Hawk Rising

The spare, poetic prose of Gianferrari (Hello Goodbye Dog) joins the realistic watercolors of Floca (Princess Cora and the Crocodile) to present a day in the life of a red-tailed hawk. "Hooked beak, sharp as a knife./ Head turning./ Eyes searching./ Chicks waiting." Muted hues illustrate moments from Father Hawk's day as he scans for prey, sunbathes, dives after a chipmunk and sparrows, and finally snags a squirrel to bring back to the nest. All this plays out under the scrutinizing eyes of two young bird-watchers: a girl and her younger sister in a suburban neighborhood, who use binoculars to follow the progress of the feathered hunter. The second-person narration draws parallels between the girls and the hawk, as it also invites readers to imagine themselves in the scenes: "Chicks waiting./ You watching." Painted from varying angles, dynamic spreads and vignettes present the shifting perspectives of bird-watcher, hawk, and prey. The clever pacing and placement of text match the bird's actions across, up, and down the page. This captivating introduction to the red-tailed hawk concludes with more than a half-dozen facts about the common bird of prey and further reading. Ages 4-8. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (June)

Gr 1-5--A young unnamed girl observes a father hawk searching for prey to feed his young offspring. Against the morning sky, the bird sits on a pole watching and waiting, until he sees a chipmunk below and dives after it. But the chipmunk escapes. The child continues to watch as the bird embarks on a number of unsuccessful endeavors, including trying to catch a sparrow. As the day sinks toward darkness, the father hawk perches once again to wait and watch--finally, he catches a squirrel. Bird and human rest as the night closes in. The lyrical text captures the excitement of observing red-tailed hawks' hunting efforts in a residential setting. Floca's stunningly accurate watercolor illustrations beautifully complement Gianferrari's text. An incredible companion to the author's Coyote Moon, this latest powerfully demonstrates the wonder that can be found in observing the natural world. Additional information about red-tailed hawks makes the book a valuable educational tool, as well. VERDICT A first purchase for most libraries.--Heidi Grange, Summit Elementary School, Smithfield, UT

"Positively electrifying...[an] absorbing reminder that we need never look far to see wild, beautiful nature."—Kirkus Reviews

"Gianferrari's poetic text layers lyrical beauty onto a harsh story of survival, and Floca's luminous scenes convey both honest objectivity—the terrified squirrel racing under the hawk's shadow and then gripped in its claws—and genuine sensitivity in the parent hawks' care for their chicks."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books