Wild Wings
Gill Lewis, published 2011
“Nothing prepared me for seeing her right in front of me. It was as if the lochs and the mountains and the sky were folded deep inside of her, as if she was a small piece of this vast landscape and none of it could exist without her.”
The combination of conservation, human sadness and triumph, and osprey make up the heart of this unusually beautiful children’s book. It is crafted by a veterinarian, and the author’s love of her subject comes through loud and clear. The true drama of the migration of an Osprey from Scotland to Africa and back defies my imagination.. and yet, this is no fiction. The author has listed websites where you can actually follow the real migrations that take place.
The framework of the children’s book is a young boy and his friend, with a sad episode right in the middle. I wondered if it was necessary, and yet, one doesn’t stop to question it, as the story just continues to move along. However, because of the death of his friend, I recommend this children’s book for older children (9 and up.)
The opening chapters feel like a ramble in the hills of Scotland, while the later chapters turn into a compelling drama, which doesn’t resolve till the last pages. Again, as it is all centered around children and nature, I find this book a terrific contribution to children’s literature. Instilling the consciousness of our responsibility to the wild without lecturing is rare, and exceptionally worthy.
