Flute's Journey: The Life of a Wood Thrush - Softcover

Cherry, Lynne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 015314369X ISBN 13: 9780153143694

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin School, 2001

Synopsis

The story of a wood thrush's first year and arduous first migration across thousands of miles brings young readers from his nesting ground in the Belt Woods of Maryland to his winter home in Costa Rica. By the author of The Great Kapok Tree.

About this title

About the Author

LYNNE CHERRY has devoted her life to sharing her concern about environmental issues with others. Her important children's books also include The Armadillo from Amarillo and two tales from the Amazon rain forest: The Great Kapok Tree and The Shaman's Apprentice. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Review

Kindergarten-Grade 3. Cherry takes readers through the first year of a wood thrush's life, from its hatching in a forest in Maryland to its migration across the Gulf of Mexico to the Costa Rican rain forest and back again. Two children, who observe the bird as a young chick and juvenile, name him Flute "for they knew that when he grew up he would sing as beautifully as his father and that his song would echo through the forest." The same children wait for Flute's return the following spring and watch as he and his mate, whom they name Feather, build a nest and raise their young. In the course of Flute's travels, he encounters a hawk, insects tainted with pesticide, a prowling cat, and a shrinking habitat. The eggs and nestlings are even more at risk. Naming the birds effectively keeps the focus on their individual story, and the author is careful not to anthropomorphize. At the same time, perhaps because of this, the narrative comes off as a laundry list of the perils facing migratory songbirds and keeps readers at a distance. The lustrous watercolors, particularly the paintings of Flute alone, are exceptionally well rendered. Some of the larger scenes, however, are so chock-full of flora and fauna that they seem unnatural; with the exception of the shape of the leaves, the northern forest seems to be as dense and rich with wildlife as the rain forest. An author's note and resplendent map endpapers round out this earnest and informative presentation. Luann Toth, School Library Journal (School Library Journal )

Ages 5-8. Cherry has a gift for sharing her knowledge through engaging fictional stories. Here, through the tale of a young wood thrush, readers learn the dangers migratory birds face. Cherry's illustrations, always a feast for the eyes, provide colorful, richly detailed forest scenes as a handsome backdrop for the story of Flute's autumn migration from his birthplace in a Maryland forest to a Central American rain forest. There he rests and feeds before beginning his journey back north in the spring. Along the way, Flute faces natural predators, but the destruction of habitat is presented as the most serious threat. A concluding author's note makes the point more directly and offers some concrete suggestions for youngsters who want to help. A nice addition to Cherry's impressive body of environmental literature for children. (Booklist - Lauren Peterson )

Edition details

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin School
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 015314369X
• ISBN 13: 9780153143694
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40