Award-winning free-lance science journalist Nicola Jones, most famous for her work on local weather change and environmental points, ventured into the e-book world with an image e-book on the wildlife rehabilitation efforts for one in every of North America’s most endangered fowl species, the Northern Noticed Owl. With a readership primarily of scholars, Jones—correctly, I imagine—shunned together with the controversial efforts to kill Barred Owls so as to save the noticed ones. That difficulty apart, SAVING THE SPOTTED OWL—ZALEA’S STORY is an in depth nonfiction image e-book with a view expands from one particular owl, to Noticed Owls basically, to conservation efforts through breeding facilities to avoid wasting different endangered species. The writer is really dedicated to this trigger, and is donating half of her proceeds to the Northern Noticed Owl Breeding Program.
Zalea’s story started when the three-week-old owlet, not but in a position to fly, fell from her tree to the forest ground, about so far as the drop from a 7th-story constructing. Scientists had been monitoring that tree, and once they discovered the chick on the bottom, they made to resolution to rescue. Via the course of the e-book, the readers are launched to actual owls and the actual folks working to guard them. One of many last spreads ends with pictures of Zalea, grown and with chicks of her personal.
Sidebars present extra data to offer background to Zalea’s story, and are put aside not with packing containers, however by a change in font (from a serif to sans-serif). These sidebars embody specifics concerning the Northern Noticed Owl, data on endangered species with the IUCN Pink-Checklist classes, and particulars about a few of the jobs held by biologists.
From an artwork perspective, there’s not a lot cuter than a child owl, with all its fluff and roundness and large eyes. Canadian artist Alexandra Finkeldey’s illustrations seize that unimaginable cuteness, whereas her intricate work for the sections such because the breeding heart, egg growth, and life cycle floor the e-book in its nonfiction actuality. Her classroom scene is multicultural and inclusive, and her comfortable coloration palette of greens and browns captures the texture of the Pacific northwest.
In case you suppose that image books are only for little children, suppose once more. Jeopardy star James Holzhauer turned a multi-millionaire partially by studying image books as a part of his sport technique. And that is the e-book to learn in case you’d prefer to be taught extra about Noticed Owls and the folks and packages that make up their security internet of safety. And naturally, it’s nice for teenagers that love birds (or children in whom you wish to encourage a love of birds!). Nonetheless, with its dense, wealthy textual content, this isn’t a e-book for youthful children. Intention this on the 7–13 year-olds in your life. With its inclusion of maps, graphics and life cycles, and particulars on job specifics, it’s an ideal match for late elementary via center faculty college students and lecture rooms, and for college and public libraries.
Saving the Noticed Owl—Zalea’s Story by Nicola Jones, illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey
Children Can Press, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-525-30555-9
$19.99 USA; $21.99 Canada
32 pages, Grade stage 3-7, Lexile 1010 (5th-8th grades)