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Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries
Snowy Owl Invasion!: Tracking an Unusual Migration
Late in 2013, snowy owls started showing up in places no one expected to find them―including Florida. What had caused so many of these majestic birds to leave their Arctic home and fly to southern Canada and the United States? Scientists quickly began working to find out. Author Sandra Markle brings together firsthand reports from the scientists involved along with stunning photographs of the owls to explain this rare event, known as an irruption . Follow along as scientists figure out why snowy owls took part in this unusual migration and discover what they learned from the unexpected opportunity to study them up close.
48 pages, Library Binding
Published January 1, 2018
About the author
Sandra Markle
297 books95 followersSandra Markle is the author of more than two hundred children's books, which have won numerous awards, including Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, IRA/CBC Children's Choice, NSTA/CBC Outstanding Trade Books for Children, NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended, and ALA Notable Books for Children. She lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida and frequently travels to schools sharing her program "Sandra Markle's Books Are REAL Adventures."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 2, 2019
I’m taking off a few stars for map information not being well explained. I assume the numbers after each bird’s name was number of miles flown but it could have equally been a recording number for each bird. Youth and adults need this spelt out for them. Having said that, Markle’s books are always excellent. Her author’s note was superb explaining how she tracked the trackers. She conveys a great sense of excitement, curiosity and wonder among the scientists in recognizing this irruption (sudden change to usual migration patterns, new vocabulary word for me!) as the opportunity to increase their scant knowledge of this gorgeous species of owls. The photographs are quite nice but I wish there wasn’t so much reliance on istock photos. I cannot resist suggesting to librarians to booktalk this title as the way to find out more about what Hedwig would be like in real life since she was a snowy owl! Recommended for most general library collections.
March 18, 2018
Sandra Markle does an amazing job with her Animal books, whether it is an endangered species, or tracking animals such as the Snowy Owl. I have seen Snowy Owls at the airport near my home so this book helped explain why they have been here in the last few years and never before.
In 2013 there was a Snowy Owl Iruption and they ended up traveling much further south than before. Scientists were able to band some of them and later put GPS trackers on them to see what their migration paths were. There are lovely illustrations accompanying the text explaining this phenomena and giving us some general information about the Snowy Owl. My 4 year old grandson and I went through the book looking at the illustrations and describing them. He enjoyed learning about the own even though the rest of the book was beyond him. A great book for school libraries especially when studying animals, their migration, adaptations and the impact of the environment on their lives. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
In 2013 there was a Snowy Owl Iruption and they ended up traveling much further south than before. Scientists were able to band some of them and later put GPS trackers on them to see what their migration paths were. There are lovely illustrations accompanying the text explaining this phenomena and giving us some general information about the Snowy Owl. My 4 year old grandson and I went through the book looking at the illustrations and describing them. He enjoyed learning about the own even though the rest of the book was beyond him. A great book for school libraries especially when studying animals, their migration, adaptations and the impact of the environment on their lives. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
April 24, 2018
What a fascinating book! I had never head of an irruption until this book. Snowy owls are beautiful (their babies are really cute) and this book has wonderful pictures of the owls. Great information and many resources at the end. Sandra Markle is an author I always know will produce quality non-fiction.
May 4, 2018
Absolutely fascinating and right on my (very basic) level.
February 6, 2019
Have you heard of the 2013-2014 snowy owl irruption? Sandra Markle’s 2018 book, Snowy Owl Invasion!: Tracking an Unusual Migration delves into this remarkable historical event, and deftly weaves in a thorough natural history of theses artic predators.
Like the scientific process, the book opens with observations, observations of snowies in places where they are not normally found, especially in large numbers (a snow owl irruption). Then the true story follows scientists, birders, and volunteers as they research why so many birds migrated so far south that year. The possible answers are tied to weather patterns and an artic food web based on lemmings.
Scientists also took advantage of the great number and unusually easy access to these birds to gain more fundamental knowledge of them, particularly about their wintertime behavior and migrations. Sandra Markle shares their new insights and how they were gleaned in the text, on maps and in a second layer of information associated with the stunningly clear and close-up photographs. She also shares how the basic information had practical applications, showing how science can be applied to solve problems, helping to keep owls and people safe. An author’s note gives a sneak-peak of her investigation behind the story and emphasizes how she uses firsthand knowledge to create her books. Source notes, glossary, index and a section on where to find more information round out the book.
What I love about this book: I love how it’s a book not only about an animal I hardly knew and guess that many children won’t be familiar with either, but also a book about how we know what we know about snowies. It shows science being done, and not just by official scientists. It shows how science is a cooperative effort and can benefit everyone. A thread of the connectivity of life also runs through the pages and helps the reader understand why we must be concerned with an arctic owl that seems so removed from our daily lives. All the pages have show-stopper photographs or interesting graphics. A great resource for looking at how science is done in the field. It’s a must-read for budding biologists and everyone interested in animals and science. Suggested for ages 8-12, grades 3-6.
Like the scientific process, the book opens with observations, observations of snowies in places where they are not normally found, especially in large numbers (a snow owl irruption). Then the true story follows scientists, birders, and volunteers as they research why so many birds migrated so far south that year. The possible answers are tied to weather patterns and an artic food web based on lemmings.
Scientists also took advantage of the great number and unusually easy access to these birds to gain more fundamental knowledge of them, particularly about their wintertime behavior and migrations. Sandra Markle shares their new insights and how they were gleaned in the text, on maps and in a second layer of information associated with the stunningly clear and close-up photographs. She also shares how the basic information had practical applications, showing how science can be applied to solve problems, helping to keep owls and people safe. An author’s note gives a sneak-peak of her investigation behind the story and emphasizes how she uses firsthand knowledge to create her books. Source notes, glossary, index and a section on where to find more information round out the book.
What I love about this book: I love how it’s a book not only about an animal I hardly knew and guess that many children won’t be familiar with either, but also a book about how we know what we know about snowies. It shows science being done, and not just by official scientists. It shows how science is a cooperative effort and can benefit everyone. A thread of the connectivity of life also runs through the pages and helps the reader understand why we must be concerned with an arctic owl that seems so removed from our daily lives. All the pages have show-stopper photographs or interesting graphics. A great resource for looking at how science is done in the field. It’s a must-read for budding biologists and everyone interested in animals and science. Suggested for ages 8-12, grades 3-6.
May 25, 2018
In the winter of 2013-2014, birdwatchers and scientists started spotting unusually high numbers of snowy owls in unusual locations, well beyond Canada, with some as far south as Florida! The snowy owl population had boomed the previous summer– this sudden increase in a population is called an irruption. Fierce competition for territory pushed them beyond their normal range. Scientists worked quickly to take advantage of the irruption, trying to add identification bands to as many birds as possible. They were also able to crowdfund 2 dozen battery-powered GPS transmitters. Over the next 2-3 years, the data from these transmitters revealed surprising new insights into snowy owl behavior, as scientists learned that these birds fly higher, faster, and farther than expected. Interested readers can check out Project SNOWstorm’s website for further updates on the birds’ trackers.
This book is exemplary expository non-fiction – the text is engaging, informative, and well-paced, with beautiful and well-chosen visual supports. Small yellow insets throughout add details about the snowy owls without interrupting the flow, while longer explanations for important context are easily identified by a blue background and swooping curves at the bottom. Most of the text is on a plain white background but the text overlaid on pictures is still easily readable. One final thing to appreciate – in her author’s note, Markle shares how her project grew organically, tracking how a conversation with one expert led her to another expert. It’s a great example for teachers to show how research is an iterative process.
This book is exemplary expository non-fiction – the text is engaging, informative, and well-paced, with beautiful and well-chosen visual supports. Small yellow insets throughout add details about the snowy owls without interrupting the flow, while longer explanations for important context are easily identified by a blue background and swooping curves at the bottom. Most of the text is on a plain white background but the text overlaid on pictures is still easily readable. One final thing to appreciate – in her author’s note, Markle shares how her project grew organically, tracking how a conversation with one expert led her to another expert. It’s a great example for teachers to show how research is an iterative process.
March 28, 2018
Markle, Sandra Snowy Owl Invasion! Tracking an Unusual Migration, 46 pages. NON-FICTION. Millbrook (Lerner), 2018. $24.
The winter of 2013-2014 brought an unprecedented number of snowy owls to the United States. Normally these birds stay all year in the Arctic. Scientists took advantage of the flocks by banding many and attaching transmitters to others in order to study the flight patterns – research that they have not been able to conducted previously.
Because the banding happened so recently, scientists are just beginning to use the data they have been collecting. Because if this, there really isn’t a section about the uses for the research or things that the general populous should be aware of. In that regard, this book is a little less useful than Markle’s other books. Don’t get me wrong – the bandings and transmitter part is cool, just not what I normally expect. And the photographs – top notch!
EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
The winter of 2013-2014 brought an unprecedented number of snowy owls to the United States. Normally these birds stay all year in the Arctic. Scientists took advantage of the flocks by banding many and attaching transmitters to others in order to study the flight patterns – research that they have not been able to conducted previously.
Because the banding happened so recently, scientists are just beginning to use the data they have been collecting. Because if this, there really isn’t a section about the uses for the research or things that the general populous should be aware of. In that regard, this book is a little less useful than Markle’s other books. Don’t get me wrong – the bandings and transmitter part is cool, just not what I normally expect. And the photographs – top notch!
EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
March 12, 2018
Solid science for elementary readers packed with gorgeous appealing photographs.
The winter of 2013-14 brought an unusual "irruption" of snowy owls to places they are rarely seen in the United States. Scientists leaped on the opportunity to understand these cycles of migration and learn more about the snowy owls. Markle's well-written text is clear, wonderfully geared to young readers and tells a fascinating story of scientists at work. Some new technology adds a very interesting dimension to research methods.
The winter of 2013-14 brought an unusual "irruption" of snowy owls to places they are rarely seen in the United States. Scientists leaped on the opportunity to understand these cycles of migration and learn more about the snowy owls. Markle's well-written text is clear, wonderfully geared to young readers and tells a fascinating story of scientists at work. Some new technology adds a very interesting dimension to research methods.
April 20, 2019
"Snowy Owl Invasion!" was written by Sandra Markle and published in 2018. It tells the story of how scientists reacted and investigated when Snowy Owls started migrating to all the wrong places. This book uses scientific findings and research, stories, and beautiful pictures to tell about what happens during the 2013-2014 Winter "Irruption" and the owls themselves. This book would be great for middle and upper elementary aged students (grades 3-5) who are interested in animals or want to learn more about the science behind tracking animals and helping them stay safe.
March 17, 2018
I'd love to add seeing a snowy owl to my Life List. Apparently, my chance to see one without traveling happened in 2013. Markle deftly explains the "irruption" as well as efforts of scientists to track the possibly new migration patterns. The accompanying photos are gorgeous. The maps are helpful to understand just how unusual this event was. Backmatter includes an author's note, source notes, glossary and websites for finding out more about snowy owls.
May 11, 2018
What an adventure! You can never learn enough about Mother Nature and her world. Follow this group of scientists as they track a change in the snowy owl migration pattern. What caused it and how these birds maybe effected by climate changes. Watch carefully you may see one even if you live in South Carolina or Florida.
Of particular interest is the author's note explaining how she researched the researchers.
Of particular interest is the author's note explaining how she researched the researchers.
June 7, 2021
Eye-catching photos and thorough description of why US residents as far south as Florida saw a snowy owl in 2013. A good description of the cause and effect of a population boom and the stress on the food chain that triggered significant changes in animal behavior and the new technology that let scientists capture more information. Maps to analyze, author's note, glossary, and additional resources.
November 8, 2022
This picture book was nominated for the 2018 Cybils Award. It covers the Arctic ecosystem, flight speed, owl digestion issues, pellet elimination, and the use of a GPS (Global Positioning System) transmitter to track owls. The valuable digital resources at the end of the book include (Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species from the University of Michigan)
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters... and https://www.projectsnowstorm.org/ and a video https://youtu.be/HXwrB216bgE.
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters... and https://www.projectsnowstorm.org/ and a video https://youtu.be/HXwrB216bgE.
May 4, 2018
Majestic snowy owls were appearing in unusual places all over North America during late 2013 and scientists needed to find out why! Ohio has a connection with one tracked owl named Buckeye that visited our Lake Erie coastline. Amazing photographs enhance your understanding of the owl’s life cycle and this unusual occurrence. Reviewer 15
October 13, 2020
If you want to know about Snowy Owls, this is the book to read! This book is filled with wonderful facts and pictures about the Snowy Owl. Teachers can use this book as a resource in teaching their students about the invasion, history in the making, Snowies become Snowbirds, good news, bad news, project snowstorm, a star owl reporter, and the future is snowy.
March 25, 2018
Wow! The breathtaking cover photo of a snowy owl in flight is amazing. Interesting text about a snowy owl "irruption" that occurred in 2013-14. Fascinating discoveries and great use of technology to track the snowy owls' Arctic treks. Great photos throughout!
April 3, 2018
What a great book! This one was particularly timely for me as I've been seeing reports from our local Audubon society of snowy owls in my area. The photographs in this book are wonderful and the information is clearly presented.
April 14, 2018
This is a very interesting story about the season in 2013-2014 where snowy owls ranged farther than anyone could have imagined. Sandra Markle explains what happened and why in a very compelling way. The photographs are so beautiful and so interesting. Don't miss this one!
April 23, 2018
Informative Text
Well written narrative about the snowy owl irruption in 2013-14. The author provides facts and information on the efforts made to determine why this happened and the methods used to track migrations.
Well written narrative about the snowy owl irruption in 2013-14. The author provides facts and information on the efforts made to determine why this happened and the methods used to track migrations.
October 23, 2018
Good information, engagingly told with lots of wonderful, clear color photographs. Back matter includes Author's note, source notes, glossary, further reading, index and photo acknowledgements.
Good for understanding how plants and animals are interrelated. Grass v
Good for understanding how plants and animals are interrelated. Grass v
January 30, 2019
A gold mine for a kid working on a research project about snowy owls. Great narrative, breakouts for additional scientific facts, a terrific back matter piece on how the author researches a project (meta!) and fantastic photographs illustrating the work.
November 11, 2022
If you are interested in owls like I am this is an interesting book about the irruption of 2013-2014. I learned not only about Snowy Owls, but also how scientists are studying these animals to learn more about them and how to protect them.
May 22, 2018
Interesting animal non-fiction. Best for grades 4-6.
June 12, 2018
Long lots of information- good NF attributes
July 8, 2018
Wonderful read for animal lovers.
October 3, 2018
Interesting book about the snowy owl irruption in 2013. Disappointed that photos were not taken by the author. Most were stock.
October 15, 2018
Even though it's a picture book. It reads more like a middle-grade non-fiction. So much depth!
October 19, 2018
A nonfiction book about a weird occurance of Snowy Owls migrating farther south than normal in large numbers. A great explaiantion and easy to follow. Elementary and up
February 24, 2019
An informative book for young people about the "irruption," of snowy owls during 2012-2013. Maps and photos.
October 11, 2019
I liked this book but it was a little long and drawn out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews