"We find strength and safety in numbers.
We find warmth in numbers.
We pay attention to the birds nearest to us.
We are allies.
Our allies each have their own allies.
We all guide each other."
Their story is told in first person. Two starlings take to the air as a chilly morning warns of colder weather to come. It is time to leave. As they rise and fly for many days, they join other starlings and become a giant flock. Hundreds, then thousands, finally millions together in flight - they become a murmuration. Their numbers provide strength and warmth. Now, all must pay attention to their surroundings and count on each other to move forward.
"Oh no!
A peregrine falcon!
We must get away!
I veer.
My allies veer.
Their allies veer.
We all change course."
When the enemy bird is averted, the murmuration turns to fun and dance. An elegant and extraordinary gatefold, created using watercolor, pencil and digital collage, is testament to the colossal numbers of birds that swoop and swirl across a sunset sky. Then, suddenly, they all land to feed and rest.
Accurate information, simply stated in poetic text, is enhanced by the beauty in movement these starlings display. An endnote contributes additional information about starling behavior for readers. It is a stunning read aloud book for family reading and in classrooms.
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