The Flight of the Snow Geese
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Focusing on the birds' migration patterns, King follows some snow geese from their breeding grounds in the far north to New Mexico and briefly comments on their return trip at the end of winter. They encounter hunters, varied habitats, and children who wonder about where they came from and where they are going. One illustration shows people in full Native regalia, including the feathered wings of snow geese, who are presumably welcoming the birds to "...a season of rest,/ to Whispering Water,/ a vast wilderness./ A valley of peace in New Mexico/ in the ancient land of the Pueblo." Youngsters who may not know that Native people sometimes have special legal dispensation to collect otherwise protected species might find the implications of this picture ironic and confusing. Nevertheless, early elementary children will respond to the lyrical, sometimes rhyming text, and to the expansive watercolor paintings of the geese and the landscapes through which they travel. Adults will find this book easy to share and discuss. A page of further information about migration is appended.Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, ORCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.