Way up north, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, Inuit artists at the Cape Dorset printmaking studios share their culture with the world through art. The Inuit treasure their language and stories, which often feature owls, loons, and other birds of the Arctic. This read-aloud board book presents rhyming couplets accompanying ten intriguing prints of owls and loons, brightly colored and full of fun.

A gorgeously illustrated, lyrical non-fiction picture book about loons. It’s summertime, and as darkness falls there is a haunting sound from the lake — Ooh-hoo-oo, ooh-hoo-oo. It is a loon calling to its family across the water. This lyrical story follows the life cycle of two loon chicks. We see them breaking out of their eggshells, then learning to swim, find food and avoid predators such as snapping turtles and big bass fish. After they learn to fly, they migrate to the ocean. And when their striking black-and-white feathers finally emerge, they fly inland, each to find a new lake territory and mate. Accompanying Susan Vande Griek’s poetic text are Karen Reczuch’s gorgeous illustrations, which show the loons as they grow from tiny downy chicks to majestic adult birds. An afterword provides more information on loons, including their amazing diving ability, the meanings of their calls, and the environmental threats that they face. Also illustrated are five different types of loons and other animals that can be found in their lake habitat. The illustrations were researched in the Ornithology Collections at the Royal Ontario Museum, and Ron Ridout of Bird Studies Canada consulted on the text. Key Text Features illustrations author’s note further reading labels Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5 Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7 Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).

There are 19 species of owls in North America. On this Journey with the Owl, David Evers and Kate Taylor provide insightful and engaging information about North American owls along with stunning photography of these mysterious and elusive birds. Additionally, owls can be seen and heard on the companion DVD included with this book.

Award-winning author and wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela presents the lives of common loons in a collection of photographs and information.

Short listed for the Green Earth book award In early April, as Owen and his sister search the hickories, oaks, and dogwoods for returning birds, a huge group of birds leaves the misty mountain slopes of the Yucatan peninsula for the 600-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico to their summer nesting grounds. One of them is a Cerulean warbler. He will lose more than half his body weight even if the journey goes well. Aloft over the vast ocean, the birds encourage each other with squeaky chirps that say, “We are still alive. We can do this.” Owen’s family watches televised reports of a great storm over the Gulf of Mexico, fearing what it may mean for migrating songbirds. In alternating spreads, we wait and hope with Owen, then struggle through the storm with the warbler. This moving story with its hopeful ending appeals to us to preserve the things we love. The backmatter includes a North American bird migration map, birding information for kids, and guidance for how native plantings can transform yards into bird and wildlife habitat.

A delightful collection of legends, each featuring loons in some capacity, that will provide fascinating reading for all ages. Illustrated.

In the dark, soft night, the haunting call of a single loon echoes over a moonlit lake. All through the day, only one magnificent black and white bird scribes ripples across the surface. Why is he so alone? Moon Loon is an evocative, gentle bedtime story about a girl who is fascinated by this solitary loon. Through richly layered colored-pencil illustrations, we follow the girl's musings on the loon from spring through fall.