Nicole's Readers' Advisory Blog

  Adopted by an Owl: The True Story of Jackson the Owl (2001) Written by: Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen Illustrated by: Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press Book type: Picture book Ages: 5-8 years Lexile level: N/A Summary Adopted by an Owl tells the story of a great horned owl chick who is taken from his nest in a tall tree in the woods by a young boy who wants to keep him as a pet. When the boy realizes that he is not equipped to care for the wild animal, Gijsbert “Nick” van Frankenhuyzen, a wildlife rehabilitator, comes to pick up the owl so that he and his wife Robbyn can take care of him until he can take care of himself. Nick and Robbyn’s two young daughters name the owl “Jackson,” and he is welcomed to family life on the farm. Jackson spends many months with the family growing strong and healthy and is eventually released to live on his own. Surprisingly, Jackson returns. Nick notices that Jackson follows him around on the farm. Jackson begins arr...

Saving Fiona (2018) Written by: Thane Maynard Photographs courtesy of: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Publisher: Clarion Books Book type: Picture book Ages: 4-7 years Lexile level: 1020L Summary Saving Fiona is the story of a baby hippopotamus which is born two months prematurely at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The book begins by giving readers a bit of background on Hippo Cove, an area of the African animal habitat which would eventually house a female hippo (Bibi) and a male Hippo (Henry). Hippo Cove features a 70,000-gallon pool which consists entirely of rainwater collected over time. Soon after Bibi and Henry begin sharing a habitat, Bibi becomes pregnant. Scientists from the zoo conduct the world’s first ultrasound on a Nile hippopotamus, and it is successful. The scientists are able to see the baby’s spinal cord and her tiny feet. Unexpectedly, however, Bibi goes into labor early, and her baby is born prematurely. The small baby hippo is named Fiona, afte...

  Galapagos George (2014) Written by: Jean Craighead George Illustrated by: Wendell Minor Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books Book type: Picture book Ages: 0-8 years Lexile level: N/A Summary Galapagos George opens around one million years ago with Giantess George, “a vegetarian who ate prickly things like cacti and ground-growing greens that grew in her ancient desert.” Giantess George becomes witness to massive earthquakes and erupting volcanoes which began to reshape the landscape. Then she, and many other animals, were swept up in a flood which was caused by a large South American storm. Able to change her body fat into water and food, Giantess George was able to survive on a forest debris raft for up to a year in the open ocean without eating or drinking. She, and others like her, finally washed ashore on a small island called San Cristobal, which was close to Earth’s hot equator. She laid her eggs on the island. When her food supply began to run short, she used h...