Dorothy Patent explores the many facets of the shimmering quetzal bird, from its illustrious past to its life cycle and daily existence in the wild. Accompanied by Neil Waldman's luminous illustrations, this unique survey book examines an endangered animal that has a powerful symbolic meaning to a culture.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6?The resplendent quetzal is arguably the most beautiful bird found in the Americas. It has long held deep historical, artistic, and mystical meaning for the people of the Mexican and Central American cloud forests it inhabits. Patent describes the bird's spiraling mating flight and then examines its place in pre-Columbian art and mythology, concluding with what is known of its life cycle and current endangered status. Although CIP places this book in folklore, there is enough natural history here to make it useful in the bird section. Waldman's illustrations, done in colored pencil on tinted paper, are quite lovely, with rich, glowing tones. While not strictly ornithologically correct, they do very well in showing the Maya and Aztec artworks depicting quetzals, their feathers, and the mythological feathered serpent, which was most likely, at least partially, inspired by the real bird. The creature's rarity, the inaccessibility of its habitat, and the difficulty of photographing it in the wild (quetzals do not survive well in captivity) may account for the difference in format from Patent's Wild Turkey, Tame Turkey (Clarion, 1989) and Feathers (Cobblehill, 1992), both of which have wonderful photographs. A useful title for reports on the bird or as supplementary material on the Aztecs or Mayas.?Pam Gosner, Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 3^-6. This unusual book looks at the quetzal from many points of view: as the ancient Aztec god Quetzalcoatl (the Plumed Serpent); as a source of valuable feathers throughout Mesoamerican history; as a rain-forest bird of striking beauty and intriguing habits; and as an endangered animal today. Patent begins with an introduction that emphasizes the difficulty of writing simply about a complex subject based on incomplete historical records and archaeological finds that different scholars interpret in various ways. The writing weaves the many strands of myth, lore, art, and natural history into a coherent narrative divided into five informative chapters. Throughout the book, Neil Waldman's softly shaded, colored-pencil drawings illustrate the text and add their own sense of wonder and mystery. A bibliography suggests resources for further reading. Well researched and handsomely presented, this book offers a many-faceted study of the quetzal. Carolyn Phelan
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More About the Author
Every since I was a child I've loved nature and animals. I spent my time out of doors, picking flowers and scooping tadpoles out of ponds. So it's no wonder I studied biology and became an author myself of a favorite gift when I was young, a book about nature. I've expanded into other fascinating areas of nonfiction, too, especially historical topics of the American west, such as Lewis and Clark and Native Americans.
My work has given me the gift of travel to all sorts of fascinating places such as the Galapagos Island, the Costa Rican Rain Forest, and the famous cave at Lascaux, France, full of amazing ancient art that is no longer open to visitors.
To learn more about me and my books, visit my website, www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com
My work has given me the gift of travel to all sorts of fascinating places such as the Galapagos Island, the Costa Rican Rain Forest, and the famous cave at Lascaux, France, full of amazing ancient art that is no longer open to visitors.
To learn more about me and my books, visit my website, www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous!,
By Mindy (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Quetzal: Sacred Bird of the Cloud Forest (Library Binding)
Love it and use it in most of my classes! Great info and pictures.
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