Birds of Prey: Terrifying Talons (Science Comics)

Gr 4-7--Readers should be cautioned not to get too attached to the curious squirrel who serves as their stand-in for this graphic (in both senses of the word) introduction to raptors worldwide. A Renaissance Faire falconer in antique dress serves as lecturer and tour guide--opening by feeding his Cooper's hawk a dead chick ("No need to be squeamish. She's just doing what nature intended."). Addressing the squirrel, he then goes on to dissect raptor ancestry and anatomy, families, feathers, and aerodynamic body design, as well as the dangers of pesticides and habitat destruction by humans. The falconer continues with explorations of these birds' prey and hunting strategies as flocks of modern exemplars, from the sparrow-sized black-thighed falconet to the 30-plus pound Andean condor, strike characteristic poses. Flood's standout bird portraits use saturated colors to make plumage patterns particularly vivid and sharply defined lines for painstakingly detailed beaks and talons. His avian subjects exude implacable focus and presence throughout. Following guest appearances by notable figures of various species, from Pale Male to John James Audubon and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary founder Rosalie Edge, the falconer closes with a technical overview of his chosen craft that...may not end well for the squirrel. Oh well, "circle of life" as he puts it. VERDICT Feeds, in a frank but not gratuitously gory way, middle graders' hunger to learn more about some of the animal world's most fierce and splendid predators.--John Peters