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A review by djblock99
Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose
5.0
I wasn't particularly looking forward to reading this book, and so was completely surprised when I thoroughly enjoyed it. I knew nothing about red knots going in, and had assumed that B95 was a number assigned to the species, rather than an individual bird. B95 is the hero of the story, a nearly 20-year-old bird who thrives in a harsh world. He's nicknamed Moonbird because he's flown at least as far as to the moon and halfway back, and probably further. As a long-time survivor among a species that seems destined for extinction, it's hard not to root for him. After I was done reading, I immediately went online to see whether I could find an update on B95's last known whereabouts.
The design of the book is very similar to the "Scientist in the Field" series, which I love, and the abundant maps and color photographs made it easy to follow along with the birds as they migrate all the way from the southern tip of Argentina to the Arctic Circle -- over 9000 miles. As I read, I imagined that I could be watching a BBC documentary like Planet Earth or an IMAX movie like March of the Penguins. My favorite picture is the blimpish red knot on page 31, who's fattened up to prepare for the journey.
The design of the book is very similar to the "Scientist in the Field" series, which I love, and the abundant maps and color photographs made it easy to follow along with the birds as they migrate all the way from the southern tip of Argentina to the Arctic Circle -- over 9000 miles. As I read, I imagined that I could be watching a BBC documentary like Planet Earth or an IMAX movie like March of the Penguins. My favorite picture is the blimpish red knot on page 31, who's fattened up to prepare for the journey.