Bald Eagle - Softcover

Gordon Morrison is a well-known naturalist whose work has been praised by Roger Tory Peterson as "Marvelous, beautiful, excellent . . . Morrison’s work is so inspiring that I wish such clear material was available when I was slowly learning ecology. . . . We owe a debt of gratitude to Gordon for his interpretive skills as an artist. He is a superb teacher who uses visual methods." Robert Bateman likened his work to that of Albrecht Durer and Andrew Wyeth. Gordon Morrison makes his home in Massachusetts.

Kindergarten-Grade 5ALarge watercolor and black-ink drawings illustrate the life cycle of the American bald eagle. The dramatic but straightforward text begins with the first of two eagle eggs hatching and follows the development of both nestlings until they are able to feed themselves, fly, and undertake winter migration. Come late winter or early spring, the parent eagles mate again, and as the book closes, they are set to witness the first of their new brood hatching. This alone would make a successful ornithological study for young readers. Morrison adds yet another layer: many of the book's pages also contain highly detailed anatomical drawings in pencil and more advanced explanations that enlarge the range of information for older readers. They add details on subjects such as how eagles fly, the color phases that the birds pass through during their five-year journey to maturity, the animals on which eagles prey, and how they catch fish. Adults reading to primary-aged children can easily skip over the more sophisticated material. Although there is no shortage of fine books that explore the life history of bald eagles, this one is unique in its usefulness and attractiveness.AEllen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
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