Puffin

October 1, 2022
Tracing part of the annual cycle of a favorite northern bird, a naturalist takes an avian couple from puffins to puffling parents. Declaring puffins to be his "absolute favorite" seabird, Jenkins begins with their return to nesting areas in spring, where they reunite (when they can) with mates, clack beaks, and waddle off to inspect former burrows in sea cliffs. After driving off squatters and doing a bit of housecleaning, male and female puffins then share nesting duties until their huge single egg hatches. Six or so weeks later, the drab chick appears and, if conditions are right, matures and eventually flaps off to survive (if it can) and find a mate of its own. The author enlarges on embedded facts about puffin diet and predators with backmatter on geographical distribution and maturation; along with portraits of the three species of puffin, Desmond supplies fetching but realistically detailed views of Atlantic puffins flying, perched on a grassy hillside, and winging underwater--with, as evidently required in all picture books about these photogenic birds, the obligatory row of small fish hanging from its colorful beak. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A fond first intro with no anthropomorphizing. (index, websites) (Informational picture book. 6-8)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 24, 2022
Conversational first-person narration enthusiastically presents a documentary-style introduction to puffins in this picture book. Via type and handwritten text, a speaker announces appreciation for their subject at the start: “But of all the different seabirds, there is one kind that’s my absolute favorite”: puffins. Following pages describe the birds’ springtime arrival on land, and two mates greeting each other before they begin inspecting and preparing their burrow. When Desmond’s varied ink, watercolor, and acrylic scenes show the birds flying about, commentary invites the reader to investigate (“Let’s take a peek!”), and then exclaims upon the discovery of a single egg (“One of them is sitting on an egg!”). The arrival of the chick leads to many views of fish-filled beaks (“Food! Hooray! More!”), and an encounter with an Arctic skua in search of a meal. Final scenes of the youth’s quiet solitary departure capture the triumph of independence. Further information concludes. Ages 5–7.

November 1, 2022
Jenkins (Bird Builds a Nest, rev. 1/18; Beware of the Crocodile, rev. 3/19) again offers readers solid science in an entertaining package. The cover illustration of an Atlantic Puffin, beak overflowing with sand eels and standing somewhat pigeon-toed, creates a slightly comical but altogether appealing sight, encouraging youngsters to open the book to see what this bird is all about. Readers will find an engaging, accessible narrative describing a puffin's life cycle, initially revealing, through text and sweeping full-bleed illustrations, that flocks of puffins populate a favored breeding site in the spring. Spot art complements short sentences relating subsequent action: former mates find each other, birds reclaim their burrows and repair their nests, and eventually males and females take turns sitting on a solitary egg and foraging for food. When the egg hatches, parents continue to swap tasks. One night, about six weeks after birth, the chick (or puffling) exits the burrow and flies away to make a life of its own. Puffins are at their most colorful in the spring, and Desmond's lively mixed-media art accentuates this quality by often displaying the black-and-white birds with their deep orange, blue, and yellow beaks against a bright blue sky (or ocean), creating a cheerful setting for their annual ritual. Further information appears on several pages in sentences set apart from the main text and in a concluding author's note. An index and suggested websites are appended. Betty Carter

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 23, 2022
Grades K-3 Physical characteristics, habits, diet, and more about the Atlantic puffin can be found in this lovingly illustrated title. After being introduced to this unique seabird with orange feet and a color-changing bill, readers will follow along as puffins return from sea to mate and burrow, taking turns to roost on their egg and fetch fish--all the while avoiding predators such as the skua. After the baby puffin hatched, the parents care for it until it's ready to head out alone. The baby puffin will one day return, grown and following the cycle, to find its own mate and burrow. The beautiful watercolor, ink, and acrylic illustrations are a breath of fresh air, the shades of blue bringing seaside freshness to the page. The conversational tone of the text makes this fun and accessible, providing abundant information without being overwhelming. Back matter provides additional facts on the three types of puffins. Highly recommended.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2022
Jenkins (Bird Builds a Nest, rev. 1/18; Beware of the Crocodile, rev. 3/19) again offers readers solid science in an entertaining package. The cover illustration of an Atlantic Puffin, beak overflowing with sand eels and standing somewhat pigeon-toed, creates a slightly comical but altogether appealing sight, encouraging youngsters to open the book to see what this bird is all about. Readers will find an engaging, accessible narrative describing a puffin's life cycle, initially revealing, through text and sweeping full-bleed illustrations, that flocks of puffins populate a favored breeding site in the spring. Spot art complements short sentences relating subsequent action: former mates find each other, birds reclaim their burrows and repair their nests, and eventually males and females take turns sitting on a solitary egg and foraging for food. When the egg hatches, parents continue to swap tasks. One night, about six weeks after birth, the chick (or puffling) exits the burrow and flies away to make a life of its own. Puffins are at their most colorful in the spring, and Desmond's lively mixed-media art accentuates this quality by often displaying the black-and-white birds with their deep orange, blue, and yellow beaks against a bright blue sky (or ocean), creating a cheerful setting for their annual ritual. Further information appears on several pages in sentences set apart from the main text and in a concluding author's note. An index and suggested websites are appended.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)