Whistling Wings Book

Marcel, a young tundra swan, is tired from the first half of a winter migration. One thousand miles is a long way to fly-too long for Marcel, so he hides in the rushes to stay behind while his parents and the flock continue south. But with the lake nearly frozen over, he soon realizes that he is not cut out for life on ice. Other animals offer advice about how to survive the winter, but their ways of living aren't right for the swan. Hungry and scared, he falls asleep - only to be awakened by a big surprise!

Children's Literature

Powerful verbs paint beautiful scenes in this migration tale featuring Marcel, a young swan. The tale begins with Marcel, his parents, and a large swan flock pausing to rest and eat at a large lake. The lake is rich in food and Marcel loves it. However, he learns of a one thousand mile journey the flock has yet to make and he becomes disenchanted. He hides when the swan flock departs so he does not have to make the trip. He soon sees the error he has made when the lake begins to freeze and food is scarce. While alone, a muskrat, eagle, and raccoon willingly show Marcel how to make a home and what to eat. But to Marcel's dismay, their ways are not the ways of geese and he ends up cold, hungry, and scared. Finally, as he hovers near a log in the moonlight, he hears the welcome whistling call of his parents who have returned to find him. The reunion is happy, his parents help him find food, and Marcel is ready to take off on the long journey he did not want to undertake before. This captivating story works well to teach about migration. It also includes a good lesson. Rich, realistic illustrations capture the wintery scenes. Unique borders enrich some illustrated pages. Text and illustrations combine in a perfect blend to produce a heart-warming tale. This book could be used to supplement science lessons. Reviewer: Nancy Garhan Attebury