Swoop And Soar: How Science Rescued Two Osprey Orphans and Found Them a New Family in the Wild

by Deborah Lee Rose and Jane Veltkamp

Swoop and Soar, two baby osprey chicks, are safe in their nest at the top of the forest, until a powerful storm sends their tree crashing to the ground. This is the true story of how science found these two chicks a new osprey family and home in the wild. Only ten days old, Swoop and Soar become orphans when their nest is shattered in a thunder and lightning storm. Raptor biologist Janie Veltkamp, who rescued Beauty the bald eagle, helps save the young osprey chicks and sets out to find them a new family. In a race against time, Janie finds the perfect new nest for the chicks, with wild osprey parents who have also lost chicks to the storm. But will the new parents accept Swoop and Soar as their own, or soon fly away from the nest forever? After quickly nursing the baby brother and sister back to health, Janie carefully places them in the new nest while the osprey parents are out hunting for fish. Then Janie waits, watches and hopes. The new father brings back a fresh fish, but four long hours go by until the mother lands at the nest. Will she feed Swoop and Soar, and shade them from the Sun's burning rays with her outstretched wings? Can the chicks and their new osprey parents now become a real family?

Genres: Science, Birds, Picture Books

Hardcover

Published September 5, 2022

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photos and a heartwarming story followed by loads of facts. Obviously written with the goal of meeting STEM goals in the classroom. Reading this book and Beauty and the Beak by the same authors (one of whom is a raptor biologist who rescues birds of prey) will hopefully inspire children to do what they can to help these amazing birds thrive.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Beauty and the Beak so I was excited to be offered the opportunity to read an early copy of Swoop and Soar.

Any time babies of any kind can be rescued, I’m on board. In this case, an osprey nest and tree disappeared after a horrible storm. But a curious and caring wildlife biologist who had been watching the nest did some investigative work and located the chicks.

What now? What chance did these babies have to survive?

That’s where Janie Veltkamp stepped in.

This is a delightful story with bright pages and beautifully arranged pictures. Not only is the story set up to hold interest but the added pages, beyond the story, are wonderful teaching aids. Below are some examples:

A note from raptor biologist Janie Veltkamp

Rescuing ospreys

Reintroducing ospreys

Protecting ospreys

All About Ospreys

What kinds of birds are ospreys?

How do ospreys use their talons and beaks?

This is just a small portion of helpful information that is included. There is even a section that shows where to watch live Ospreys on webcams, which excited me.

The whole time I was reading I kept thinking that it wasn’t just an interesting story, it was a learning tool and a wonderful resource for teachers.

My Concerns
I had nothing that concerned me.

Final Thoughts
This is a book you can’t go wrong with. And if you’re in a generous mood and haven’t read Beauty And The Beak, I highly recommend it as well.

An easy thumbs up to this interesting book that teaches so much. And I loved that it promoted compassion and problem-solving.

My thanks to the authors and publisher for a gifted advanced review copy. I was free to state my opinion without any stipulations

[Cindy Dobrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the creative team who gave us Beauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3d-Printed Beak Rescued a Bald EagleBeauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3d-Printed Beak Rescued a Bald Eagle their latest book about ospreys is another winner. I have participated in osprey nest monitoring and am fascinated by this species and by animal rescue efforts. Young readers will appreciate the stunning photography of these powerful raptors in action and the story of these two orphans. I see these birds from my living room window sometimes, but this close-up look is extra special.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swoop and Soar is the tale of two ospreys in need of saving, and the wildlife experts who found a way to save them. The orphaned birds are depicted through wildlife photography, carefully detailing their crisis in their nest and the plan to convince another set of osprey parents to foster them. It makes for a neat adventure and an opportunity to see the work of wildlife experts first-hand.

Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

While I enjoyed the content and felt the book offered great STEM content, it began to feel overly repetitive (perhaps too much back matter).

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half is a great nonfiction picture book -- gripping story, sharp and exciting photographs, good basic science. And the back half gives a lot more meat -- details on what is going on, what it means, who is doing the work, past and future implications.

I'm a little concerned about the audience -- the front is a lot more accessible, the back is not quite as gripping. But it's a good read.

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a fierce storm knocks two baby ospreys from their nest, a raptor biologist gives them a second chance at life by pairing them with adult ospreys who lost their babies during the same storm.

Close-up photos bring the story to life and extensive backmatter provides additional information about ospreys, their unique adaptations, and how the insecticide DDT nearly wiped out their species.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rescue story is fascinating and heartwarming. Almost half of the book is back matter, giving much information on rescuing raptors, details about ospreys and their lives, what readers can do to help, and a list of bird cams where ospreys can be watched via a person's computer. Illustrated throughout with gorgeous photos of ospreys.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful photographs and extensive information about Ospreys as well as a great story about 2 chicks blown from a nest and, after care, being re-nested in the nest of another pair of Ospreys whose chicks had perished.

A perfect STEM choice

[Dawn]

Details the rescue of two ospreys who fall out of their nest as babies. Extensive backmatter about ospreys.
The photographs make the book, IMO.