Nights of the Pufflings [Paperback]

Bruce McMillan (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

The annual tradition of Icelandic children rescuing thousands of stranded young puffins is documented in this unique photo essay.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-An extremely handsome photo essay that shows a breeding season in a colony of North Atlantic puffins on Heimaey, largest of the Westmann Islands off the southwest coast of Iceland. McMillan hangs his informative text on the framework of young Halla and her friends, who await the first flight of the pufflings with eager joy. Many of these fledglings fail to reach the sea on this maiden flight, landing in Halla's village below the cliffs. Here the children wait, armed with cardboard boxes and flashlights, racing to rescue the pufflings before they become prey for cats or dogs, or run over by passing vehicles. Staying up all night, sleeping late into the morning, the children spend two unusual weeks rescuing thousands of baby birds and releasing them to the sea. McMillan's crisp full-color photos record courting and nesting behavior of the puffins and the activities of the children waiting for and performing their rescues. A fine book to foster empathy in young people as well as to inform them, and to show them that children can make a difference in the world.
Patricia Manning, Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 2^-4. McMillan makes each bird, person, or place he photographs look special. In this book, he takes us to an island off the coast of Iceland, where Icelandic children and puffins alike seem alert and magical. On nights when the youngest puffins, called pufflings, take their first flight, the children organize to rescue the birds who don't make it to the sea. Readers will love the local custom as well as the fact that there's not a single adult shown organizing the lifesaving effort. The quality of light and the combination of crisp close-ups and beautiful landscapes that McMillan uses make every shot in the book seem to capture a perfect day. Mary Harris Veeder --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (March 3, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395856930
• ISBN-13: 978-0395856932
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,095,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful and inspiring, January 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Nights of the Pufflings (Paperback)

This is one of the loveliest children's books I've ever read -- not only because the photographs are so stunning -- gorgeously reproduced, and in turns beautiful, humorous, charming, or downright cute -- but also because it shows children working together to take care of the natural world. Really, really wonderful -- don't miss it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story of the lives of children in another country, September 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Nights of the Pufflings (Paperback)

This is a story about small children on an island off the coast of Iceland and how they save pufflings--baby puffins--who go astray on their first flight to the sea and get stranded on the island. The photography is beautiful, and the story emphasizes the puffins' life cycle and how the children know to be ready to rescue the pufflings at the end of the summer. The book is a wonderful vehicle for children where I live (New York City) to imagine life in a completely different place.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it...., August 23, 2002

By 

Malene E. Cavin "icegirl" (Nebraska, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nights of the Pufflings (Paperback)

We have loved this book for years now, and I wish it was easier to get. I wanted to get a copy for each of my children as we just experienced the Night of the Pufflings ourselves, but it must be out of print. Bruce McMillan has managed to capture the event so realistically that we in fact used his book as a "how to" manual of sorts. He describes everything from how the children capture the pufflings to how and where they are released. It gives children - anywhere in the world - a wonderful look into how other children live! We also like, how he incorporated Icelandic words (and their pronounciations) into the book. A wonderfully written and illustrated book!