The Long, Long Journey

March 1, 2013

Gr 1-3-The bar-tailed godwit is an interesting bird. Born in June near the Cape Avinoff mud flats on Alaska's southwestern mainland, the long-legged chicks are quickly able to catch worms, spiders, beetles, larvae, and tiny crabs and to walk and swim-all on their own. Throughout the summer, adult birds and their young spend much of each day eating, and, as autumn approaches, first the adult females, then the males, gather into flocks and begin their long migration to New Zealand. The mature young godwits follow in mid-October, instinctively flying more than 7000 miles over water (about eight days) without stopping. Two predators of the godwit-the Arctic fox and the peregrine falcon-are mentioned. Posada's watercolor and paper collage illustrations show flocks of the wading shorebirds on the beach; in shallow water; in flight-close-ups and side views; overhead and head-on perspectives. They show brightly colored green and brown grasses; fluffy yellow pin-feathered chicks; and a predominance of grays, browns, and blues of birds, skies, and ocean. Appended are a page of additional facts; a simple map showing the birds' flight path; and a brief list of book and website references. The book is well presented and fascinating and could be used as part of a geography lesson or to teach about animals' unusual lifestyles. The large print, simple, straightforward vocabulary, and appealing format make it a good choice for a report or a simple research project for young nature lovers.-Susan Scheps, formerly at Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2013
Grades K-3 Most children have never heard of the bar-tailed godwit, a migratory bird that is indigenous to Alaska. Yet Markle uses the epic yearly journey of the godwit to capture young imaginations and present an important fable about perseverance, courage, and family. Each year the godwits leave the Alaskan mudflats where they are born and fly nonstop more than 7,000 miles to overwinter on the New Zealand coast. Delicate and ethereal illustrations by Posada bring their voyage to life, from the birth of a tiny godwit female to the dangers she faces during the flight, including driving rain and hail and an attack from a peregrine falcon that is only prevented by the intervention of her flock. This story has special significance to Markle, a former resident of New Zealand, as the arrival of the godwit each year is celebrated with cheering crowds and ringing church bells. An obscure yet fascinating topic is the basis of this stylized nonfiction storybook.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)