Ookpik: The Travels of a Snowy Owl

Here is the story of one snowy owl’s first year and its struggle to survive. Fed by his parents, Ookpik, which means snowy owl in the Inuit language, grows quickly in the short Arctic summer. By autumn he has learned to hunt on his own, but prey is scarce on the tundra that year. The owl’s instincts tell him that he must leave this land or starve. Ookpik flies south, over the great forests of Canada, and finally lands in the United States, always searching for food and a winter hunting ground.

With vivid watercolor illustrations, Bruce Hiscock depicts the changing landscape, from the treeless Arctic of Baffin Island to the dairy country of eastern New York. There, Ookpik settles for the winter, much to the delight of bird watchers. An author’s note offers additional details on the life of the snowy owl.

Teenage Refugees from Haiti Speak Out (In Their Own Voices)

These books begin with historical overviews of Haiti, including the reasons for recent political unrest. The first-person narratives of young refugees follow. All of the teens tell why they left their native countries, how they made their journeys, their experiences and difficulties in North America, and if they plan to return to their homelands. The introductions state that the young people were interviewed; it is unclear exactly when these conversations took place. It seems in Haiti as if they occurred prior to the reinstatement of President Aristide.

Secrets of the Sphinx

The Great Sphinx is one of the largest sculptures in the world. Six stories high and a city block wide, it has stood guard over the pyramids of Egypt’s Giza Plateau for 4,500 years. Who built the Sphinx and why? And how did primitive sculptors manage to carve such a towering monument? In search of answers, the author takes readers back to a time before written history and traces the trail of clues left behind by the ancient Egyptians. As he explores various theories, he seamlessly incorporates information on the pyramids, the Rosetta Stone, Atlantis, and more.

Parthenon

The Parthenon. It was ravaged by the early Christians, occupied by the Turks, and looted by the British. Wars were fought all around it. Plato and Socrates, Phidias and Pericles contemplated philosophy, art, drama, and democracy on its steps. And today its proud, ruined columns stand high above the city of Athens, Greece, the last sentinels of what’s often considered to be the most important architectural achievement in the world. The Parthenon is without rival in regard to its beauty, purity of design, and tumultuous history. It grew out of war and strife, political uprisings and financial difficulties, and remains a symbol of what humanity — at its very best — is capable of accomplishing.