About the Book
In a huge nest, high above the ground, two eggs crack open. Peep! Peep! Out pop two eagle chicks. Within a few short months, they are as big as their parents and ready to fly. Soar through the pages of this book and find out what happens in a bald eagle's world.
About the Author :
Caroline Arnold is the author of 150 books for children. Her many honors include awards from the American Library Association, P.E.N., the National Science Teachers Association, and the Washington Post / Children's Book Guild. Caroline's interest in animals and the outdoors began when she was a child growing up in Minnesota. After majoring in art and literature at Grinnell College in Iowa, she received her M.A. in art from the University of Iowa. Caroline lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Art, a neuroscientist. Caroline Arnold is the author of 150 books for children. Her many honors include awards from the American Library Association, P.E.N., the National Science Teachers Association, and the Washington Post / Children's Book Guild. Caroline's interest in animals and the outdoors began when she was a child growing up in Minnesota. After majoring in art and literature at Grinnell College in Iowa, she received her M.A. in art from the University of Iowa. Caroline lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Art, a neuroscientist.
Review :
Illustrated with appealing cut-paper artwork, this book begins with a look at bald-eagle parents building a nest in spring and continues with the mother and father caring for their chicks and the young eagles becoming strong fliers as winter sets in. Facts about this U.S. symbol appear throughout in boxed text and in a concluding spread, along with a map and a glossary.-- "Book Links, National Treasures"
Not many people would know the scientific name for the bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, but many do know that this magnificent creature is our national bird. Even if you have never seen one, simply following two eaglets through the first year of their life you will soon become acquainted with them and learn a lot about them. For example, it takes five weeks for an egg to hatch and during the process the eagle chick breaks its shell with an egg tooth. This unusual feature is only a temporary one because the tooth quickly falls off. Both parents take part in feeding and protecting their young. One will hunt for food while the other stays with the nest. By the time a chick is a month old they have grown quickly, are capable of moving independently around the nest and have begun growing feathers. They don't look like their parents for almost four years, but are able to stay alone after one month while both parents hunt for food and at the age of three months are as big as their parents. In this appealing educational book you'll learn about the life cycle of the bald eagle, how eaglets learn to hunt, where their habitat is, what they eat, their physical characteristics, and many other interesting facts. Did you know that A bald eagle pair stays together for their whole lives? If one dies, does the surviving bird find a new mate or remain single? If you want to know this and other amazing facts about the bald eagle, you'll just have to read the book! This book is an easy, fascinating way to learn about our national bird, the bald eagle. Between the sweeping collage artwork and the well-researched text this book is a real treat. This is the type of book that even the most reluctant reader will find easy to read to the last page. Although the reading level is grades 1-2, the interest level is variable. This book can be read to a younger child or can be used by an older student as a stepping stone to a report. There are small informative sidebars scattered throughout the book. For example, one says that Young eagles are fed by their patents for about two months after they leave the nest. In the back of the book there is a map showing where bald eagles live, an index, a glossary, Bald Eagle Fun Facts, and additional recommended books and internet resources (Fact Hound). This is one in the series, Caroline Arnold's Animals, that would be a welcome addition to any homeschool or library shelf! Quill says: This book is an easy, fascinating way to learn about our national bird, the bald eagle! http: //www.featheredquill.com/reviews/childrens/arnold_2.shtml-- "Feathered Quill Book Reviews"
This book series uses easy-to-read text to explore animals from birth through their first year of life. The books are written with ages 5-7 and grades K-2 in mind, but children both older and younger will equally enjoy this series. Bald eagles, which are especially fascinating to children, are the focus of this book. The cut-paper illustrations are unusual; there are no photos or actual pictures. A trustee for the American Bald Eagle Foundation served as a consultant on this book. Sidebars, fun facts, and maps are scattered throughout each book in the series. Also included is a glossary, an index, a list of safe websites to explore at Fact Hound, and a map of where the animals live in the world. Each book in this series focuses on one animal and follows that animal from birth through the first year of life in its natural habitat. Included at the very beginning of the book is a listing of where the animal lives, its habitat, food, length and weight, animal class, and scientific name. Other plants and animals that would be in the animal's habitat are identified throughout the book. The facts scattered throughout this book are fascinating. For instance, bald eagle babies can be called either chicks or eaglets. An eagle's nest may be the size of a bed, being 6 to 7 feet across. The eggs are the size of a tennis ball and take five weeks to hatch. The mother and father take turns feeding the chicks. Eagles can fly 30 miles per hour and dive at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. By the age of five months, an eaglet catches its own food. Bald eagles stay in their own territory, except in the winter when they come together in a place where food is plentiful. And it takes about four years for an eagle's head and tail feathers to grow white. Some readers may share my concern about the cut-paper illustrations--both positive and negative. I found myself longing for a "real" picture of a bald eagle, but this was not enough to detract from my overall recommendation. This book is very interesting, is filled with loads of information, and I highly recommend it.-- "NSTA Recommends"
