The history of America at sea is presented through the travels of Seabird, a carved ivory gull.
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reviews
Mar 08, 2011
As with all of H.C.H's books, there is a wealth of knowledge within the pages of this story. My children couldn't wait to see where Seabird would go the next day. This man's books are worth owning, as my kids want to start over and read them again. I will own them. The pictures are detailed and accurate and fantastic. A person could spend months researching all the things H.C.H addressed. This book spans a little more than a century, following first a whaling ship (He even talks about how
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Mar 23, 2009
Josiah
rated it: 
This book is so much more than only a picture book, but I also would grant it status as one of the top three picture books I have ever read. The artwork by Holling Clancy Holling is simply unparalleled, or if rivaled by anyone at all, then only by Robert Lawson and perhaps Garth Williams at his best. The deep, thought-povoking story, combined with the majestic pictures that caused me to gasp when turning most pages like a new present being opened on Christmas morning, give this story a value be
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Aug 27, 2010
Jenny
rated it: 
Our first official read-aloud for 2010-2011. N loved it and wanted to give it 5 stars because of the characters, she says. I gave her the choice...was it the pictures, the language, the characters, the subject? The characters. Especially Seabird.
I found the language soothing, introducing me to ship language that I've been exposed to before, but always find a little mysterious. Loved the passage of mentoring through four generations.
B wanted to give it 3.5 stars. He thoug More...
I found the language soothing, introducing me to ship language that I've been exposed to before, but always find a little mysterious. Loved the passage of mentoring through four generations.
B wanted to give it 3.5 stars. He thoug More...
Jul 10, 2011
Leah
rated it:
It's been years since I've read a book by Holling Clancy Holling. The detail remains fascinating and the illustrations incredible. The story was sadder than I remembered, however. There is so much detail and focus on Ezra right before and after he makes Seabird, and then all of a sudden the years are flying by at an incredible rate and so much is summed up in so few words.
Something I had never noticed before was that the women in the story are nameless and faceless. I think the only rea More...
Something I had never noticed before was that the women in the story are nameless and faceless. I think the only rea More...
Jun 16, 2008
Heather
rated it:
We're not liking this one as well as we did Paddle-to-the-Sea. Maybe I didn't do my homework well enough, but I didn't know the first part of the book was about a whaling ship. We're reading along and they kill a whale and start stripping the blubber off and boiling it down and it gets a little gruesome. My boys all looked a little green in the gills for a while.
I'll let you know how we like the rest once we finish it.
Okay, we finished it. We followed the change in sh More...
I'll let you know how we like the rest once we finish it.
Okay, we finished it. We followed the change in sh More...
Oct 17, 2011
Margaret
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This is one of those books (and the rest of the books by this author as well) that the boys went back to again and again to read and just look at the pictures. They absorbed so much because they loved the book. That's worth a lot.
Jul 24, 2011
Kim
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A beautiful multi-generational story about the lives of boys becoming men on the sea with Seabird at their sides. Georgeous illustrations. We loved the story and felt like we were there living the tales.
Mar 14, 2011
Hannahlily
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The artwork is beautiful, but there’s not much story here. The first half is sort of like the kid’s version of Moby Dick but with all the interesting parts omitted.
Feb 19, 2010
Gina
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Excellent childrens book with vivid illustrations. Follow Seabird's journey through four generations of seafarers. The kids were sad it ended.
Sep 13, 2011
Kyrie
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I didn't expect to care much for this story and instead, it was very good.
May 29, 2008
Larry
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Like all good children's literature (and film as well), Holling Clancy Holling's books are delightful for adults as well as kids of all ages. Younger children love to have his books read to them, and older ones love to read them, which is kind of a bummer because then the adults don't get to read them anymore. Seabird is just what the title implies. All of his books instill a love for nature.
Feb 12, 2011
Amber
rated it:
I didn't think I was going to like this as much as Pagoo and Paddle but we got to the end of the book and were all a little choked up. I just love Holling C Holling. The illustrations are always wonderful and the story is always poignant. The kids loved it too.
Feb 28, 2011
Mukkove
rated it:
We enjoyed Seabird. I used it for an overview of world geography, a small study in whaling, and the history of ships.
Feb 10, 2012
Jan 26, 2012
Jan 22, 2012
