HAWKS KETTLE, PUFFINS WHEEL

AND OTHER POEMS OF BIRDS IN FLIGHT

WRITTEN BY SUSAN VANDE GRIEK

ILLUSTRATED BY MARK HOFFMANN

This lyrical celebration of birds explores the fascinating ways these creatures move through the air. For each of twelve birds from around the world, a captivating poem describes the animal's distinctive movement and the special word associated with that movement, from geese who skein and puffins who wheel, to crows who mob and starlings who murmurate. The evocative language conveys the beauty of each bird and describes the sights and sounds of how each one makes its own unmistakable way in the world. An informational sidebar complements each poem, describing the reasons behind the bird's way of flying.

Award-winning children’s author Susan Vande Griek has created a unique exploration of the magnificence of birds in flight. Illustrator Mark Hoffmann captures the animals with bold, highly engaging artwork that makes this book a visual standout among traditional nature books. 

• Best of the Best Books of 2019, Chicago Public Library

• 2021 Yellow Cedar Award, short-listed

• 2019 Alcuin Design Awards, short-listed

• “A fresh and original approach to the study of birds and words.” Kirkus Reviews

• “An elegant introduction to the wonder of flight that will have readers watching the behavior of neighborhood birdslong after the book has been absorbed.” Booklist

• “This nice combination of poetry, prose and illustrations make this a good read-aloud and book to share.” School Library Journal

• “Hoffman’s of-the-moment, stylized illustrations employ rich colors — icy blues, saturated yellows, frosted greens — to capture plumage and landscape in playful compositions that use a variety of perspectives to create a sense of motion.” Publishers Weekly

• “Combines light and airy poems, which will just soar into the imagination of young readers, with fascinating facts that explore the different ways birds move.” Globe and Mail