The tragic tale of the Great Auk
(Book)
Author
Published
Toronto ; Groundwood Books :, 2016.
Physical Desc
1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations, color map ; 29 cm.
Accelerated Reader
IL: MG - BL: 6.5 - AR Pts: 1
Lexile measure
1130L
Status
San Luis Obispo Library - Children's Nonfiction
598.33
1 available
598.33
1 available
Atascadero Library - Children's Nonfiction
598.33
1 available
598.33
1 available
Copies
Location | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
San Luis Obispo Library - Children's Nonfiction | 598.33 | On Shelf |
Atascadero Library - Children's Nonfiction | 598.33 | On Shelf |
Description
Loading Description...
Also in this Series
Checking series information...
More Details
Published
Toronto ; Groundwood Books :, 2016.
Format
Book
Language
English
Accelerated Reader
MG
Level 6.5, 1 Points
Level 6.5, 1 Points
Lexile measure
1130
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references.
Description
For hundreds of thousands of years Great Auks thrived in the icy seas of the North Atlantic, bobbing on the waves, diving for fish and struggling up onto rocky shores to mate and hatch their fluffy chicks. But by 1844, not a single one of these magnificent birds was alive. Award-winning author and illustrator Jan Thornhill tells the tragic story of these birds that "weighed as much as a sack of potatoes and stood as tall as a preteen's waist." Their demise came about in part because of their anatomy. They could swim swiftly underwater, but their small wings meant they couldn't fly and their feet were so far back on their bodies, they couldn't walk very well. Still the birds managed to escape their predators much of the time...until humans became seafarers. Great Auks were pursued first by Vikings, then by Inuit, Beothuk and finally European hunters. Their numbers rapidly dwindled. They became collectors' items--their skins were stuffed for museums, to be displayed along with their beautiful eggs. Although undeniably tragic, the final demise of the Great Auk led to the birth of the conservation movement. Laws were eventually passed to prevent the killing of birds during the nesting season, and similar laws were later extended to other wildlife species.
Target Audience
1130,Lexile.
Study Program Information
Accelerated Reader AR,MG,6.5,1.0,183707.
Staff View
Loading Staff View.