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timna_wyckoff's review against another edition
5.0
Read for 5th grade book club. This guy is SUCH a talented writer! His books take important topics and pitch them EXACTLY appropriately for mid-late elementary kids. There is SO MUCH information in here (I cannot overstate this....the biology concepts, techniques, details are amazingly well-researched) and it's SO accessible. I'm raving about this to everyone I know.
roseleaf24's review against another edition
3.0
The story of this bird is fascinating. He has lived close to twenty years and traveled incredible distances every year to follow food sources and bulk up for the legs of his long journey to the breeding grounds in the Arctic. I enjoyed the profiles of people involved in the study and conservation of red knots as well. The book didn't grip me, though. I found the sidebars very distracting, as they frequently were placed on pages without natural breaks, so I would have to interrupt the flow of the story or remember to go back for the information later. I also found the chapter on extinction excessive.
whatsthestorywishbone's review against another edition
3.0
This was on a best of middle grade non-fiction list and fit our 2023 Library Reading Challenge requirement (300-600 Dewey decimal book), so I picked it up. My son is definitely an animal person while I am not and we listened to this on audio, read by the author. I learned quite a bit, but it wasn’t as exciting as I was hoping for. It reads exactly like you are listening to National Geographic. Reid enjoyed it but said he didn’t learn too much that was new. I would say red/listen if you love wildlife documentaries.
alboyer6's review against another edition
4.0
Once again Hoose writes a great one. Through the story of just one bird, a 20 year old Red knot, B95, he teaches you about the Red Knot life cycle, ecology, conservation and how anyone can help. B95 has lived far longer than any had expected. Year after year he makes the arduous from the southerly tip of South America to islands north of the Hudson Bay. Since he was tagged in 1995 he has been recaptured and tagged again. As recently as 2011 he and his distinctive series of leg band colors were spotted again. A compelling tale that leaves you hoping that B95 is still out there flying thousands of miles each year.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
5.0
I do so love modern nonfiction for young people. This book did so many things well: gave a species nearing extinction a recognizable persona, showed scientific method in action, offered jobs in science, and gave kids ways to make a difference.
The migration of the red knot is presented in all its complexity, tied with the other species that make it possible and the various ways humans affect it.
The writing was clear and interesting and I will be looking for B95 on the coast this year.
The migration of the red knot is presented in all its complexity, tied with the other species that make it possible and the various ways humans affect it.
The writing was clear and interesting and I will be looking for B95 on the coast this year.
emilywv's review against another edition
5.0
I'm going to agree with Donalyn, whose review claims, "Quite possibly one of the best children's nonfiction books I've ever read." I'd also recommend it to adults. Fascinating, encouraging, and inspiring. And I love books with a "What you can do" section, like this one has in the Appendix.
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
I am not a person who thinks much or cares much about birds. In fact, I have only ever entertained two thoughts about them:
1. They are frequently tasty.
2. They are annoying when I'm trying to sleep in.
This book had me seriously interested in the fate of a bird and through him an entire species of birds. Well done, Mr. Hoose. For anyone who thinks scientific non-fiction can't have plot I offer up this book to prove you wrong. As you read you can't help but cheer and fear for B95 as he makes his perilous journey from Tierra del Fuego to the Arctic and back again. Through the story of this bird's migratory journey Hoose supplies the reader with knowledge of shorebirds, their environment, what they eat, how humans are impacting them, and the scientists that track them. The importance of conservation and the fragile balance of ecosystems is woven throughout the book. I found it to emphasized enough to convey its import, while managing to just avoid didacticism.
There were several inserts I found to be distracting that pulled me away from the well written narrative that is core of the book.
1. They are frequently tasty.
2. They are annoying when I'm trying to sleep in.
This book had me seriously interested in the fate of a bird and through him an entire species of birds. Well done, Mr. Hoose. For anyone who thinks scientific non-fiction can't have plot I offer up this book to prove you wrong. As you read you can't help but cheer and fear for B95 as he makes his perilous journey from Tierra del Fuego to the Arctic and back again. Through the story of this bird's migratory journey Hoose supplies the reader with knowledge of shorebirds, their environment, what they eat, how humans are impacting them, and the scientists that track them. The importance of conservation and the fragile balance of ecosystems is woven throughout the book. I found it to emphasized enough to convey its import, while managing to just avoid didacticism.
There were several inserts I found to be distracting that pulled me away from the well written narrative that is core of the book.
beatniksafari's review against another edition
4.0
Phillip Hoose describes the amazing feats of the rufa red knot, a migratory bird that travels thousands of miles each year, using insightful examples and energetic prose. Extraordinary photos accompany the text.
seifknits's review against another edition
4.0
I really didn't think I was going to be interested in this, but it was actually pretty fascinating.
librariandest's review against another edition
4.0
Phillip Hoose is a mighty fine writer. I have almost zero interest in birds and migratory patterns (I get bored just typing "migratory patterns"), but his excellent storytelling pulled me into this book! Hoose charts the annual journey all rufa red knots take, and it's really astounding. Most go all the way from Tierra del Fuego (the very bottom of South America) all the way to the Canadian Arctic. At the same time, the story is made more interesting by Hoose's focus on one particular red knot: B95 AKA the Moonbird. B95 is the oldest red knot known to scientists and has flown the equivalent of the distance to the moon and back. Crazy!
The other characters populating this book are the humans involved in the red knot story. Mostly they're scientists and bird enthusiasts, but Hoose also profiles a fisherman whose job is made more difficult by conservationists' efforts in Delaware.
Lots of maps and photographs help make this a really appealing non-fiction pick for readers, especially those in 5th to 8th grade. There's a section in the back about how kids can get involved in the effort to help rebuild the struggling red knot population.
And, finally, when Hoose thanks his wife as the end of the book, he writes, "It is a joy to migrate through life with her." :)
The other characters populating this book are the humans involved in the red knot story. Mostly they're scientists and bird enthusiasts, but Hoose also profiles a fisherman whose job is made more difficult by conservationists' efforts in Delaware.
Lots of maps and photographs help make this a really appealing non-fiction pick for readers, especially those in 5th to 8th grade. There's a section in the back about how kids can get involved in the effort to help rebuild the struggling red knot population.
And, finally, when Hoose thanks his wife as the end of the book, he writes, "It is a joy to migrate through life with her." :)