Baker, Jeannie. Circle. illus. by Jeannie Baker. 48p. maps. Candlewick. May 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780763679668. 

PreS-Gr 2 –A lovely and lyrical ode to the migration of the godwits. A boy in bed dreams of flying. He watches from his wheelchair as a flock of godwits begin their northward migration from Australia. Beautifully detailed collages fill the spreads, and the perspectives switch from bird-watcher to bird. Chronicling the 7,000 miles of one of the longest animal migrations, the intricate illustrations and simple text illuminate the arduous journey often made more difficult by human activities. Wispy clouds, floating ice chunks, and wiry foliage all pass beneath the godwits as they near their breeding destination in Alaska, where a hungry fox reduces a pair’s four fuzzy chicks to one. As the birds head back to Australia, they pass over dark blue northern waters and blue green tropical seas to the beach where the boy chases his dog, crutches forgotten. An author’s note with more information about the migration of godwits and a map are appended. VERDICT Inviting and informative with multiple story levels, this title belongs in every collection.–Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA