My grandma had me like this when I was ten. We used to sit at her kitchen table and look them up as they flew in. I knew that thing front to back. Used to sit over there all the time looking through the pictures. She died some years ago, but I still have that old green copy of Audubon Guide to Eastern Birds. Made sure to ask for it when she died. It no longer reeks like cigarettes, but it’s all browned and brittle.

My daughter (5) loves birds now too, and we used to consult my grandma’s guide together. However, we now live in Western Canada and I was worried about the longevity of such a fragile relic, so I purchased the Western edition. Nearly identical, but red. Now my daughter runs to grab that whenever we see a new bird at the feeder.