After decades of declining numbers, ospreys are on the rise again. Discover more about how people are helping ospreys recover with the new picture book, Swoop and Soar: How Science Rescued Two Osprey Orphans and Found Them A New Family In The Wild by Deborah Lee Rose and Jane Veltkamp.
In the first part of the book, we hold our breaths following the perilous journey of two newly-hatched osprey chicks. One night a storm destroys Swoop and Soar’s nest and the chicks fall to the ground. Nearby, another osprey family has lost their offspring, but still come back to their nest. With a little help from Jane, will the new family adopt the homeless chicks?
What comes after is not so much back matter as a second fascinating book about ospreys and how biologist Jane Veltkamp works hard to rescue them.
The illustrations are glorious full color photographs. The text matches the illustrations perfectly. Some of the photographs will make you ask, “How did they get that?”
With Swoop and Soar, get hooked by the nail-biting story of the chicks, then stick around for some amazing information about ospreys. Highly recommended!
Related activities:
Visit Deborah Lee Rose’s author website for a free educational guide.
Birds of Prey Northwest has additional information about Swoop and Soar and other raptors.
Activity: Check the status of ospreys where you live.
Growing up in western New York state, we rarely saw ospreys even though we had ponds and lakes everywhere. Now, a few decades later, it is common to find the huge osprey nests atop utility poles. It is wonderful that the birds are on the rebound.
Check with your local Audubon Society or bird watching organization to find out whether ospreys are found in your area. Take a trip to look for them.
See our previous post about eagles and ospreys for information on how to identify both birds.
Looking for more children’s books about birds? Check our growing list at Science Books for Kids.
Reading age †: ‎ 5 – 13 years
Publisher †: ‎ Persnickety Press (September 5, 2022)
ISBN-10 †: ‎ 1943978565
ISBN-13 †: ‎ 978-1943978564
Disclosure: An e-ARC of this book was provided by the publisher for review purposes. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.
Love children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.
