Silent Swoop: An Owl, an Egg, and a Warm Shirt Pocket
About this ebook
An owl swoops down to lay her egg in a coal yard—a dangerous spot for a fragile egg! Rescued by Walter, a bird expert with a big heart and a warm shirt pocket, the egg miraculously hatches and is aptly named Coal. Thus begins a tender story of rescue, rehabilitation, and most of all, friendship. After meticulously researching the facts, Michelle Houts tells Coal's story with warmth and humor. The connections between Coal and the people whose lives he touches are captured by Deb Hoeffner's illustrations, done in her unique style of soft realism. Backmatter answers children's questions with facts and photos of Great Horned Owls and Walter Crawford "The Man Who Saved Coal." Parents and teachers will appreciate literacy connections and STEM activities that extend the learning of the story.
A perfect book for:
- parents and teachers needing homeschool supplies for kindergarten (or any grade!)
- anyone looking for owl books for kids
- anyone looking for children's books to help instill an appreciation of our planet!
About the author
Michelle Houts writes fiction and nonfiction for children from a restored one-room schoolhouse in rural Ohio. Her middle-grade novels have won the International Reading Association Children's Book Award and Bank Street College Best Books designation. She also likes telling about real people and has written the biographies of an artist, a legendary woman who played baseball, and the first woman to solo hike the Appalachian Trail. A fan of our feathered friends, Michelle heard about Coal's most unusual rescue and knew she had to tell his story, making this her first biography of an owl. Find Michelle at www.michellehouts.com
Deb Hoeffner describes her unique style of "soft realism" as a layering of thought, paint, and possibilities. She specializes in capturing the spirit behind the eyes of her subjects, both animals and humans. In Silent Swoop, her illustrations tell the story of the special bond between Coal and Walter. A true animal lover, Deb shares her studio in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with her collie, Isabelle Patch, and the deer, fox, crows, hawks, and other birds and animals that inhabit her backyard. An award-winning artist and book illustrator, Deb features her work at www.debhoeffner.com.
