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WINGED WONDERS: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

carolbaldwin

 Congratulations to Tricia Clark who won Fly, Firefly! from Monday’s blog. She’s an “old” friend, but a new follower to my blog. 

Author Meeg Pincus is a gifted author who I featured on my blog a year ago. I am new to Yas Imamura‘s work but as you’ll see in the color palette she used in the illustrations, she is also very talented. This is another fine picture book published by Sleeping Bear Press.



REVIEW

In this way, Meg Pincus begins the story of how two Canadian scientists, many volunteers, a young married couple, and a village in Mexico worked together to solve the monarch migration mystery.


In 1976, the world finally learned the answer…with a groundbreaking discovery.


It began with Fred and Norah Urquhart, two scientists who spent 30 years studying the monarch mystery. In his lab, Fred tagged the butterfly’s wings with–of all things–small price tags. Norah placed ads in newspapers throughout North and Central America asking for volunteers to tag butterfly wings. She kept track of every “tidbit of information” that was returned to her.

Thousands of science teachers, backyard gardeners, and other curious souls answered Norah’s ads and became citizen scientists. 

Ken Brugger and his Mexican wife, Catalina, rode through Mexico for two years trying to track the butterflies’ “twisting trail.” 

Villagers in central Mexico directed the couple to look for the monarchs in their oyamel tree groves. 


Catalina kept 40 notebooks of monarch data and “crunched through early morning snow, high in the Sierra Madre mountains” and was rewarded by being the first to spot them.


But who provided the proof that Fred Urquhart needed to announce the discovery of The Great Monarch Migration?


CURRICULUM RESOURCE 

Winged Wonders ends with a plea to help save the diminishing monarch population. The last spread encourages readers to be a part of preserving landing spots and airstreams on which the monarchs depend. The back matter includes more about the migration discovery as well as ways in which everyone can help monarchs. I’m going to see about planting milkweed in my garden! Here are some links to educational activities. 

PUBLICATION JOURNEY

Since I’m always interested in an author’s journey, I found Meeg’s interview on Kathy Temean‘s blog to be inspiring. If you’ve ever been discouraged by what appears to be a dead-end in writing a picture book biography (as I have!) here’s another way to look at a topic. 


GIVEAWAY

Leave me a comment (with your email address, if you are new to my blog) by December 12 at 6 PM. Share this post on social media for an additional chance to win the book!

Published by carolbaldwin

Carol enjoys teaching writing and has presented at many educators' and writing conferences. She has published widely in newspapers and magazines and along with Rebecca Wheeler, co-publishes Talking Story, a newsletter for educators and media specialists. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you’ll find her walking with friends, golfing, or gardening.

32 thoughts on “WINGED WONDERS: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway”

  7. Would love to have this book for my library! My cousin raises monarch butterflies and always tells me about releasing them for their migration. Several classes in my school study butterflies–this would be a great addition to our collection. Thanks for making it available.

    Reply

  11. Wht a beautiful book. And how interesting to learn the journey of finding the migration. Thanks for telling me about it. I will have to get a copy.

    Reply

  23. Would love to have this book for my library! My cousin raises monarch butterflies and always tells me about releasing them for their migration. Several classes in my school study butterflies–this would be a great addition to our collection. Thanks for making it available.

    Reply

  27. Wht a beautiful book. And how interesting to learn the journey of finding the migration. Thanks for telling me about it. I will have to get a copy.

    Reply

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