More Nerds and More Birds, a guest post by Jennifer Ann Richter

Are nerds having a moment? You might say that. Geeky and awkward characters have certainly made their marks on popular TV series. And just this summer, a self-described “nerdy pommel horse specialist” swung into our hearts at the Paris Olympics, even parlaying that fame into a spot on Dancing with the Stars. Dorkiness, it seems, has become the new cool.
Okay, maybe there’s a wee bit of wishful thinking going on.
Because let’s be honest: while some might wear their “nerd” or “geek” labels with defiant pride, most of us—and I suspect the vast majority of kids—would still rather be counted among the cool and popular. Or if that’s not fully attainable, we at least hide our nerdy parts so they don’t stand out.
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Yes, I said nerdy parts. We all have them. Maybe it’s that secret love of polka dancing. Or the stamp collection locked away in a desk drawer. Perhaps it’s that peppy Barry Manilow tune you love to listen to while working out. (Yes, “Copacabana” is my jam—don’t judge me!)
And then there’s birdwatching, the ultimate nerdy hobby. Ever seen a birder portrayed on TV or in the movies? Chances are they had on a safari hat, knee-high socks, and were obsessed with finding the elusive Yellow-butted Floopie.
But guess what? While the coolness of nerdiness is debatable, birding is definitely having a moment! This one’s even borne out in numbers: A third of the U.S. population now engages in birding-related activities, and the use of birding sites and apps like eBird and Merlin is growing by leaps and bounds.
So what I would like to do, and what I hope my middle grade novel Bird Nerd accomplishes, is to keep the momentum going.
More nerds and more birds!
Enter Nyla Braun, the protagonist. She knows a little about everything—from tree identification to cloud formations—and is eager to share that knowledge with her peers. She’s often the first to raise her hand in class, which earned her the moniker “Encyclopedia Braun.” She’s also a little on the nerdy side.
Like Nyla, I was a bit awkward as a kid, although my awkwardness stemmed more from shyness and a general fear of people rather than an eagerness to share facts. As for uncool interests, I loved looking at planets through my telescope—something kids in my neck of the woods didn’t do. (At least none that I knew of.) I also had a coin collection and a stamp collection. My favorite boxed game was Consulting Detective, which fortunately had a one-player option since my friends thought it was a snoozefest.

But what about birding?
Well, unlike Nyla, I didn’t become a birder until well into adulthood. My husband and I were house-hunting in Florida, and the elderly man who was showing us his home told us a blue jay would come to the back door to eat peanuts out of his hand. He wanted us to keep up the tradition.
We bought the house and did feed the blue jay, but not out of our hands. I tried once and freaked out. Instead, I set the nuts on the railing.
From then on, it was all about the excitement of seeing new kinds of birds, mainly on our birding walks. “Lifers” are what birders call the birds that they spot for the first time. My earliest thrills were finding my first tufted titmouse and pileated woodpecker. The first spoonbill encounter amazed me (and also made me laugh). Many years later, my goal was to find a rose-breasted grosbeak, which didn’t happen until 2020.
There’s just something about those first-time encounters—from the flash of unexpected color to a new song filling the air—that keeps me in the birding game.

So yes, I definitely tapped into my own nerdy childhood and my own birding experiences for Bird Nerd. But I also asked questions. For instance, how would my childhood have changed if I had been a birder? What would neighbors and friends have thought of my weird new hobby? Would I have had the courage to lead my classmates in a birding tournament?
And speaking of those classmates, would they have been excited about the tournament or would they have called the whole thing stupid? That was the big question that nagged me, because as much as kids feel pressure to do bad stuff, they can also feel pressure to forgo positive, healthy, and enriching things for fear of being called a nerd.
Believe me. I’ve seen that in action.
On the other hand, there is a thing called positive peer pressure, and it can encourage kids (and adults) to make better choices. Since often it’s these positive habits and interests that are viewed as nerdy, how cool would it be if popular kids and other influencers not only engaged in them, but did so loudly?
Lastly, another of my Bird Nerd aims had to do with breaking barriers—and not just those between the nerdy and the cool. I made the birding tournament between city kids and suburban kids to show that birding is something everyone can enjoy, regardless of where you live and regardless of your race or income level. My hope is that any kid anywhere would be moved to stop and admire the bird that just landed on a branch—or street sign or utility wire—and that the bird will not only delight them but spark a curiosity and questions about creation and the natural world.
And then if we all grow to appreciate the birds, maybe we can learn to appreciate one another. After all, to the birds we’re all just humans, and their opinions of us are purely based on how we treat them (a bit of Nyla wisdom there).
Wouldn’t it be great if we saw each other that way?
Meet the author

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Jennifer Ann Richter is a former diplomat, teacher, investment representative, editorial assistant, voice captioner, and audio description writer for TV (with a few odd jobs in between). Somehow she managed to focus long enough to get serious about her writing—a love that had always been simmering in the background. Her big break came after novel attempt number four.
Jennifer’s interests are as varied as her employment history, and they often find their way into her poetry, short stories, and novels. Her debut novel, Bird Nerd, was inspired by the birding hobby she picked up as an adult. Astronomy, space travel, and her experiences living and working in Germany have also featured prominently in her writing.
Check out jenniferannrichter.com for more, including Jennifer’s Bird of the Month.
About Bird Nerd
Nyla Braun has always been called a nerd at her Philadelphia school. But that hasn’t stopped her from pursuing her nerdy hobbies, especially when she has best friend Tasha by her side. When a birding tournament between Nyla’s class and a class from a suburban school is announced, Nyla sees her chance to get the respect she deserves. If they win, that is. The Burb Birders will be tough competition.
With the contest underway, Nyla soon catches the attention of the most popular girl in class, who also wants to win, setting off a chain of small disasters as Nyla tries to balance old friends and new and the pressure to be cool when you really just want to be yourself.
Told with warmth and gentle humor, debut author Jennifer Ann Richter’s Bird Nerd combines a deep love of nature and birding with the story of a young girl learning to discover her own confidence and values.
ISBN-13: 9780823456567
Publisher: Holiday House
Publication date: 10/22/2024
Age Range: 8 – 12 Years
Reviews
“A stellar study of friendship and self-acceptance sure to make an avian enthusiast out of anyone.”
–Booklist
“In her debut, Richter skillfully addresses mild tensions. . . and shows how common interests can unite people. With clear, descriptive writing, a tight storyline, and plenty of bird-related information, readers may feel inspired to explore birding, too.”
–Kirkus Reviews
Filed under: Guest Post

About Amanda MacGregor
Amanda MacGregor works in an elementary library, loves dogs, and can be found on Twitter @CiteSomething.
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