Migration

Starred review from June 17, 2019
A bat-speckled sky over Kasanka Forest, a colorful blizzard of monarchs in a Mexican wood, penguins ribboning across an Antarctic plateau, a sea of scuttling scarlet crabs—these are some of the dazzling images that make turning every page of this book a delight. Unwin presents the epic journeys of 21 diverse species, from dragonflies to whales, one per spread, adroitly relating the marvels of each creature’s migration. Context deepens the magic of the sometimes mind-boggling figures—“The Arctic tern... over its lifetime... may fly as far as four round-trips to the moon.” Desmond’s expert illustrations—created with watercolor, acrylic, ink, pencil, and pencil crayon—shimmer on the page, capturing the fragility and abundance of the natural world. A map traces the migration paths globally, ending on a warning note: “People are...
damaging the vital natural habitats through which animals migrate... these animals need our help.” Ages 5–8.

May 15, 2019
From humpback whales to green turtles, 20 examples of seasonal migration illustrate remarkable animal journeys. Spread by spread, Unwin, who writes regularly about wildlife, provides a brief description of these animals' journeys. His informal and engaging exposition is set directly on gentle paintings of these creatures in a customary environment. Desmond's art, created with watercolor, acrylic, ink, pencil, and pencil crayon, incorporates a paragraph of additional information about each species. It is her images that make this oversize album stand out. Caribou swim across an Arctic river; monarch butterflies fill a forest of evergreens in Mexico; red crabs swarm across a road on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. There are both familiar and unfamiliar bird migrations: emperor penguin, Arctic tern, wandering albatross, ruby-throated hummingbird, bar-headed goose, and whooping crane. There are bats; pilchard and salmon; African elephants and wildebeest. This is a U.K. import, and American readers may be surprised by the European examples of animals that also migrate in the Western Hemisphere: great white sharks, barn swallows, and osprey. A different point of view is refreshing, but North American teachers and librarians will want to make sure that they also have books that show these animals closer to home. Since publication in Great Britain in 2018, at least one fact has already become outdated. The use of ultralights to aid whooping crane migration was discontinued in 2016. An attractive addition to units on migration in the primary or middle grades. (map) (Informational picture book. 6-10)

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October 7, 2019

Gr 2-4-The journeys of 20 animals from around the world are showcased in this beautifully illustrated book. Each animal gets a page with about five paragraphs that describe its location and lists brief facts about how and why they move. While there is a table of contents, there isn't a definitive reason for why the entries appear in that particular order. Children might also struggle to get drawn into the story itself. The entries try to place readers in the narrative, and it's not always an effective device. The watercolor illustrations are lovely but vague for those wanting more details. For example, the South African pilchards are shown in a group and it's unclear what an individual fish looks like. The dolphins and swordfish in the background are more defined than the fish that's meant to be spotlighted. The author has written other books on migration, but no back matter or recommended resources for further information is listed. VERDICT Pretty, but not a first choice resource.-Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Lib., Lombard, IL

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