Pigeons [Hardcover]

Dorothy Hinshaw Patent (Author), William Munoz (Photographer)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Through a friendly text and full color photographs, the history and habits of pigeons are described and detailed.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7. This colorful and highly informative book presents an abundance of facts about these birds' habits, breeds, and close association with humans. Patent traces the origins of pigeons from their forebears, the rock doves of Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. Descriptions of one of these descendants, the feral pigeon, will provide food for thought for readers who are used to seeing pigeons as part of an urban environment. Substantiation of pigeon intelligence is provided through a chapter devoted to that topic, which includes examples of different experiments done to determine the birds' mental capabilities. The usefulness of homing pigeons and their long history of serving humankind is described as is pigeon racing (the national sport in Belgium). Full-color photos of these diverse and interesting creatures add much to the text, while a glossary and index help make it a valuable resource. For those who thought pigeons were just an annoying fact of city life, this book is enlightening. It should also be of interest to any student doing research or simply curious about the many varieties and talents of the pigeon family.?Carol Fazioli, Cardinal Hayes Library, Manhattan College, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"This informative book offers a well-researched and readable text illustrated with clear, full-color photographs. . . . This excellent addition to science collections will make readers come away with a new respect for this common bird." Booklist, ALA

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (April 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395698480
• ISBN-13: 978-0395698488
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,038,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book., June 1, 2003

By 

Ruth Henriquez Lyon (Duluth, Minnesota USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pigeons (Hardcover)

I remember the first time I saw pigeons; I was five years old and had been taken into Washington, D.C. on a field trip. There was a group of them on the sidewalk near the Natural History Museum, strutting around a food cart. I took one look at their iridescent necks, gray and buff bodies, and inquisitive orange eyes, and I was hooked. Never mind that the adult who accompanied us sneered, "Oh, they're just vermin." Being a child, I knew better than to listen to someone who was unable to see beauty when it was staring her in the face.

In this book, Ms. Patent gives children a view of pigeons for what they really are, touching on their beauty, their intelligence, and the benefits they have brought to mankind throughout history. The color photographs by William Munos are excellent and complement the text well. The photos appear on almost every page, which makes the book easy to read to children who like visuals during reading time.

Adults can enjoy the book as well. For those of us who love pigeons, it's difficult locating books about them, especially books specifically about rock doves (our feral city pigeons). This book is a great start. Although it's a slim volume, it offers quite a bit of scientifically accurate information.

I now have a pair of pigeons nesting in a double nesting box on the back of my house, plus numerous pigeons visiting my feeding site every day. I never get over my fascination with these gentle, intelligent creatures, who are, by the way, magnificent flyers. This book has helped broaden my knowledge of these wonderful birds.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Pigeon Info, April 1, 2008

By 

E. Martinez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pigeons (Hardcover)

I, being a pigeon lover was very impressed with background information on different types of pigeons and beautiful on sight photography. The book being only 70 pages was very easy reading enough to handle in a day or two. My favorite chapter is "Pigeon Intelligence." It is remarkable how intelligent these little guys are! It was an easy learning and a much fun book.