by Pamela McDowell
Orca Book Publishers, 2014
ISBN 978-1-4598-0283-4
$6.95, 60 pp, ages 8 – 10
orcabook.com
Ospreys in Danger tells the story of Shilo and Cricket who take on the task of caring for three osprey chicks whose nest has been destroyed in an electrical fire. Quickly the two friends realize that looking after the needs of the birds is filled with challenges that require them to use their best powers of deduction and problem-solving skills until the birds can be returned to the wild and reunited with their family. Relying on trial and error, Internet research, and the power of clear thinking, the two girls come up with the solutions to provide the proper food for the chicks and even reconstruct a nest from a model made from popsicle sticks.
Classroom Connections: This book would make a great tie-in to a class science study of environmentalism or wildlife habitats. For those practising reading skills it might be used as a read aloud to focus on inferring, predicting, problem solving and learning styles. Whatever the use, Ospreys in Danger would be a good addition to a classroom library.
Review by Kent Miller.
This review is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Sept/Oct 2014 issue.