The boy who drew birds : a story of John James Audubon / by Jacqueline Davies ; illustrated by Melissa Sweet.

Title:

Author:

Davies, Jacqueline, 1962- author.

Sweet, Melissa, 1956- illustrator.

Summary:

"If there was one thing James loved to do more than anything else, it was to be in the great outdoors watching his beloved feathered friends. In the fall of 1804, he was determined to find out if the birds nesting near his Pennsylvania home would really return the following spring. Through careful observation, James laid the foundation for all that we know about migration patterns today. Capturing the early passion of this bird-obsessed young man as well as the meticulous study and scientific methods behind his research, this lively, gorgeously illustrated biography will leave young readers listening intently for the call of birds large and small near their own home." -- Amazon.com.

Physical Description:

1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill., col. map ; 26 cm.

Genre:

Picture books.

Personal Subject:

Audubon, John James, 1785-1851.

Subject Term:

Ornithologists.

Animal painters.

Author(s):

Sweet, Melissa, 1956-

Publisher:

Houghton Mifflin Co.,

Electronic Access:

Publisher description

Publication Date:

2004

ISBN:

9780618243433

Publication Information:

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Co., 2004.

Call Number:

P DAVIES

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003587477	Picture Books	DAVIES	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

This fascinating picture book biography from beloved author of the Lemonade War series Jacqueline Davies and Caldecott honor-winning illustrator Melissa Sweet chronicles the life of scientist John James Audubon, who pioneered a technique essential to our understanding of birds thanks to his lifelong love for the species.

If there was one thing James loved to do more than anything else, it was to be in the great outdoors watching his beloved feathered friends.

In the fall of 1804, he was determined to find out if the birds nesting near his Pennsylvania home would really return the following spring. Through careful observation, James laid the foundation for all that we know about migration patterns today.

Capturing the early passion of this bird-obsessed young man as well as the meticulous study and scientific methods behind his research, this lively, gorgeously illustrated biography will leave young readers listening intently for the call of birds large and small near their own home.

Author Notes

Melissa Sweet is the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator of many fine children's books including Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White , winner of the NCTE Orbis Pictus award, Balloons Over Broadway , a Sibert winner, and The Right Word and A River of Words , both Caldecott Honors. Reviewers have described her unique mixed-media illustrations as exuberant," "outstanding," and "a creative delight." Melissa lives on the beautiful coast of Maine. In addition to writing and painting, she enjoys gardening, hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. For more information about the author and her work, visit her online at melissasweet.net.

Jacqueline Davies is the talented writer of several novels and picture books, including The Lemonade War series, the Sydney & Taylor series, and The Boy Who Drew Birds. Ms. Davies lives in Needham, Massachusetts, with her family.

www.jacquelinedavies.net

"

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 2-4-This readable account focuses on a short period in the famous naturalist's youth. Audubon, who was born and raised in France, was sent to America at age 18 to avoid service in Napoleon's army. Living in his father's farmhouse in Pennsylvania, he roamed the countryside and observed nature. His interest in birds and their migration habits led him to watch a family of pewee flycatchers (Eastern Phoebes) that nested in a limestone cave nearby. In order to determine whether the same creatures returned each year, he banded the young birds with silver thread before they flew south in autumn, providing a means of identification when they returned in spring. Davies relates how the self-taught painter and ornithologist combined his artistic talent and keen skills of observation to produce detailed, life-sized portraits of birds "alive and moving." Sweet's extensive research is evident in her carefully crafted, mixed-media artwork, which includes photos of found objects, re-created pages from a nature sketchbook, maps, and watercolor paintings of young Audubon in the rolling Pennsylvania countryside. Students writing reports can find further information in Peter Anderson's John James Audubon: Wildlife Artist (Sagebrush, 1996). The Boy Who Drew Birds is a wonderful and accessible introduction to a man who made a great impact on the science of ornithology.-Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Publisher's Weekly Review

The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies, illus. by Melissa Sweet, tells of the naturalist's lifelong study of his feathered friends. Author and artist portray Audubon as a curious and dedicated young adult who meticulously studied birds, their sounds, characteristics and behavior. Sweet uses a combination of pencils, ink and watercolors overlaid on several different types and textures of paper, and often incorporates photographs of fossils, feathers and more. A handsome presentation of this influential man's life. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved