John Audubon: Young Naturalist Book

As an adult, John Audubon was the best known wildlife artist of the 19th century, and his book, Birds of America, is the standard against which all subsequent bird art has been measured. In this story about the artist's childhood in the West Indies and France, John's love of drawing sends him into the fields and woods near his country house in pursuit of winged models. Games and adventures also beckon: John confronts a ghost in the old water mill tower, presents his friend Cecile with a surprise birthday gift (that goes horribly wrong!), and sails off to seek his fortune in America. Special features include a summary of John's adult accomplishments, fun facts detailing little-known information about him, and a time line of his life.

Children's Literature

This "new edition" from the "Young Patriots" series was first published in 1962 as John Audubon: Boy Naturalist. This fictionalized account of the early life of John Audubon has an abundance of black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout. The story reads as a simple chapter book with the historical characters as the focus of the story. While the text provides the reader with a good story, there are no references or source notes to allow the reader to recognize the fact from the fiction. One cannot tell what part of the story is based on historical fact and what is the author's imagination. The story concludes just before John Audubon becomes famous. As a result, there is a small list of "what happened next." A minute "fun facts," a basic timeline, and a small glossary are provided, although they will only be used as a starting point for those who are interested.