The Book of North American Owls [Hardcover]

Helen Roney Sattler (Author), Jean Day Zallinger (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 1995 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Humans have long regarded owls with a mixture of fear and fascination. Since most owls are nocturnal, and many live in remote habitats, they were not well studied until the past two decades. The owl remains a symbol of wisdom; however, the birds' keen senses, hunting ability, and contributions to their ecosystem are equally impressive. Packed with scrupulously accurate information and meticulous watercolor illustrations, "The Book of North American Owls" covers owl classification and history, habitat, life cycle-and the complex relationship between owls and humans. The comprehensive glossary includes all of the twenty-one North American species.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7?Sattler and Zallinger return to the successful format of The Book of Eagles (Lothrop, 1989) to showcase another raptor. Limiting themselves to those found in North America allows children to focus on those they might actually see in the wild, but still offers detail on a great variety of sizes, behaviors, and habitats. Sattler begins with a personal childhood story and often introduces a new topic with anecdotal narrative to draw in youngsters. Historical and scientific background information is given, followed by a clearly organized picture of the bird's life cycle and place in nature. At one point, the author veers too close to fiction, translating an owl's mating calls into English, and she espouses a positive view of its place in the ecosystem (a position some farmers and loggers take issue with). On the whole, though, this is a balanced, entertaining, and informative selection. The second half of the book is a pictorial glossary of owls that highlights each of the 21 species that live on this continent; it includes good range maps, specific behavioral and physical facts, and calls. The attractive drawings, clean format, and generous size contribute to this appealing treat for nature fans.?Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-6. Amply illustrated with color pencil and watercolor artwork, this large-format book introduces the physical features and habits of North American owls. Sattler explains how owls differ from other birds; what makes them good predators; how they court, nest, and raise their young; and what their collective future might be. Following this, a useful "Glossary of Owls" introduces 21 species of owls, each described on a page that includes a large full-color illustration and a map showing its summer and winter ranges of habitat. A bibliography is appended. A very attractive offering, intriguing to read and well designed for research. Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books; Library Binding edition (March 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395605245
• ISBN-13: 978-0395605240
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,475,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are Studying Owls, This is the Book, November 19, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Book of North American Owls (Hardcover)

The pictures are amazing and they have a page for many of the different owls. Each picture is filled with detail and the author gives lots of information. If you have a research project due on owls this is the book to get.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book of North American Owls, March 27, 2008

By 

Dianna S. Bryant ""Owlwin"" (North West Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of North American Owls (Paperback)

This is a great, easy to understand, thorough book on North American Owls. I have worked rehabilitating owls and in doing educational programs with non-releaseable owls for five years. I'm using this book as an educational tool, I have bought copies to share with other wildlife rehabilitators. If you love owls and want to learn more about them, this is a great source of knowledge, the art work is beautiful the text covers just about everything that a person could think to ask. Dianna Sue Bryant

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best non-fiction book ever!!!, July 31, 2008

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Book of North American Owls (Paperback)

This is probly the best non-fiction book I've ever read. it's packed with information and the illustraitions are beautiful. In the back of the book, there's a "glossary of owls" with short essays of a few types of owls, containing their size, call, latin name, what they eat, etc. This book is definitly a must-have.