young readers about care and observation, plus fascinating details about the three phases of dawn.
Kelso’s mixed-media illustrations—that appear to be a mixture of watercolor and digital techniques—situate each bird authentically in its habitat and capture both the delicate beauty of individual species and the broader environment of a waking neighborhood—helping young readers connect the birds in the book to those they might encounter in their own backyards.
Perfect for budding naturalists, early risers, and families ready to slow down and truly listen to the world around them.
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About the Author
Carmela LaVigna Coyle is an award-winning author of over a dozen picture and board books. Her popular Do Princesses… series is a favorite among the not-your-ordinary-princess crowd. Carmela has worked with a variety of stellar illustrators, including Mike Gordon, Kevin Rechin, Steve Grey, Bruce McPherson, and Carly Allen-Fletcher. She has a degree in Education and Art, but insists her real education comes from long walks in nature and motherhood. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her family and lively shi-poo dog.
About the Illustrator
Bonnie Kelso studied Fine Art at the Rhode Island School of Design. She worked for many years as an exhibit designer, where she had the pleasure of contributing to projects for NASA, National Geographic, and the Smithsonian Institution. Bonnie is the 2021 winner of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Karen Cushman Late Bloomers Award for her historical chapter book, Johnny Bell Baker and the Coal Mine. Her most recent book is Quail Trail, published by Muddy Boots. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.
