A gorgeously illustrated, lyrical non-fiction picture book about loons.
It’s summertime, and as darkness falls there is a haunting sound from the lake — Ooh-hoo-oo, ooh-hoo-oo. It is a loon calling to its family across the water.
This lyrical story follows the life cycle of two loon chicks. We see them breaking out of their eggshells, then learning to swim, find food and avoid predators such as snapping turtles and big bass fish. After they learn to fly, they migrate to the ocean. And when their striking black-and-white feathers finally emerge, they fly inland, each to find a new lake territory and mate.
Accompanying Susan Vande Griek’s poetic text are Karen Reczuch’s gorgeous illustrations, which show the loons as they grow from tiny downy chicks to majestic adult birds. An afterword provides more information on loons, including their amazing diving ability, the meanings of their calls, and the environmental threats that they face. Also illustrated are five different types of loons and other animals that can be found in their lake habitat. The illustrations were researched in the Ornithology Collections at the Royal Ontario Museum, and Ron Ridout of Bird Studies Canada consulted on the text.
Key Text Features
illustrations
author’s note
further reading
labels
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5
Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7
Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
A gorgeously illustrated, lyrical non-fiction picture book about loons.
It’s summertime, and as darkness falls there is a haunting sound from the lake — Ooh-hoo-oo, ooh-hoo-oo. It is a loon calling to its family across the water.
This lyrical story follows the life cycle of two loon chicks. We see them breaking out of their eggshells, then learning to swim, find food and avoid predators such as snapping turtles and big bass fish. After they learn to fly, they migrate to the ocean. And when their striking black-and-white feathers finally emerge, they fly inland, each to find a new lake territory and mate.
Accompanying Susan Vande Griek’s poetic text are Karen Reczuch’s gorgeous illustrations, which show the loons as they grow from tiny downy chicks to majestic adult birds. An afterword provides more information on loons, including their amazing diving ability, the meanings of their calls, and the environmental threats that they face. Also illustrated are five different types of loons and other animals that can be found in their lake habitat. The illustrations were researched in the Ornithology Collections at the Royal Ontario Museum, and Ron Ridout of Bird Studies Canada consulted on the text.
Key Text Features
illustrations
author’s note
further reading
labels
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5
Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7
Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Nov 15, 2012 |
| Specifications | 48 pages | 8.75 in x 11 in |
| Keywords | migration; birds; animal life cycle; seasons; habitats and ecosystems; natural world; nonfiction for kids; nature; ornithology; bird watching; respect for environment; onomatopoeia; imagery; informational text; figurative language; summarizing; Common Core aligned; CC Literature Craft and Structure; CC Literature Integration of Knowledge and Ideas; grade 1; grade 2; grade 5; Norma Fleck Award; USBBY Outstanding International Book List; Information Book award; poetry; picture book; illustrations; |
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Supporting Resources
(select item to download) |
Teacher's Guide |
| Written By |
SUSAN VANDE GRIEK is the author of several highly acclaimed children’s books. Her picture book Loon, illustrated by Karen Reczuch, was named a USBBY Outstanding International Book and won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award and the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, among others. She has also written Go Home Bay, illustrated by Pascal Milelli, about the artist Tom Thomson, and An Owl at Sea, illustrated by Ian Wallace. Susan lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| Illustrated by |
KAREN RECZUCH has illustrated many award-winning children’s books. Loon by Susan Vande Griek won the TD Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-fiction, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Picture Book Award and the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada’s Information Book Award. Karen’s other books include West Coast Wild, also the winner of the Information Book Award, and three more titles in the West Coast Wild series, all by Deborah Hodge. Karen lives in Lake Country, BC. |
| Written By |
|
SUSAN VANDE GRIEK is the author of several highly acclaimed children’s books. Her picture book Loon, illustrated by Karen Reczuch, was named a USBBY Outstanding International Book and won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award and the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, among others. She has also written Go Home Bay, illustrated by Pascal Milelli, about the artist Tom Thomson, and An Owl at Sea, illustrated by Ian Wallace. Susan lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| Illustrated by |
|
KAREN RECZUCH has illustrated many award-winning children’s books. Loon by Susan Vande Griek won the TD Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-fiction, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Picture Book Award and the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada’s Information Book Award. Karen’s other books include West Coast Wild, also the winner of the Information Book Award, and three more titles in the West Coast Wild series, all by Deborah Hodge. Karen lives in Lake Country, BC. |
| Audience | ages 4 to 7 / grades K to 2 |
| Reading Levels | Lexile AD920L |
| Key Text Features | illustrations; author's note; further reading; labels |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5 |
Winner, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award, 2012
Winner, Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, 2011
Winner, Children's Literature Roundtable Information Book Award, 2012
“A lyrical text and lush, full-color illustrations . . . A warm and nurturing story of parent/chick bonding, this title will be great for storytimes as well as one-on-one sharing.” —School Library Journal
“Powerful . . . A bird book and an art book . . . It presents the mysterious, wild, natural world as a place to observe and wonder.” —Toronto Star
“Poetic prose . . . [and] stunning double-page paintings.” —Globe and Mail