Author: Jim Arnosky
Illustrator: Jim Arnosky
Peach’s Picks Rating:
Year of publication: 2011
City of publication: New York
Publisher: Sterling
ISBN: 978-1-4027-5661-0
Author website: http://www.jimarnosky.com/
Illustrator website: See entry for “Author website”
Media used for illustrations: Acrylic paint and white chalk pencil
Annotation: Factual information about birds of prey; including size, eating habits, and characteristics. Detailed illustrations include fold out pages. An author’s note lists parks and sanctuaries as well as further reading.
Personal reaction to the book: This is a beautifully designed and illustrated book from the renowned author/illustrator Jim Arnosky which offers factual information about birds of prey. His love of the subject is apparent through his majestic paintings, detailed drawings, and depth of information included in the book. The text is conversational with the author addressing the reader directly. Among the numerous interesting facts, the reader learns how owls are able to fly silently and why vultures have no feathers on their heads. Each bird’s eyes are depicted in great detail. In the introduction to the book, the author explains that he wants the reader to “see the same light Deanna [wife and artistic partner] and I saw in their wild eyes” (p. 5). The book includes four fold-outs with full-color illustrations and explanatory captions as well as full page color paintings and detailed black and white drawings. Many of the illustrations show life-sized birds or parts of birds. On each two page spread, a full page illustration is on the left side with the text facing it on the right side. Black and white drawings including captions are also found on the page with text. One of the most stunning illustrations is found on page 30; an osprey with trout at sunset. The osprey is a silhouette against rippling, sparkling water with a shaft of sunlight highlighting the bird carrying its prey. The illustrations completely complement the text, extending the information. The book has a table of contents and is paginated, making it easy to locate and reference information. Endnotes are provided to extend the content. The author efficiently and thoroughly covers a vast amount of information that will be of interest to young children, secondary students, and adults.
General curricular connections:
- Science / biology / birds of prey / ornithology
- Art / study of illustrators
- Pair with the book Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City by Janet Schulman
Recommended grade levels:
School Library Journal recommends the book for use with grades 4-6
Booklist recommends the book for use with grades 2-5
Peach’s Picks recommends the book for use with grades 1 and up
Awards/Recognitions:
School Library Journal starred review
Note: This book applies to the assignment criteria - books published in 2010-2011
Personification: Page 31; “They climb on air…”
Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.jimarnosky.com/
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