Follow the Flyway

June 15, 2023
Nelson gives readers a peek at the routes that birds follow as they migrate each year. In spring, birds of all kinds make their nests and lay eggs. The author makes clear the diversity of birds and their habits and habitats, describing birds that nest in trees or by the water, amid reeds or in tree cavities, and the babies are varied, too: "Bald ones, fuzzy ones, / plump and round / and long and leggy ones." Each learns their own individual call, some learn to run or swim or dive, and eventually, "every baby learns to fly!" In autumn, the birds fly south, remaining "until they feel the pull of / springtime." This book is focused on the Mississippi Flyway, though the facts in general hold for the Atlantic, Central, and Pacific as well. But the book does not specify that not all birds migrate, nor do all of them head for the ocean, though the focus and all the named species are ducks and waterfowl: geese, herons, egrets, loons, etc. Hanisch's illustrations, a combination of pencils, water-based paint, and digital techniques, are delightful, giving readers lifelike depictions of the birds with dabs of colors and lines. The birds' eyes can sometimes be too large for their heads, though, giving them a bug-eyed appearance. Backmatter provides more facts about flyways and each of the 12 species featured. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A charming beginning look at North American migration flyways. (sources, further reading) (Informational picture book. 4-8)

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September 4, 2023
In this blow-by-blow accounting of seasonal migration, uplifting lines track a dozen avian species along a “blue and ancient flyway.” Nelson’s lyrical language conveys seasonal instincts (“The wind! The sky! The south is calling!”), including birds’ ability to move “like a map of the world is inside them.” Hanisch—whose scribbly pencil, paint, and digital illustrations stay true to field marks—depicts myriad species laying eggs, tending fledglings, and migrating till spring. Attentive readers may be wowed that a neighborhood goose or heron revisits “the same paths and places that their great-great-grandparents did,” as outlined in back matter, which also clarifies that the settings take inspiration from the Mississippi Flyway and offers more info about birds included. Ages 3–9.

Starred review from June 1, 2023

K-Gr 4-The life cycle of 12 migrating birds is the construct of this appealing picture book. Starting when they are eggs, then onto hatching, the book follows along as these young birds grow feathers and soon learn to fly. As the seasons change, they get ready to migrate to a warmer climate where food is plentiful and the environment accommodating. The birds featured in this text represent those using the Mississippi flyway route. An impressive use of rhythm, rhyme, onomatopoeia, and word imagery endows this science-based book with a strong literary component. The pencil and water-based paint illustrations perfectly capture the birds in their natural habitats. Depicted in an Impressionistic style, but easily defined, each kind of bird is given energy, beauty, and purpose. While the poetic narrative and wonderful illustrations are already outstanding, the back matter may outshine both. "The Birds of the Flyway" section contains facts that honor each of the featured birds as unique and fascinating. Other back matter includes additional facts, sources, and further reading. VERDICT Recommended as a lyrical read-aloud and an informational text.-Lynne Stover

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