PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY--Birdlore: The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey by Jess Keating & Devon Holzwarth
ABOUT THE BOOK
Before Florence, there was no such thing as "bird-watching". Bright plumes on lady's hats were all the rage, but no one was climbing trees or wading through marsh-grass to spot the birds they came from. Even scientists studied birds in labs instead of outside in their natural habitat.
But Florence changed all that. A bird-lover since childhood, she wanted to show the world what made these creatures special. She wanted everyone to care as much as she did, and so she taught classes, printed pamphlets, and eventually began leading bird walks so people could see it with their own eyes. Over time, they did see! With hard work and perseverance, Florence changed the way we look at birds, inspiring millions to follow in her footsteps on bird walks of their own.
With gorgeous illustrations by award-winning artist Devon Holzwarth (Listen), Florence's story takes flight in soaring spreads that capture her inquisitive spirit and passionate advocacy for our feathered friends, a legacy that lives on to this day.
REVIEW
Gorgeous illustrations combined with an engaging story presents readers with a great introduction to the life of a lesser-known woman who helped changed the world. Florence Merriam Bailey loved birds. As a child she'd spend hours outside in the forest watching the birds. Inspired by her brother she set out to learn as much as she could about birds. But she didn't like the idea of studying dead birds in a lab or office. She went outside and studied birds in all their glory and individual personalities. After leaving to attend college, Florence discovered birds and their feathers being used as decorations on women's hats. Florence decided to put a stop to this practice and set out to accomplish that task. Most significantly, Florence invited people out into the wild itself to observe birds in their natural habitat. Eventually she used all the notes she'd taken over the years to write a field guide. Not only is this a fascinating account of a woman following her dreams, but a tale of a woman changing the world through her passion and knowledge. The book has all that makes a picture book biography shine: gorgeous, eye-catching illustrations with a bird identification guide in the back matter, a very readable, engaging text, an author's note with more information about Florence and her work, and tips on becoming a birdwatcher. A great book for teaching about science, following dreams, and fighting for what one believes in. Highly recommended.
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