"The new arrivals have a careful look
around and then set off to check out
last year's burrow - they have a good
memory for that sort of thing and know
just where to find it. Often the first
thing they'll meet is ...
last year's mate."
Living on the prairies with no sea in sight, I would be hard-pressed to identify many of the multitude of seabirds that fill the skies close to the sea. I would, however, have no problem at all recognizing a puffin. They are so appealing. Bright orange feet, pudgy bodies and those colored bills!
Martin Jenkins introduces these wondrous birds as if he is speaking directly to each reader. Using a first-person voice and a chatty style, he offers a clear look at the life cycle of what he calls his 'absolute favorite' seabird. He explains that a birdwatcher will only see them in spring and summer as they spend the winter far from shore. They return a few at a time, until a large flock has collected and sets down at home again.
He describes two mates greeting each other with a clacking of bills and a stamping of feet, prior to settling back into a burrow they may have used the previous summer. After cleaning it carefully and fixing it up, the two settle in to a quiet life. That only lasts until their one egg comes out of its shell. As soon as that happens, the hard work begins. Keeping the chick warm, dry and fed takes both parents as that baby needs a lot of food to grow. One stays, the other catches the food. They take turns ensurirng the baby gets enough to eat.
"Puffins normally store about ten fish in their bills at once -
sometimes as many as a hundred!"
After six weeks of care, the young one is ready to test its wings, and its independence. It is now on its own!
Jenni Desmond's artwork is done in ink, watercolor, and acrylic paint. Her energetic images and ever-changing perspectives provide valuable context for the writing and much appeal for young readers.
Back matter includes further information about puffins, an index, and a list of websites.
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