Numenia and the Hurricane, Inspired by a True Migration Story written and illustrated by Fiona Halliday

Numenia and the Hurricane: Inspired by a True Migration Story

Written and illustrated by Fiona Halliday

Page Street Kids, 2020, 40 pages

As fall approaches, how many times have you looked up at the sky and watched flocks of birds migrating south but never considered the perils they might face on their journey? Here is the story of one whimbrel that may lead to a whole new appreciation of these migrating birds.

Hatched in the same nest one early spring, three young whimbrels spend the spring and summer growing bigger and stronger, learning how to fly and find food on northernmost Hudson Bay. But when autumn arrives, it is time to fly south. No sooner do they head for the warmer climes of the Caribbean, than rain begins to fall and the three sisters find themselves caught in a terrible hurricane. Suddenly one of them, Numenia, is torn away from her sisters, landing wet and weak on a high windowsill.

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After resting through the night, Numenia takes off again in the morning, determined to be reunited with her sisters. Flying through heavy rain and strong winds, with no food, and losing weight, Numenia is determined to find her sisters.

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As Numenia flies further south, the weather starts to becomes warmer. But, this poor weary bird finds more danger even after she arrives at her destination, making it even more difficult to find her sisters. How will Numenia ever find her sisters and the other birds that have flown so far from so far north to a warm Caribbean island?

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No fear, the two sisters have been waiting for Numenia's arrival, confident that they will be reunited.

Numenia"s story is told in a spare but lyrical rhyme. In contrast, the detailed illustrations invites the reader into Numenia's world and encourages them to explore each and every detail. Each illustraion, done in traditional and digital mixed media, and harmonizes perfectly with the text.

Numenia's story is at once nail biting (will she make?) and uplifting. This is a perfect read aloud for young readers, one that will have them cheering this fragile little bird on to her ultimate reunion with her sisters. At the same time, it is a wonderful STEM book that can be used for introducing kids to birds and bird behavior (how do they know to fly south?)

Numenia and the Hurricane was inspired by the true story of a whimbrel named Hope who flew through Hurricane Gert in 2011 for 27 straight hours. Halliday was inspired by Hope's "courage and stoicism in the face of overwhelming odds." Hope's story is detailed in this book's back matter. and as Halliday concludes there "We can learn from [the birds] tenacity and determination to face our storms with the same quiet courage." Could there be a better time to read this inspiring story than now?

FYI: Numenia's name comes from her scientific name Numenius phaeopus. The crescent shape of a whimbrel's beak resembles the crescent of a new moon, which is what Numenius means in Greek, while phaeopus simply means "dark countenance."

Meet the Author:
Numenia and the Hurricane is Fiona Halliday's debut picture book. She is a Scottish picture book writer and illustration. She loves all things finned, furred, feathered, and fantastical. She started digitally doodling during her lunch breaks at work and hasn't stopped. She has a First in English Literature from Edinburgh University and a Masters in Photojournalism.
Halliday has worked as a freelance journalist and photographer, which took her on a few exciting trips like witnessing the great European Crane migration over the Hungarian Steppe, humpbacked whale spotting in Iceland and the great gannetries of Shetland. She has also worked as an English teacher, an organist, and currently as a product photographer and graphic designer.

This book is recommended for readers age 4+
This book was a EARC gratefully received from the author.

🎄Gift Suggestions: Nature At Its Finest - A Picture Book Roundup

We have read a lot of books about nature this year and I thought I would post which ones left the greatest impression on my kids. Each one would make a wonderful holiday present for curious young readers this year.

Fur, Feather, Fin: All Of Us Are Kin

written by Diane Lang, illustrated by Stephanie Laberis

Beach Lane Books, 2018, 48 pages, Age 3+

The animal kingdom is just chockablock with diversity and in this rhyming nonfiction work, Lang introduces young readers to six diverse classes of animals - mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, arthropods, and fish - and two different animal categories - water dwellers and detritivores. Within each class and category, Lang manages to describe the characteristics of each class, the similarities they share with each other and their differences. For example, kids learn that mammals such as bears, dogs, and even whales are born not hatched, that the they are fur bearing, and that mama mammals nurse their young, providing them with nourishment and warmth. Turn the page and young readers discover that they too are mammals - diverse yet connected. The rhyme is simple but informative, giving just enough information so that kids aren't overwhelmed with facts they are too young to fully appreciate. This is a really nice introduction to the animal world. Laperis' spot illustrations are naturalistic and warm, and invite readers to explore.    

Lovely Beasts: The Surprising Truth

Written by Kate Gardner, illustrated by Heidi Smith

Balzer & Bray, 2018, 48 pages, Age 4+ 

Basically, this is a book about breaking animal stereotypes and showing young readers that there are two sides to each of the lovely beasts spotlighted in the charming book. Spiders may be creepy at first, but turn the page and discover what great crafters they are spinning their intricate webs; bats may look ugly but they also play an important role in controlling insect populations, thereby helping the environment. Some bats even help replant forests, and others disperse seeds. Young readers will learn these facts and more. Each animal is given two two-page spreads, one showing the common belief about them with a supporting illustration, and one showing their softer side, also with supporting illustration. Each of Smith's illustrations, done in charcoal pencil, then photoshopped, are gentle, thoughtful, and focused. Text and illustrations create a real celebration the biodiversity of the animals and their importance in the ecosystem. Back matter is included.

A Day in a Forested Wetland by Kevin Kurtz,

illustrated by Sherry Neidigh

Arbordale Publishing, 2018, 32 pages, Age 4+

Kids can spend a day in this forested wetland and see just what goes on and meet the many different species that make their home there. Following the same format as his other A Day in...series, Kurtz rhyming text begins with sunrise in the wetland and goes through a 24 hour cycle, introducing a multitude of species active at different parts of the day and night. There are a few drawbacks to this book. One is that the rhyme doesn't work in two places (my kids didn't notice this) and it feels forced, and two, there are some words that need to be defined in the context of the creature being talked about (we made a list of those words and looked them up later, then went back to the page where they were found). However, Neidigh's illustrations are beautifully detailed, yet with a simplicity that will help young readers work out some of the definition omissions. A wise teacher can do much with this book, as I found out using it with my kids. There is some very useful back matter with activities for kids to do, all of which can be photocopied and used in classrooms. There is a longer focus on the beaver, a page covering the different kinds of wetlands, and a search and find picture where kids have to match the animal with its name and what it does. My kids were particularly taken with this and it actually generated lots of talk about the animals. 

Fly with Me: A Celebration of Birds Through Pictures, Poems, and Stories 

by Jane Yolen, Heidi E.Y. Stemple, Adam Stemple, and Jason Stemple

National Geographic Kids, 2018, 192 pages, age 9+

This is an absolutely stunning book, a worthy tribute to Jane Yolen's late husband, and father of Heidi Stemple, who was an ardent birder. It is filled with facts, poetry, and stories, along with information about each bird. There is a wide variety of birds and each one gets it own page with a stunning full color photograph. I found myself slowly poring over the breathtakingly beautiful photography, reading and rereading the poetry and learning more than a few things about birds. I thought my kids would be a little young for this book, but there was plenty for them to enjoy. They liked learning that there are state birds and that ours in New York is an Eastern Bluebird, a bird we share with Missouri. There were songs that have been adapted to birds, and we had a lot of fun learning and singing them, and we are now participating in some of the birding project suggested on page 170 including the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. This is a book we will be returning to again and again. My kids favorite bird? - the Bee Hummingbird on page 127.

Birds and Their Feathers written and illustrated by Britta Teckentrap

Prestel Junior, 2018, 96 pages, age 6+

Did you know that the study of feathers is call plumology? Well, neither did I until I read this book. This is a small, more subdued book that is mainly focused on feathers. And feathers, it turns out, are quite amazing, or as Teckentrap writes "Feather are among the most remarkable things made by nature. They are delicate, complex, extravagant, beautiful and strong - all at the same time." The development and the structure of feathers are covered, as well as the types, the colors, and the size of feathers. My kids and I were interested to learn that our favorite bird - the bee hummingbird - has the smallest feathers in the bird kingdom. There is all kinds of other little known information included and it is all fascinating. Teckentrap's delicate illustrations are all realistically detailed in soft earth tones. I really enjoyed sharing this book with my kids even though some of the information was a little advanced for them. Since kids always seem to like finding feathers in the park, this seems like an ideal book for them.

Magnificent Birds illustrated by Narisa Togo

Candlewick Studio, 2018, 32 pages, age 10+

Illustrator Narisa Togo has created this lovely book featuring fourteen different birds and it certainly reflects her own lifelong avian love. Each bird is placed in its customary habitat and given a two page linocut spread done in a palette of soft, subtle but natural color. Accompanying each illustration is text that gives the bird's name, species, and to where it is native. For example, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Arcbilocbus Colubris, Native to North and Central America. Togo has really captured the natural beauty and drama of each bird, from the more common of the species to the more unusual, offering the reader a wide variety from around the world. Young readers who are already interested in birds will appreciate this book, and those who haven't discovered the fascinating world of birding are in for a real treat. 

Welcome to the Neighborwood written and illustrated by Shawn Sheehy

Candlewick Press, 2015, 18 pages, age 4+

This is definitely a favorite with my kids - it's a pop-up book about seven different animals that live in the forest. Each one is a builder in its own right, born with the tools and the know-how they need for constructing their different homes. There is the land snail living in its own mobile home, the hummingbird is a master at building nests and hiding them, the garden spider spins its sticky, intricate webs, the honeybee and its hive, the potter wasp who builds a kind of lunch box for its offspring, the beaver who creates its own habitat complete with underwater entry tunnels, and finally, the stickleback, builder of an underwater nest for the mother of his offspring. Sheehy includes a fair amount of age appropriate information about all of these creatures, with accompanying pop-up of them in their environment. He brings it all together with a pop-up of their neighbors, stressing the interdependence and harmony in which they reside in the "Neighborwood."

My First Wild Activity Book written by Isabel Otter-Barry Ross,

illustrated by Maxime Lebrun

Silver Dolphin Books, 2018, 32 pages, age 5+

I love activity books and this is perfect for budding naturalists. It begins with an invitation to become an explorer and to take a journey through seven different habitats around the world, including the rainforest, the desert, the ocean, the mountains, the savanna, and the polar ice of the North and South Poles. Within each habitat, kids will find pictures to color, puzzles to solve, spot the difference challenges, seek and finds, mazes to travel, and dots to connect. The illustrations are friendly and brightly colored. There are scenic fold-out illustrations for each habitat, and stickers at the back of the book that kids can use to finish each scene. I like this book not only because it has lots of information for kids to learn about the natural world, but it also helps to develop problem solving skills. My kids and I spent a lot of time with this book before we went on to some of the other books I've included here. We had a lot of fun while learning new information about animals and where they live. 

I have included three books about birds in this post, partly because they are such good books and partly because birds the the easiest way to begin fostering an interest in nature. We all have birds wherever we live. When my Kiddo was young, and learning about the natural world, I bought her a pair of binoculars, a waterproof notebook, and an inexpensive camera (nowadays, you can use your phone camera) and we would go to the park to see what we could find. We made a nature book filled with pictures, leaves. pressed flowers and anything else we found that looked interesting. I'm not in the business of promoting products, but these are what I use now:

I hope you find some of these gift ideas useful, meantime I wish you 

On Duck Pond and On Bird Hill by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Bob Marstall

On Duck Hill by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Bob Marstall

Cornell Lab Publishing, 2017, 32 pages, age 3+

An anonymous narrator observes how quickly the quiet of a small pond is interrupted by the noisy arrival of a "quack of ducks" first seen approaching it on the title page. As they splash down, the narrator notices how all the other pond residents are surprised and quickly scatter - turtles, frogs, tadpoles, herons all rush away in the rippling water. Luckily for the pond inhabitants, the narrator tells us, the ducks are only staying temporarily and as soon as they move on, the quiet peaceful life of the pond returns. Even the woodland creatures, who come to the pond to for its water, approach it again. The narrator, who has been closely observing all of the sudden activity, is revealed to be a boy walking his dog by the pond.   

On Duck Pond is narrated in a simple first person rhyme, using a combination of rhyming couplets and tercets. While Yolen’s text is spare, they describe perfectly what is being observed. Her rhyme is set against Marstall’s beautifully evocative paintings. For his illustrations, Marstall chose a palette of pale springtime greens and yellows for the pond’s landscape, accentuating the visiting ducks with bolder colors that capture their natural coloring.

At the back of the book, there is information about ducks, including the various names for a group of ducks. “Quack of ducks” was Yolen’s personal term for this book, and I felt it was a perfect way to describe the loud quacking accompanying the duck’s arrival at the pond. There are also two charts showing the various kinds of ducks and other birds included in the books illustrations, as well as the many other animals seen around Duck Pond. Each chart gives information about the bird or animal, and which young readers can use each find and identify all them in the illustrations.  

On Bird Hill by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Bob Marstall

Cornell Lab Publishing, 2016, 32 pages, age 3+

Although not realistic as On Duck Pond is, On Bird Hill, Yolen and Marstall's earlier collaboration, is nevertheless a nice companion to it, especially for young readers who are just beginning to learn about the importance of nature in our lives. Once again the narrator, the same young boy out walking his dog, observes nature's activities, this time on a hill that overlooks the ocean. His focus narrows down to a bird sitting on a nest on a branch of a tall tree. Slowly, the egg she is sitting on cracks, and an new chick comes into the world.  I really liked the book and its rhyme, this time using only rhyming couplets. 

Marstall's illustrations in On Bird Hill are somewhat simpler and whimsical compared to On Duck Pond, but still done in those lovely springtime colors that signify regrow and renewal. And although it is a work of fantasy, I’m only sorry that On Bird Hill doesn’t have the kind of back matter that On Duck Pond has, but teachers, librarians, and parents can easily make their own resources for it, using On Duck Pond as a model.

On Duck Pond and On Bird Hill offer young readers an interesting and imaginative way of seeing nature with lots of lovely surprises.

On Duck Pond was sent to me by the publisher, Cornell Lab Publishing
On Bird Hill was borrowed from the NYPL

April 22, 2017 is Earth Day

Blog Tour: Crow Made a Friend written and illustrated by Margaret Peot

Crow Made a Friend by Margaret Peot
An "I Like to Read" book
Holiday House
2015, 24 pages
Ages 4-8

About the Book:
Try, try again is the lesson Crow teaches beginning readers in this picture book reader.

Crow was all alone.  But like all crows, he was very clever.  Using autumn leaves for wings, sticks for the body and a crab apple for the head, Crow made a  friend!  But winter winds blew in, destroying his creation.  Undaunted, Crow fashioned another bird friend out of snow but could not prevent it from melting in the warm spring sun.  Alone again, Crow heard the caw, caw, caw of a real live bird. Together they built a nest and by summer, Crow had a family. This warm, satisfying story celebrated perseverance and ingenuity.

This is surely one of my favorite picture books so far this year.

When I first open the package the Crow Made a Friend came in, I was stuck by the beautiful colors that Margaret Peot chose to use for her ink and watercolor illustrations.  As a teacher, the illustrations are the first thing I look for beginning readers.  Are they bright? Clear? Uncluttered? And do they match the text.  Peot's book certainly met those criteria.  Not only the colors, but the illustrations are all simply wonderful.

The next thing I look at is the text.  Simple declarative sentences work best and that is how each sentence in Crow Made a Friend written.  My little tester, Lilly, who is 6 and learning to read this year, loved being able to read most of this book on her own.

But what I really like about Crow Made a Friend is that it not only shows the rewards of perseverance and resourcefulness.  Kids often get frustrated when they want to master a difficult task yesterday.  Reading about Crow's first two unsuccessful attempts at making a friend over the course of the autumn and winter teaches kids that if they keep trying, they have a good chance of succeeding.

Crow was a mighty unhappy, lonely bird until he made a real friend and finally had a family.  Crow Made a Friend has a wonderful message not just about not giving up, but also one about the importance of family and friends in our lives - a lovely thought to remember for kids and everyone else.

Now for the Goodies:
Margaret Peot has some wonderful sheets for young readers.  There are coloring pages, a crow fact wheel kids can out together to learn all about crows, there's even a fully illustrated crow paper doll with movable wings that that you can make as well as a crow paper doll that can be colored in.  These can be downloaded and printed out HERE

Meet the Author:

Margaret is an artist, writer and costume painter. She is looking forward to the publication of two new books in 2015, Stencil Craft: Techniques for Fashion, Art and Home (June 26, 2015, F&W) and an early reader picture book, Crow Made a Friend (July 1, 2015. Holiday House).Margaret's book Inkblot: Drip, Splat and Squish Your Way to Creativity (Boyds Mills 2011) was awarded a Eureka! Silver Medal for non-fiction children's books. She is also the author of The Successful Artist's Career Guide (F&W 2012), Alternative Art Journals (F&W 2012), and Make Your Mark (Chronicle Books, 2004), voted one of Library Journal's best how-to books of 2004. 

An avid believer that art making can be for everyone, Margaret has presented art workshops with cancer survivors, elders, children, parent and teen groups, writers, nurses and caregivers, at The Creative Center at University Settlement's Creative Aging conferences, and their Artist-in-Residence Training program, with EngAGE Utah, at Gilda's Club, The Huntsman Cancer Institute, Operation Exodus in NYC, and at Miami University at Scripps and Opening Minds Through Art.

***TLC Book Tours is Giving Away a Copy of Crow Made a Friend to one random reader. To Enter all you have to do is simply leave a comment below with an email address, so I can contact you. Also, please “Like” Randomly Reading on Facebook.  Ends Monday 11/09/2015.

I would like to thank TLC for inviting me to be a part of this book review blog tour.