​ Maria Birmingham
Children's Book Author/Writer/Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @mkbirmingham
Specializing in content for kids
Coming March 2025
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Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award, Shortlist, 2024
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Battle of the Books selctions, Concordia Internatioal School Shanghai, 2024
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“The strength of this title is its broad coverage which shows that fun is for people of all ages and is universal across cultures. Students will find this book informative and entertaining, too! Recommended.” ― School Library Connection
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Coming April 2025
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TLA 2025 Texas Topaz Reading List
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Silver Birch Express nominee, 2025
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Saskatchewan Shining Willow Award finalist, 2024
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IODE Jean Throop Book Awarrd, 2023
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Science Writers and Communicators of Canada Book Award, Longlisted, 2023
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​"A mind-expanding gallery of seemingly different wild creatures that share similar features or behaviors ... Will definitely leave an impression on budding naturalists." Kirkus Reviews
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Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, 2023
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Science Writers and Communicators of Canada Book Award, Longlisted, 2023
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TD Summer Reading Club Recommended Reads, 2025
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“What elevates this beyond encyclopedia fare are references to current events and instances where readers are invited to imagine themselves in problem-solving, relatable scenarios... A great resource for report writers that offers a perfect segue from the picture books treasured by the vehicle obsessed.” ―Booklist
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2024 Skipping Stones Honor Award
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CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, Fall 2024, Starred Review
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Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Aard, Shortlisted, 2024​
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Red Cedar Book Award nominee, 2023
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TD Summer Reading Club Recommended Reads, 2025
"This humorous and informative book shows readers the role poop takes in the natural world."
— Star Review CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, Fall 2024
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2022 Silver Birch Express Award, Nominee​
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Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Fall 2021
"The text's tone is lighthearted, with humorous word choices conveying fascinating facts... Quirky, informative, and far from soporific." Kirkus Reviews
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"A fun and factual title, sure to be a bedtime favorite." School Library Journal
"A fresh, appealing book perfect for bedtime read-aloud. A neat science-investigation starter for young readers." Canadian Review of Materials
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"Playful, comforting... This book will have wide appeal with its cute animals and their unusual and often humorous adaptations." Canadian Children's Book News
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"Impressively informative, charmingly entertaining." Midwest Book Review
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Finalist for the Diamond Willow Award, 2020
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Shortlisted for the Hackmatack Award, 2020-2021
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Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's
Book Centre, Spring 2020, Starred Selection
"Chock full of interesting ideas, this entertaining and informative selection’s distinct focus makes it stand out." Kirkus Reviews
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"[The author] presents a large amount of zoological information in a focused, well-organized, and highly entertaining manner." Quill & Quire
"Acting Wild is a wonderfully wacky look at how we behave an awful lot like the birds, bugs and beasts that we share the planet with." The Globe and Mail
"A fun, well-designed book, [that] sets the tone for understanding our place in the natural world." Canadian Review of Materials
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"Fascinating, and just what intrigued kids need to do further research." Sal's Fiction Addiction
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Winner of the 2017 Lane Anderson Award
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2018 Silver Birch Non-Fiction Award, Nominee
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Shortlisted for the 2018 Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada
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Shortlisted for the 2018 Science In Society Book Award
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2018/2019 Red Cedar Award Nominee
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Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Spring 2018
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2016 Norma Fleck Award, Finalist
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2017 Red Maple Award, Nominee
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2017 Rocky Mountain Book Award, Nominee
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Shortlisted for the 2015 Science In Society Book Award
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Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Spring 2016
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A Best YA Title of Winter 2016, Foreword Reviews
"This fun, enjoyable read manages to inform and entertain--a combination perhaps as rare as the fountain
of youth--and will be a welcome addition to both school and public libraries." Booklist
"Birmingham takes readers on a lively tour of the many ways people have sought to cheat death throughout history... a visually striking, thought-provoking look at a topic that will encourage further investigation." School Library Journal
"Whimsical...quirky...humorous and engagaing. A must-read for anyone interested in science, magic, and everything in between." Foreword Reviews
"A tasty distillation of history, religion, chemistry, biology, technology, and pop culture." Kirkus Reviews
"Light-hearted and, often, tongue-in-cheek...breezy enough in its style to be an enjoyable casual read, this beginner's guide also asks interesting questions. Recommended." School Library Connection