Review by Booklist Review
Intent on catching a field mouse, Greta, a great horned owl, darts in front of a moving train, which strikes her, trapping her until it reaches a station. She falls to the ground, unable to stand or to fly, but a rescuer takes her for X-rays, and a vet fixes her broken leg and wing. After many weeks of healing, Greta can fly again. But can she hunt? In a large flight pen, she catches a live mouse, proving that she can. A crowd gathers to see her released into the wild. Now she's on her own again. Written in clear, simple sentences, the text tells Greta's story effectively. While some of the photographs come from stock photo services, others were taken to illustrate the story of this particular owl, found injured in a Virginia train station. Three appended Q&A pages follow up with information related to Greta, owls, and wildlife rehabilitation centers. Another appealing book from the Wildlife Rescue Stories series, which includes Maggie the One-Eyed Peregrine Falcon (2016) and Esther the Eaglet (2015).--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The third book of the Wildlife Rescue Stories series documents a great horned owl's rehabilitation. Through firsthand photographs and digitally rendered scenes, readers encounter the owl as she hunts at twilight. In a dramatic photo reenactment, Greta collides with an oncoming train: "Her legs and wings are trapped. She struggles but cannot get free." Gove-Berg describes Greta's injuries-a broken leg and wing-both displayed in X-ray images, while compelling photographs show the veterinarians performing surgery and follow-up care. Readers will share in the joy as Greta's rescuers release her: "People watch and whisper as the vet throws Greta into the air. Greta flies up toward the sky. The people cheer!" Back matter featuring a q&a with Gove-Berg provides additional information about great horned owls. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The true story of a great horned owl that is hit by a train, badly injured, rescued and rehabilitated, and eventually set free. The first two spreads show Greta going about her owlish business, listening for prey as she glides over a field at sunset. She spots a field mouse, and the path she takes to chase the mouse unfortunately takes her right into the path of an oncoming train. She is trapped against the front of the train (in an image that is clearly photo-collaged) and is found only when she falls from the train when it stops. She is rescued and taken to a veterinarian, who discovers she has a broken leg and wing. The vet fixes her wing and leg, and she is kept in a pen until she heals and is able to fly again. The illustrations are photographs of the owl, mice, and the rescue personnel treating the bird, and an X-ray showing the broken limbs. Many of these photographs are from stock libraries, digitally assembled to tell the story. While nature-loving children will appreciate the realistic photos of the owl, a design that silhouettes many of them against abstract, computer-drawn background patterns lessens the impact. The silhouetting of the owl's feathers is sometimes too cropped, and a natural landscape background would be more pleasing to the eye. Backmatter gives more detailed information about owls. On balance, a heartwarming story of a successful bird rescue with somewhat less-than-successful illustrations. (Informational picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
