THE CRANE and the KEEPER- A keeper of a Picture Book!

 One advantage of living so many years is that much of what a young person might think of as history are actual events and patterns that shaped my life. Memory for such things is easier (at least for now) for lived experiences than for randomly memorized and unemotional facts and dates. As I have recently considered while researching a nonfiction writing project, our mid-century roller coaster ride of technological advances with seemingly miraculous laborsaving results were having subtle-to-catastrophic side-effects. Anchor species like bald eagles and timberwolves were nearly poisoned or hunted to extinction, air pollution was shortening life expectancies on a global scale, addictive tobacco smoking sparked cancerous increases despite tasty filters. The examples of such realizations are staggering. 

Changes were made through the accumulated political and public pressure to save our resources, and, in doing so, to save ourselves and next generations. 

As I view current digital, AI, and smart-technology innovations that also promise wondrous changes in our (nearly immediate) futures, my lived memory of that pattern from the past gives me pause, but also hope. I mention all that because I was living just an easy ride from Baraboo, Wisconsin where the International Crane Foundation pioneered ways to preserve the nearly-extinct sandhill crane population and restored them to natural migration and reproduction patterns. That is only one example from that tumultuous ecological recovery period.

SMITHSONIAN KIDS/Candlewick, 2025

Going back only a few weeks, I posted a review of Susanne Kaufmann's BLUE!  That recent book showcased a magical-realism relationship between a young character and a blue heron. Their mutual appreciation and celebration of each other made me smile before I even opened the cover and I continue to smile whenever I think of the book. 

Cranes are visually obvious cousins of herons, with many similar elements in their appearance and in patterns of behavior. THE CRANE AND THE KEEPER, written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O'Mara offers a similarly magical relationship between bird and human, but one depicting informatively accurate, real-world events. 

We meet WALNUT, a twenty-four year old white-naped crane on the opening spreads, where we learn immediately that she presents a major challenge. She has lived in (and been shuffled among) many zoos, all in hopes of breeding her with others of her kind before their genes disappear from the planet. WALNUT, despite being a delightfully clever, curious and healthy bird, wanted nothing to do with any of the few cranes of her species. 

She was kidnapped from her nest as an infant and deeply imprinted on humans. That's a sign she was treated well, but that poor choice activated an identity reaction not uncommon in birds. Imprinting makes them believe that they are the same species as the first beings who care for them. In this case, Walnut thought she was human.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), located in Virginia, agreed to take on the challenge with a newly-hired keeper, Chris Crowe. As a boy, his parents took him to Yellowstone National Park where he viewed a most magnificent animal-- a bison. After hearing of their near extinction, Chris reached a firm conclusion that guides him throughout his career: 

"If humans harm wildlife species, then humans must save them."

Chris, only a few years older than WALNUT when he first met her, needed to be able to convince Walnut that he was her mate. She was far too old to un-imprint or avoid that process with techniques eventually developed that disguise human keepers as adult cranes so that imprinting won't occur. Instead, Chris would need Walnut to want to mate with him, to lay an egg that would preserve her species. 

The ensuing pages are every bit as delightful as BLUE! in that Chris and Walnut engage in courtship dances, offerings of treats, and a years-long mutual trust-building. That process taught Chris what Walnut wanted in the way of foods and nesting while Walnut gained trust that Chris was always going to return, even if absent for periods of time due to work trips. In time Walnut welcomed Chris's attention and could be injected without distress, growing and laying her egg. Because imprinted cranes have no parenting experiences, Walnut's egg was taken to be raised by an adult crane pair. Walnut was given a substitute. That, too, required some innovative problem-solving before she settled into her role. 

Despite my impulse to share even more details about the years of success that followed, I will hope that this summary urges you to get the book and read it through for yourself. You'll also find valuable and engaging back master and resources for further investigation of the topic. The narrative for this remarkable account spans years and global issues of consequence, but is appealing and kid-friendly. The illustrations will fascinate and entertain. The reference to breeding is young-age friendly, allowing as much or as little further discussion as adult companions prefer. 

The timing on this book couldn't be more perfect. National Parks are a treasure and inspiration source that MUST be fully staffed and funded. Who knows what family trip might inspire another child (yours?) to rescue a species from extinction? The Smithsonian institutions, including the NZCBI, serve our nation and each one of us, even when we are unaware of the work they do. We need to be more aware, of course, and more outspoken in their defense. To learn more about the origins and mission of our National Museum system, explore the history of its establishment and mission here- launched with NO tax dollars.

Support from each one of us matters. We need to learn and encourage full understanding of our history, in science and in all things, to assure a safe, honest, and improving future for next generations. "Conservation" applies to more than raw resources or even species. It applies to our humanity and heritage. Speak up. 

Two CROSSING Titles for Nonfiction

There can be no more arguing about the extent of human-caused damage that has been done to our planet, to its resources, and to its life forms. Even those who actively debate what caused what, there is no defense against facts. Human population and development have encroached on, disrupted, and even destroyed the original and necessary habitats of creatures great and small. In that sense, while working on longterm reversals and altered approaches to global changes in sharing our planet safely, some local changes are immediately possible, if only we'd recognize and act on our power to mitigate the damage we've done. 

Beach Lane Books, 2021

One of the many outstanding elementary/middle school  nonfiction nominees for a CYBILS AWARD is COUGAR CROSSING: How Hollywood's Celebrity Cougar Helped Build a Bridge for City Wildlife . Written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Alexander Vidal, this picture book is the account of P-22, the famed “Hollywood Cougar,” was born in a national park near Los Angeles, California. When the time came for him to leave home and establish own territory, instincts prove him to—somehow--safely cross sixteen lanes of the world’s worst traffic. This narrative explains some of the ways his natural behavior patterns allowed him to make his home in LA’s Griffith Park, overlooking the famed Hollywood sign. Griffith Park is  busy and sizable space for urban dwellers, but a tiny territory for a mountain lion. Learn more about four-footed celebrity HERE. 

There is power in this true account of the interface of nature and human encroachment on habitats, resources, and species behaviors. While there is hope and celebration in many aspects of this account (empathetic and well-trained specialists, supportive communities that commit to potential solutions), I found myself saddened by the overall picture of what mankind has so mindlessly done to nature. Consider this: the need for, debate points,  and metrics of success involve the annual count of road kill of these remarkable creatures. Young readers will certainly sense the imbalance and injustice of the circumstances described, but are likely to be inspired to make more mindful choices and seek improvements for the future. 

Beach Lane Books, 2020

This account of an individual situation and creature  should surely be paired with a picture book published the year before, also from Beach Lane Books. CROSSINGS: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals is written by Katie S. Duffield and illustrated by Mike Orodan. This oversized and evocatively illustrated book uses the repeating refrain, "Over, under, across, through" to launch passages that first describe the ways human technology, engineering, and expansion have extended our sprawl throughout nature. 

Next lines begin with... "What happens..." to the animals and their potential for survival. Will the physical structures, vehicles, and power services kill them directly? Will the lack of habitat and access to safe movement destroy countless centuries of instincts and behavioral drives?

What follows those challenging scenes is an appreciative look at human efforts to transform our capacity for construction and innovations to create movement options for creatures-- over, under, across, and through-- barriers and dangers. Examples include animals as small as baby turtles to those as large as elk and elephants. With global examples that allow safe travel through treetops, under tunnels, and across multi-lane highways, readers encounter "living proof that opening our minds and hearts can make all the difference." Small information inserts on expansive and colorful pages enhance factual content, with each illustrated spread briefly identified for location and purpose in the final two pages.

I hope you'll give each of these (better yet, both together!) a close look, some deep reflection, and share them with kids of any age. The art and narratives are accessible for even the youngest, and perhaps they hold the greater promise for a better planet in the future-- for every life form.

EARTH WEEK Picture Books: Two OCEAN SOUP Titles

 I'm pushing forward to feature two or more outstanding picture books daily during EARTH WEEK. That's an ambitious pace for me, but the theme is very time-sensitive and urgent.  I launched this effort in yesterday's post about two titles by a creative pair, the Pumphrey brothers. I urge you to check our their books and their illustration process in that post, HERE.  

For today's post there are two books with the same main title, which may sound surprising but is actually fairly common. BOTH are titles OCEAN SOUP, and both have helpful subtitles that clarify their content. BOTH are worthy of notice during this week of appreciating and protecting our planet. The first is OCEAN SOUP: TIDE POOL POEMS, written by Stephen R. Swinburne and illustrated by Mary Peterson.

CHARLEBRIDGE, 2010

 

For today's post there are two books with the same main title, which may sound surprising but is actually fairly common. BOTH are titled OCEAN SOUP, and both have helpful subtitles that clarify their content. BOTH are worthy of notice during this week of appreciating and protecting our planet, and BOTH deserve our attention all year long. The first is OCEAN SOUP: TIDE POOL POEMS, written by Stephen R. Swinburne and illustrated by Mary Peterson.

Swinburne is a reliable rhymer with a cheeky tone that resonates with kids. He is also a talented photographer whose photos have been featured in many of his other books. In this case, he could certainly have produced jaw-dropping images, but the colorful and slightly cartoonish art invites engagement across a wide age range, and also allows for focus on key features of various animals without exaggeration or fantasy fudging the facts.

This is the older of the the two titles, but the poems are timeless and the topic of tide pool inhabitants is rarely explored in such accessible format and form.  parallel text content appears on each brilliantly illustrated double page spread. In each case Swinburne has written a brief but dense poem that directly informs readers of a tide pool inhabitant's patterns or habits or other distinctive traits. The voice and perspectives vary, always in first person perspective but ranging from cheeky to sensitive to comical. ON the same page a brief informational passage provides biological and environmental content related to that species and its place in the ecology of tide pools. For those who live in or near a tide pool habitat, this will be a fun and familiar extension of what is already known. For the MANY who live nowhere near an ocean tidepool, this is an invaluable introduction to the ways in which habitats can be ephemeral and yet essential to the cycles of sea life and food chains. From plankton to lobster to octopus, the range of creatures and their distinctively unique lives invite further investigation. A few pages of back matter include glossary, author note, and resources that include print and links to reliable sources.

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS, 2021

The second title is OCEAN SOUP: A Recipe For You, Me, and a Cleaner Sea. It is written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Lucy Semple. In rhymed narrative verse the reader is introduced to the idea that the pollution of our oceans (waters in general) are a "soup" of generations of contamination, mainly by plastics. 

Young readers can readily envision plastic bags, bottles, straws, and other discarded items can and do endanger ocean dwellers as well as making the waters seriously unappealing and damaged. In fact, during Earth week AND BEYOND it is a valuable exercise to engage kids in beach and water and field and urban space clean-up campaigns. 

What this book points out clearly, though, is that there is no real AWAY when it comes to plastic. Bury it, it stays. In ocean gyres it breaks down into micro-plastics that make their way into all  lifeforms, including us. I recently read that it is estimated most of us (in developed countries) consume the amount of plastic in a credit card, WEEKLY! To combat the endless increases in this relentless contamination of the waters of our lives, specific steps that humans can take are suggested. These include ones that are possible for the very young. This is mentioned within the narrative text, and described in simple but specific suggestions in the back matter. It is an eye-opening read for kids and adults, with practical advice and encouragement to learn more and act soon and steadily to reshape our communities and protect out planet.

For older readers seeking more detailed content on this topic, presented with clarity and accessible science, check out PLASTICUS MARITUMUS: AN INVASIVE SPECIES, reviewed by me HERE. 

As I so often mention in writing about picture books of any kind, for any age. My hope for the future is in the youth of today, but leaving it all to them is both unfair and unconscionable. My hope is that by sharing these books we may mobilize several generations of activists in defense of our planet. 

Stay tuned, more imporant titles coming sooner than usual!