Review by Booklist Review
Swifts, despite their diminutive size, are superheroes of the bird world, flying faster, higher, and farther than most other avian species. Their migratory journey from Africa to Europe and Asia is particularly epic, and readers are invited to follow along on their incredible expedition. The odyssey begins over the Congo rain forest in central Africa as the swifts feel the pull to return to their nesting sites in far-flung locations. Off they go, flying at speeds up to 70 miles per hour and covering up to 500 miles in a single day and not touching the ground for months at a time. There is an impressive amount of information packed into the book's elegant pages, which allow readers to follow the larger, boldface text for the overarching migration story and delve into the smaller vignettes for in-depth details and fascinating facts. Marvelous mixed-media illustrations have a collaged feel, combining texture and depth to give a sense of the vast distances that the swifts must traverse. An amazing avian adventure sure to leave its audience in awe.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Swifts, small and unremarkable-looking, stay aloft almost their entire lives, flying great distances at up to 70 miles an hour. Anderson starts this survey of "the champions of the bird world" in central Africa, where swifts winter over the Congo River. Mixed-media close-ups by Robin show the birds' gray plumage and blade-like wings, while aerial views show a female ("our swift") flying over vast oceans and above misty banks of sun-reflecting golden clouds. Landing for the first time in a year in Britain, she raises young, building nests stuck together with saliva, "which sets hard like superglue." Alongside the main narrative, smaller type supplies additional information on each page, and inset boxes also detail the lice that nestle in the birds' feathers and breed when the swifts nest. It's a close-up view that hints at the inter-relatedness of life. More about swifts concludes. Ages 4--8. (May)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--3--Anderson introduces readers to the small, unassuming birds who migrate yearly from central Africa to northern Europe as the "champions of the bird world." The narrative then follows the swifts from the Congo across deserts, mountains, and oceans, until they reach their nesting places in the United Kingdom. There they meet their mates and raise the next generation of swifts before migrating all the way back to Africa and starting the process over. Interspersed are facts and further information for curious readers or those completing reports. Robin's mixed-media illustrations are pretty and will inspire readers to seek out photos of swifts to confirm what the birds actually look like. Back matter includes facts about other species of swifts as well as an index. VERDICT A secondary purchase for collections where books on birds and nature are popular.--Kadie Seitz
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this accessible science picture book, a common swift flies from Africa to Europe in order to nest and reproduce in the summer. The two-tiered narrative (larger print tells a streamlined version for younger readers, while smaller print delves into greater detail) includes such noteworthy specifics as swifts' ability to remain aloft without touching the ground for as long as four years, to sleep with one half of their brain at a time while in flight, and to drink raindrops while in motion. Sidebars introduce the life cycle of the parasitic louse fly, which lives in the bird's feathers and pupates in the nesting boxes. Engaging collage-like mixed-media illustrations against varied backgrounds capture the characteristic motion of swifts in flight. The pacing and level of detail are just right for young readers, while the information on life cycle and abilities is sure to impress slightly older ones. Back matter includes a map of the migration route, descriptions of various swift species, a pertinent web address, and an index. Anita L. BurkamMarch/April 2024 p.106 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Learn about common swifts and their remarkable journeys. The author of Narwhal (2022), illustrated by Jo Weaver, turns his attention to a bird well known in his native Great Britain. Swifts, he notes, fly faster and stay in the air longer than any other birds, migrating from central Africa to northern Europe. Some say the young remain in the air as long as four years, coming down only when they're ready to raise a new brood. Following a foraging female as she travels north, this colorful title offers fascinating facts about these tiny, long-distance fliers. They can drink, preen, and sleep while flying. They have raucous gatherings known as "screaming parties." Their spit keeps their nesting materials together "like superglue." Both parents feed the nestlings. Text in a larger font provides a smooth narrative, ideal for a read-aloud, while text in a smaller font offers intriguing facts. A series of text boxes describe the swifts' symbiotic relationship with the louse flies that ride north in their feathers, lay eggs in swift nests, and send a new generation of swift lice south in the fall. Robin's mixed-media illustrations show the changing scenery in double-page spreads; smaller vignettes depict nesting details and a thrilling scene in which our protagonist must evade an attacking falcon. A quick look at a super-speedy bird. (more about swifts, map, index) (Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
