Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 2-5. Staub's good-looking book from the Early Bird nature series introduces herons, especially those native to North America. The words and excellent full-color photographs work together effectively to show the variety of species in the heron family as well as their behaviors and habitats. The last chapter explains how the fashion for feathered hats in the late 1800s led to the near-extinction of egrets, but it details how their population has rebounded since laws were passed to protect egrets and other herons. The relatively large type, short sentences, and generous use of white space give the text a readable look. A good, simple introduction to a distinctive family of birds. (Reviewed July 1997)0822530171Carolyn Phelan
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-7This introduction to the heron family, which includes egrets and bitterns, provides basic information about the birds' physical characteristics, behavior, and life cycles. Staub focuses on the commonalties among the species but does touch upon ways in which they differ. The text, written in short declarative sentences, is simple but often stiff. Nonetheless, the overall format is attractive with good-quality, full-color photographs on every page. Follow-up bird-study activities are appended. Wyatt Blassingame's Wonders of Egrets, Bitterns, and Herons (Dodd, 1982; o.p.) is more detailed and is written in a livelier manner, but is a blander looking package. Herons will be useful for reports and will appeal to nature lovers.Cynthia M. Sturgis, Ledding Library, Milwaukee, OR (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A clear, concise, and accessible text introduces the heron family. The book includes discussion of preening, hunting, and roosting; tells how to distinguish these wetland birds from storks and cranes; and describes their recovery from near extinction as a result of the demand for plume feathers in the late 1800s. Color photographs, many of them up-close, effectively portray these unique birds and their habitat. Glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Herons are the long-legged, needle-beaked birds that vigilantly comb marshlands for food. Ranging in color from blue to gray to white, these birds were almost hunted to extinction at the turn of the century for their magnificent plumes (used in women's millinery). Thanks to wildlife protection laws, herons are once again common in the US. This entry in the Early Bird Nature series explores, in a simple format, some of the lesser-known facts about herons and their habits. For example, while herons are found near water, they avoid getting their feathers wet, which would make them unable to fly. Helping them stay dry is powder down--a down that traps water and dirt and turns into powder when the bird preens. This kind of intriguing fact makes for good reading, but there isn't enough information about the birds' precarious-looking twig nests, their feeding and flying habits, or their mating rituals. A note for adults that includes hints for using the book seems self-evident. (map, glossary, index) (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-10)
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