Wings

If you look closely around you, you will see that not only birds have wings, but many other creatures do as well. For example, many insects have wings as do bats. Bats are the only mammal in existence that has wings. Insects, "the most successful group of animals on the planet," are most likely the first thing most people think of as having wings aside from birds. The ladybird beetle has "two pairs of wings," the top being the hard speckled shell named elytra we are so familiar with. Some insects like the dragonfly have four sets of wings while others such at the phantom crane fly possess only one. Then again there are insects like the African termite who sprout wings, move to another location and quickly shed them. Birds large and small around the world have wings, but there are the kiwis who are "flightless birds that live only in New Zealand." The king vulture who makes its home in the area of "central Mexico to northern Argentina" has a massive wingspan six feet wide. They are not hard to miss, but if you don't look closely you can easily miss the bee hummingbird who weighs "less than a penny and can perch on the tip of a pencil." There are butterflies, bats, moths, insects and birds galore for us to admire and learn about in this book and perhaps in your own backyard. This beautiful, informative book will leave the young reader wanting to read more about our winged neighbors. I think the most fascinating and particular draw for young people will be the portrayal of four different kinds of bats. The writing is clear, concise and done in such a manner that it keeps the reader wanting more. The combination collage and watercolor artwork was stunning and meshes perfectly with the text. This work can be a stepping stone to additional research for a report or simply a very interesting read. In the back of the book is a glossary and additional recommended book and website resources. This book would be a nice addition to any library or homeschool shelf!