North The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration [Paperback]

“A treat for middle-graders of an ecological bent.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

At the top of our world is a huge wild place called the Arctic. In the winter, it is a cold and barren land, where few animals can survive. But when spring comes, it attracts animals from every corner of the earth. This lushly illustrated picture book celebrates the resilient wildlife and barren, beautiful landscapes of the Arctic Circle, tracing the awe-inspiring spring migration of millions of creatures to the Arctic and reminding the reader of the hardships and harmony of life in the wild.
Back matter includes additional information about the arctic, a glossary, and an index.This striking account of arctic migration offers a northerly, book-bound counterpart to “March of the Penguins.” Dowson’s descriptions are both simple and poetic, as polar bears, gray whales, jaegers, snow geese and pregnant caribou make their way from points south toward the North Pole in Benson’s sumptuous, shimmery paintings. Appropriately oversize considering its vast majesty, this book will inspire in young readers an equally outsize sense of wonder.
—The New York Times

Simple but effective, this is a beautiful introduction to a remarkable region that should encourage any child's sense of wonder.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Dowson's poetic text and Benson's impressionistic watercolors introduce seasonal changes as well as various birds, mammals, and even fish that undertake the long migration. The spare text and expansive views provide an inviting sense of the terrain and the journeys endured by the animals...an attractive entry in the growing number of nonfiction poetry picture books, offering rich read-aloud and browsing opportunities.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

The text has an appealing delicacy, with a touch of lyricism... l£P