In the spirit of Mark Teague’s Fly, Baby Bird learns to overcome his fear of leaving the nest in this sweet and encouraging picture book.

Mama Bird says it’s time to fly! Baby Bird thinks not. Nest is best…or is it? With the help of his mama, Baby Bird discovers the amazing things that can happen if he finds the courage to spread his wings and fly.

About The Author

Photograph (c) Kevin Nance

George Ella Lyon

George Ella Lyon is the author of Trucks Roll!, Planes Fly!, and Boats Float!, cowritten with her son Benn. Among George Ella’s other books are the ALA Notable All the Water in the World, What Forest Knows, and Time to Fly. A former Kentucky Poet Laureate, she lives with her family in Lexington, Kentucky. Visit her online at GeorgeEllaLyon.com.

About The Illustrator

Stephanie Fizer Coleman

Stephanie Fizer Coleman is an illustrator with a penchant for playful color and rich texture. She is the illustrator of many books, including Five Flying Penguins, Bird Count, and Time to Fly. Stephanie grew up in a rural area, so it’s no surprise that furry and feathered creatures are her favorite subjects to draw. When she’s not drawing, Steph can be found sipping tea and reading books. She lives in West Virginia with her husband and two dogs. Learn more at StephanieFizerColeman.com.

Why We Love It

“As a shy kid, I hated when my mom would sign me up for clubs and activities. Why couldn’t I just stay in my warm, cozy room and read all day? I was a lot like the baby bird in Time to Fly in this way—totally fine to stay within my little comfort zone. Luckily, both baby bird and I have mothers who are wiser than us, knowing when to push and encourage, and when to let us soar on our own. Time to Fly represents this dynamic tenderly and beautifully.”

—Alex B., Editor, on Time to Fly

Product Details

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (July 26, 2022)
Length: 32 pages
ISBN13: 9781534474116
Ages: 4 - 8
Lexile ® AD370L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Raves and Reviews

"Capturing both the lyrical quality of Lyon’s rhymed colloquy and a sense of how scary the wide world looks to the little bird, Coleman offers spare, delicately detailed views of an adult robin and her mottled offspring . . . A sensitive, loving variation on a perennial picture-book theme."

– Kirkus Reviews

"A fresh breeze blows through this familiar story of nurture and independence, thanks to Lyon’s emphatic metered verse, which offers structure to the avian ordeal, and Fizer Coleman’s digital art, whose varied cinematic framing evokes layered textures of printmaking and watercolor."

– Publishers Weekly