A beautifully illustrated story of a mother bird protecting her young.

Mother Fantail dreams of raising a happy family, and carefully prepares her nest, while Rat sniffs around for dinner. What will happen when their paths cross? A beautifully illustrated story about a mother bird who works hard to prepare her nest and guard her chicks against predators.

“Honored as a finalist for a New Zealand illustration award when it was first published in 2012, this story of determined bird parents can nest safely on American nature shelves as well.” —Kirkus Reviews (U.S.)

“Recommended. … A real pleasure to see a differently presented illustrative technique which pushes the reader to think about and question what they are seeing.” —ReadPlus

“Peek into the heart of New Zealand’s lush landscape in this riveting tale of survival and suspense. A fierce mother fantail zealously guards her nest of eggs against scavenging rats, each scene created in contrast, its snippets of colour set against shades of black and gray and featuring a bevy of native flowers, plants, animals, and insects. The future of the eggs is uncertain, and the expressively concise narrative creates an evocative action sequence in the wild.” —Foreword Reviews (U.S.)

The Author

Gay Hay is a New Zealand environmental enthusiast. Over the many years of her primary school teaching she has helped children plant and nurture thousands of native trees. She has been involved in many environmental initiatives on the Kapiti Coast and is currently leading the lizard investigation as part of the Kapiti Biodiversity Project.

The Illustrator

Margaret Tolland is an artist from New Zealand, whose illustrations are packed with detail. Through her work, get closer to the habitats and lifestyles of the many species, both flora and fauna, that she explores with an eye on environmental education. With twenty years’ experience in visual arts education and working in a gallery, Margaret now illustrates full-time.

Age Range: 4-7

RRP: $24.99

ISBN: 978-1-76036-071-9

Juvenile Fiction / Animals/Birds