Ookpik

One snowy owl's first year and its struggle to survive. Fed by his parents, Ookpik, which means "snowy owl" in the Inuit language, grows quickly in the short Arctic summer. By autumn he has learned to hunt on his own, but prey is scarce on the tundra that year. The owl's instincts tell him that he must leave this land or starve. Ookpik flies south, over the great forests of Canada, and finally lands in the United States, always searching for food and a winter hunting ground. With vivid watercolor illustrations, Bruce Hiscock depicts the changing landscape, from the treeless Arctic of Baffin Island to the dairy country of eastern New York. There, Ookpik settles for the winter, much to the delight of bird watchers. An author's note offers additional details on the life of the snowy owl."An involving story for children and a fine addition to classroom units on migration." —Booklist

"Conveys the author's love for that remote part of the world and provides a fine introduction for middle-grade readers." —Kirkus Reviews

"Hiscock's realistic, detailed watercolors perfectly match his prose in this inviting 'biography' of a typical Snowy during a cycle when lemmings, the birds' choice prey, are few. . . . Elegant and informative." —School Library JournalBruce Hiscock is the author and illustrator of The Big Caribou Herd: Life in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He is also the illustrator of Turtle Tide and Wings of Light, both by Stephen R. Swinburne. He lives in Porter Corners, New York.