The SUPERPOWER Field Guide: OSTRICHES. Written by Rachel Poliquin and illustrated by Nicholas John Frith. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Raincoast. $25.99 ages 8 and up

"Part of the reason birds see so much better is they have huge eyes. An eagle or an owl is less than a third of your size but has eyeballs as big as yours. And Eno? Well, Eno has the biggest eyeballs of any animal on land. Let me say than again: ENO HAS THE BIGGEST EYEBALLS OF ANY ANIMAL ON LAND. His eyeballs are bigger than a giraffe's or even an elephant's!"

Whoo! Whoo! This is the third in this remarkable series. Kids are in for some laughs as they gather information about another very distinct animal of the world. First came Beavers (2018), then Moles (2019) and now Ostriches.

The author assures readers from the get-go that ostriches are some kind of wonderful ... and truly extraordinary.

"Believe it or not, that neck helps ostriches run at
supersonic speeds. Those skinny legs can kill a lion
dead. And that bad attitude? Well now, you can't be
one of the biggest, fastest, fiercest warriors around
without having a touch of grumpy swagger."

Eno has it all, and more. As she has done in the other books, Ms. Poliquin provides chatty and descriptive content that entertains and informs in the best way. Eno lives on the Serengeti, and is blessed with everything he needs to survive and flourish. That is because of his many superpowers: colossal orbs of telescopic vision, thighs of thunder, toe claws of death, super-fantastic elastic striders, two-toed torpedoes, do-it-all dino flaps, the impossible ever-flow lung, epic endurance, the egg of wonder, and his hydro-hoarding heat shield.

Tell me that doesn't pique your interest. If you are thinking that you know enough about ostriches, you are in for a big surprise. There is so much more to learn. His horrible feet are mentioned before the reader even gets to Eno's other remarkable superpowers. A trip to the savanna is in order, if we are to understand that particular environment. There is virtually nowhere to hide because each and every animal is on the lookout at all times. This leads to learning about Eno's first impressive superpower ... and so on.

Each new discovery about the ostrich is meant to astonish, and it does. There are quizzes again (2), a glossary, and further reading. The labelled artwork enhances the information assembled and provides humor as well as clear context. The details shared are memorable and will provide dinner conversation that is sure to inspire wonder and questions.

As inventive as previous books and full of well-presented material, fans will find much to learn here, and it leaves them with a promise for more. Eels will be relealsed in June. Huzzah!