This winsomely imagined account of an episode when Audubon was 18
years old joins the flocks of commemorative works. Sent to the US
to learn business, the young man happened upon a mated pair of
pewee flycatchers; these he made an object of exclusive study,
sketching and painting of course, but also banding the fledglings
with silver thread to discover whether they would return after
their winter migration-the first such experiment done in North
America. Davies's narration, though bolstered by an author's note
and bibliography, blends fiction into fact, recreating dialogue and
Audubon's own internal thoughts with no specific reference to
written sources. This significant weakness is balanced by the
tight, appealing focus on a lonely, bird-obsessed young man whose
perfectionism led him to burn his artwork every year and who burned
to demystify the migratory habits of small birds. Sweet's
illustrations soar, incorporating mixed-media collage into her
line-and-watercolor paintings in a gloriously eclectic melange that
evokes both the time and Audubon's scientific enthusiasms. A solid
offering that, were it more completely sourced, would be nothing
short of tremendous. (Picture book/nonfiction. 6-9) (Kirkus
Reviews)
This fascinating picture book biography from beloved author of the
Lemonade War series Jacqueline Davies and Caldecott honor-winning
illustrator Melissa Sweet chronicles the life of scientist John
James Audubon, who pioneered a technique essential to our
understanding of birds thanks to his lifelong love for the species.
If there was one thing James loved to do more than anything else,
it was to be in the great outdoors watching his beloved feathered
friends. In the fall of 1804, he was determined to find out if the
birds nesting near his Pennsylvania home would really return the
following spring. Through careful observation, James laid the
foundation for all that we know about migration patterns today.
Capturing the early passion of this bird-obsessed young man as well
as the meticulous study and scientific methods behind his research,
this lively, gorgeously illustrated biography will leave young
readers listening intently for the call of birds large and small
near their own home.
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