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I am very happy with the way this rather spontaneous project turned out. And juding by the speed at which the books are selling, so are you apparently. I am always nervous to read the first book reviews, but so far so good. However, what really made the last year’s work worth it, is receiving letters like this one.

These are the reviews I care about.

The book was written for kids after all, so kids should review it. If you have a copy of Faansie’s Bird Book / Faansie se Voelboëk, won’t you send me your thoughts? I would really appreciate it! You can draw a picture, write something or tell me a story. I would love to share it on this website.

Or better yet, why don’t you send me a Whatsapp Voicenote? I am on 084 515 1207. Can’t wait to hear from you!

“Had a chance to absorb Faansie Peacock’s new book last night and today….and I think with the passing of time, this will be seen as a ground-breaking and very influential piece of work/product in the birding information sphere. This is an absolutely superb piece of work in so many ways…..I am sure it will inspire new generations of birders to take on the amazing and uplifting pastime that is birding. At the same time it has taken a genre (the field-guide) and ‘re-invented” it as something simple, non-technical and fun. This is a kids book – and will appeal to the child in all of us – I found myself learning new stuff from this book (and I’ve already got 672 bird books!). Chatting to Justin – we agreed that this is a fantastic resource for overseas birders who need something easy to use to get a grips on our amazing birds. It could just as easily be called the “Idiot’s guide” or “SA Birds for Dummies”..(remember there is an idiot lurking every one of us!!) …I urge every birder, new, medium or tired to get a copy, and to buy copies for all your nieces, nephews, children, partners, ooms, tannies and grand-parents. To Faansie and Ronel – hats off to you for having the courage to embark on this amazing project!!”

-Etienne Marais, Indicator Birding

“I feel that my opinion on this field guide will be echoed by many other birders out there, but I do believe it is safe to say that Faansie’s Bird Book is undoubtedly the worlds best, most professional, kid friendly field guide for any one regions birds, to have ever hit the shelves. Not only is this field guide a great book for kids but it is also a fantastic starting point for beginner birders (regardless of their age) and is also a great reference for even the most seasoned among us. It does what a lot of today’s conventional field guides don’t, and that’s highlight whats most important in a manner which gets the point across quickly and efficiently without burying it under piles of unnecessary, often daunting taxonomic terminology. The guide is a fun and simple approach to birds and birding in the country and is a guide not only to the birds but also to parents looking at instilling in their little ones a love for all things birds, birding and biodiversity. It is a stellar piece of work and will no doubt inspire many fledgling ornithologists as Faansie Peacock assumes a role of both inspiration and role model to countless young birders through his enthusiastic approach to the lifestyle as a whole and his flawless, revolutionary additions to the regions array of avian oriented publications.

-John Kinghorn, Untamed Birding

[Read the whole review here]

Our copy is sitting prominently on our dining room table and waiting to be read in the next few days (it is made out to the “Anderson family” as, who knows, maybe we will have grandchildren one day!). Buy a copy for budding young birders and introduce them to the hobby that so many of us are passionate about. We led two birding walks at Kedar in the North West this past weekend. There were a few experienced birders, but the majority were beginner birders. I took “Faansie’s Bird Book: along and pointed to the illustrations in the book for each species we saw. The birders were very impressed with the book. I’d recommend that all children (and perhaps beginner birdwatchers) be given a copy of this excellent book this Christmas. The book will, I believe, do wonders for birding in our country (and ultimately for BirdLife South Africa and bird conservation)! Very well done Faansie!”

-Mark Anderson, BirdLife South Africa