On the Wing: American Birds in Migration

Lerner, Carol

ISBN 10: 0688166504 ISBN 13: 9780688166502

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2001

Synopsis

Asfall approaches, the birds of summer vanish from our yards and woodlands. Have you ever wondered where they go in winter? How they know when it is time to leave? And how they find their way to winterhomes and back again without a compass or a map?

Through her clear and well-researched text, naturalist Carol Lerner explores the migratory patterns of our American birds. She captures the birds' beautiful colors and markings in her vibrant, realistic paintings. Budding birders can compare these images to the flocks they spot in the sky, while more experienced ornithologists will also enjoy studying the colorful maps that show the summer and winter ranges of these migrants.

On the Wing will help anyone's interest in bird-watching take flight.

About this title

About the Author:

If Carol Lerner were asked to list three reasons why she started writing and illustrating books for children, she would probably say the Morton Arboretum, Joshua, and Jesse. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, on the outskirts of Chicago, is one of the few institutions in the country that offers instruc-tion in botanical illustration on a regular basis. Over the years, Ms. Lerner had taken courses in botany, the local flora, birds of the Midwest, and other aspects of nature, but she hesitated to join the illustration class because the members seemed very accomplished. "Finally I gave it a try," she says. I continued attending for the next three years; then I felt ready to do something with my skills. I thought of illustrating children's books because they would offer more variety than strictly scientific illustration. "

Joshua and Jesse are Ms. Lerner's sons, now grown. "Initially my husband, Ralph, and I introduced them to birds and plants, but this realm of experience took such a tremendous grip on their interests and imaginations, they became expert birders [bird-watchers] and very savvy all-around naturalists on their own. All through their childhood years, their curiosity sparked my interest in the natural world."

The first book Ms. Lerner wrote and illustrated was On the Forest Edge. An ecological portrait of the animal and plant life found at the forest edge, it was given an award for Special Artistic Merit by the Friends of American Writers. Ms. Lerner's third, fourth, and fifth books, Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie, A Biblical Garden, and Pitcher Plants, were named ALA Notable Books, as was Tree Flowers, which she illustrated. Plant Families was named a New York Academy of Sciences Honor Book. Among her recent titles are Cactus, Dumb Cane and Daffodils, A Forest Year and Moonseed and Mistletoe, all of which are NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children. Her critically acclaimed Backyard Birds of Winter has recently been followed by Backyard Birds Of Summer.

Carol and Ralph Lerner live in Chicago. Summers and weekends are spent at their house in rural Indiana, where they are surrounded by forests and wetlands. "Wild birds are at our doorstep. There's a swamp across the road that is frog heaven. And I finally have enough space to realize the garden of my dreams. I garden with a certain passion." The same passion is evident in Carol Lerner's fine ecological portraits.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 3-6-An in-depth look at the process, the types of patterns, and the research that has helped us to understand how and why birds migrate. Lerner concerns herself with the birds of the Americas and uses specific examples to explain partial migration, migration within continents, east-west migration, and other patterns of seasonal movement. The birds mentioned are illustrated in crisp, realistic paintings, and a map shows their summer, winter, and year-round ranges. Other pictures and diagrams clarify flight and gliding patterns as well as experiments performed by ornithologists. With current nonfiction books so often broken into "fact-bites," it is a pleasure to find an attractively illustrated book that offers young readers the opportunity to delve into a fascinating topic. Children who read the book straight through will come away with a comprehensive view of bird migration, but there is an index for those interested in particular species. Suggestions for field guides and bird-watching are appended. A sterling addition to library collections.
Ellen Heath, Orchard School, Ridgewood, NJ
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0688166504
• ISBN 13: 9780688166502
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 48
• Illustrator: Lerner Carol