Migration Nation

May 4, 2015
Ranger Rick, the National Wildlife Federation’s nature-loving raccoon and magazine star, helps children follow the migratory paths of nine animals across land, sea, and sky. A section on “herptiles” (reptiles and amphibians) takes readers to southern Illinois where some 50 species of snakes and amphibians migrate across “Snake Road” each spring and autumn; a segment about grey whales traces their 10,000-mile journey from Alaska to Mexico, “one of the world’s longest animal migrations.” Photographs, migration maps, and resources for readers who hope to witness firsthand some of these migrations round out a solid introduction to some impressive feats of animal ambulation. Ages 8–12.

May 1, 2015

Gr 4-8-This well-researched effort, crowded with photos, maps, and text boxes, introduces the migratory habits of a dozen (mostly) North American animals. O'Sullivan explores migration by land (examining snakes, pronghorns, bison, and polar bears), by sea (salmon, manatees, and gray whales), and by sky (cranes and monarch butterflies). In addition to a few pages of general information, each entry contains some "Quick Facts" (the animal's range, how many miles it travels, which seasons it journeys), material on ways in which people are working to protect the species in question, maps of migration paths, and a list of resources for observing these creatures in the wild. The writing is accessible, while the layout is busy yet attractive. The book ends with an extensive index and suggested sites for further study. VERDICT A fine overview of the topic; ideal for researchers and browsers.-Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2015
O'Sullivan invites readers to join North American animals who regularly take to the "Herptile Highway," the "Polar Bear Parkway," "Bison Boulevard," or "Salmon Street."Whether driven by seasonal changes in food sources, the "need to breed," or, like monarch butterflies, more mysterious urges, some animals travel hundreds or even thousands of miles over cyclical routes. The author highlights a dozen creatures and mentions others. She marvels at the seemingly miraculous navigation skills of salmon and gray whales and sounds ominous notes about rapidly declining populations of monarchs and polar bears; she describes efforts to create safer crossings over paved roads for migratory snakes and amphibians ("herptiles") in Illinois' Shawnee National Forest and migration corridors through fenced-in land for pronghorn antelopes in Wyoming and elsewhere. Along with maps and photos aplenty, she tucks in kid-friendly factual snippets about each creature, as well as specific locations where each can be observed on its habitual round. Though many of the photographs go uncaptioned and so add little beyond eye candy, this broad and breezy overview will stimulate young animal lovers' "need to read" about one of the natural world's behavioral wonders. Budding biologists who have taken first steps with the likes of Marianne Bertes' Going Home: The Mysteries of Animal Migration, illustrated by Jennifer DiRubbio (2010), will find themselves drawn further down that road. (Nonfiction. 10-13)

June 1, 2015
Grades 3-6 This informative and fun-to-read book explores the yearly migrations of more than a dozen North American animals of land, sea, and sky, including pronghorns; bison; polar bears; manatees; salmon; gray whales; cranes; herptiles (snakes, frogs, toads, salamanders, turtles); and monarch butterflies. Lively text describes the migratory routes for each animal (e.g., the monarch flyway ) accompanied by migratory maps and color photos from the National Wildlife Federation. Fast-Lane Facts list the start and end points of the animals' migrations, including how many miles and in which seasons they travel. O'Sullivan details how they stay fueled up for their journeys and how environmental issues ( Road Blocks ) affect them. Examples of solutions devised by scientists ( Roadside Assistance ) are included, such as toad tunnels built under bridges to help toads avoid being hit by vehicles during their migration. Kids will appreciate the suggestions on how they can help, too. Sections entitled Catching up with . . . offer lists of places where readers can experience the animals' migrations in person. An enjoyable resource for kids fascinated by the mysteries of animal migration.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)