Birdgirl

December 5, 2022
“Birdwatching... is a thread running through the pattern of my life, so tightly woven that there’s no way of pulling it free and leaving the rest of my life intact” writes Craig in her dynamic debut. Born to a British father and Bangladeshi mother, Craig grew up in a family of fervent birdwatchers (or “twitchers”) for whom the activity wasn’t a hobby, but a means of survival. She recounts her family using travel to cope with her bipolar mother’s intensifying mood swings and troubling thoughts, sharing how they came together to search for birds in exotic destinations and traversed all seven continents before the author turned 15. As well, Craig touches on her 2016 founding of the charity Black2Nature, a platform to help give "visible minority ethnic" people better access to the outdoors (“To have a real shot at saving our world, we must involve every ethnicity as a matter of urgency”), sprinkles in background on endangered species and conservation efforts to save them, and offers something of a bird-watching 101 that covers techniques and explains the field’s jargon. This will inspire nature-minded readers.

September 1, 2023

Ornithologist, environmentalist, and diversity activist Craig offers a memoir that traces her childhood and her pursuit of rare birds, known as "twitching" in British parlance. Born to a British father and a Bangladeshi Muslim mother, Craig was initiated by her family into birding from an early age; together they traveled internationally, with her first big birding trip at the age of six. Craig's birding forays took her to wild areas around the world, where the devastating effects of development and climate change wreaked havoc on most animal species, including birds. Craig's journey into climate activism is a natural outcome of all that she has seen and done. In addition to detailing her development as an environmentalist and birder, Craig candidly discusses her mother's diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which impacted their trips but also helped them grow as a family. Craig narrates her own work, transmitting her enthusiasm and knowledge in her engaging British-Bangladeshi accent. VERDICT Craig's infectious passion for birding, racial equity, and environmental activism are conveyed with joy and sensitivity. An exuberant memoir that is recommended for all collections.--Gretchen Pruett

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