Dee Dee the Chickadee™
Meet Dee Dee and her backyard friends
A tiny, brave black-capped chickadee and seven real backyard birds — every one the correct species, named the way a field guide names them.
“Chickadee-dee-dee, come follow me!”
Meet the birds
Seven friends from Book 1 — each with a real fact a four-year-old can repeat at the feeder.
Did you know? A robin can hear worms moving underground and pinpoint exactly where they are.
Did you know? Both Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal sing — unlike most songbirds, where only the males do.
Did you know? A blue jay can imitate other birds, even hawks, to scare rivals away from the feeder.
Did you know? Goldfinches are strict vegetarians — they eat only seeds, never bugs.
Did you know? The hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backward.
Did you know? His tongue stretches three times longer than his beak — and wraps around the inside of his skull when not in use.
Did you know? A dove drinks by sucking water up like a straw, while most birds scoop and tilt their heads back.
Did you know? A chickadee can remember hundreds of hiding places where it stored seeds for winter.
The books
Read the story, then color the birds.
Dee Dee’s Backyard Bird Adventure
The read-aloud picture book. Seven friends, one refrain, and a “Did You Know?” on every bird.
Every bird is the correct species, drawn and named the way a field guide names them — so what your child learns at bedtime is what lands on the feeder in the morning.
Short sentences and big art for reading aloud in a lap or a classroom circle, with a refrain they will shout back at you by the third page.
Paperback · 46 pages · ages 4–8 · Miners Castle PressISBN 979-8244525724
Backyard Bird Adventure Activity Book
Eighteen coloring pages, word searches, a maze and a crossword, plus matching and counting games and real bird facts throughout. Ages 4–8.
Paperback · 109 pages · 8.5×11 in · Miners Castle PressISBN 979-8173555045
Thanks — we’ll email the moment it’s live.
From early readers
“A very delightful book — I can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren. Each page is clear and easy to follow, friendly for young and experienced readers. Such a fun, engaging way to learn about the birds in our world, and it leaves the reader eager to head outside to discover each one.”
“Love this book! Not only informative and entertaining, it has beautiful pictures that kids love. I highly recommend it!”
A look inside
The Chickadee Club™
Meet a new bird every month. Kids learn to spot it, name it, and know where it lives — without noticing they’re learning. A flat envelope addressed to your child. Makes a great gift!
- A 12-page story, with a “Did You Know?” fact they’ll repeat at dinner
- Two collectible bird cards — a numbered series card and a “Wild Flock” mystery card — with real field marks, songs, and habits on the back
- Dee Dee’s Backyard Map: a fold-out poster with a new bird sticker every month, placed where that bird lives
- Coloring and activity pages featuring the month’s bird
- A backyard craft to make together, like a pinecone or milk-jug bird feeder
- Backyard surprises: birdseed, wildflower seeds and stickers
- The first envelope also brings the map poster itself, the card wallet, and a letter from Dee Dee with your child’s name
Sign-ups open soon. Email us and we’ll tell you the day they do.
- Your first envelope brings that month's bird, plus Dee Dee's Backyard Map poster, a card wallet and a letter from Dee Dee. There is nothing extra to pay.
- Your first envelope mails on or around January 1, 2027. Join by the 15th of a month and envelopes start the next month; join after the 15th and they start the month after that.
- Monthly: $22 per month. Your first $22 is charged today and covers your first envelope. After that, $22 on the 15th of each month, starting January 15, 2027, pays for the envelope that mails the next month. Cancel before the 15th and you won’t be charged for the next envelope. An envelope you’ve already paid for still mails.
- 6 Months: one payment today. It never renews.
- 12 Months: one payment today. If you tick “Renew automatically each year,” it renews at $229 per year, charged on the 15th of your 12th month, two weeks before your 13th envelope. We’ll email you a reminder before it does.
- Every member gets the same new bird each month, so your child starts with the bird of their first month. Each January brings a new map for the year’s birds.
Dee Dee’s Wetland Adventure
Book 2 takes Dee Dee to the cattails, where a great blue heron is waiting. More adventures coming.
Why this series
Real ornithology
Every bird in Dee Dee’s world is drawn and described accurately, so what they learn from Dee Dee is what they’ll see out the window.
A refrain they’ll shout
“Chickadee-dee-dee, come follow me!” returns on every page — the repetition that makes a new reader brave.
Ages 4–8
Short sentences, big art, facts worth stopping on. Read-aloud in a lap or a classroom circle; read-alone soon after.
Meet Diana Lewis
For Diana Lewis, a love of nature is a family heirloom. Growing up in Northern Michigan, she spent countless hours walking through the woods with her great-grandmother, learning to watch and listen for birds. Today, she passes that same sense of wonder on to her grandchildren—and to young readers everywhere.
Dee Dee’s Backyard Bird Adventure brings the magic of those quiet moments to life. Drawing from years of observing her own backyard visitors, Diana turns familiar feathered friends like chickadees, robins, and cardinals into engaging characters. Her goal? To invite children to step outside and explore the natural world right outside their windows.
Diana lives in Michigan with her family, where she always keeps a close eye on the birdfeeder.
