The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk

Gr 2–5—The auk was a northern penguin that lived and thrived in the cold waters of the Atlantic. This great bird "weighed as much as a sack of potatoes and stood as tall as a three-year-old," but it had one flaw: the bird had tiny wings that were excellent for water but terrible for flying. Though it was obviously humans who pushed the auk to extinction, the how and why make this a thrilling scientific page-turner. Stunning digitally created illustrations surround the text. The images have an etched and naturalistic quality that adds beauty and an emotional connection to the story of a long-extinct animal. Prose and science come together to highlight the loss of a species and then connect this extinction with modern conservation efforts. The narrative finishes with detailed back matter that includes bird comparisons and a list of extinct animals.