Atlantic Puffin: Little Brother of the North by Kristin Bieber Domm illustrated by Jeffrey C Domm

 

"I am an Atlantic puffin. 

My scientific name,

Fratercula arctica, means

little brother of the north."

Fishermen call this little bird a sea parrot and others use the term clown of the ocean.

I love the way the facts about puffins are woven into this book using a narrative form. For example puffins rub their beaks - this is called beaking. 

"As soon as we see each other again we rub and clack our beaks together to say hello."

Image source: Flamborough Bird Observatory

When I read Puffling to groups of children in my library I talk about the way the parent puffins fly away and leave their young one - the puffling - alone for a few days until late at night he or she finally jumps off the edge of the cliff into the ocean. 

I saw Atlantic Puffin: Little Brother of the North book at a recent charity book sale. You probably already know I am slightly crazy about puffins. I even travelled from Australia to Shetland, Orkney and Fair Isle to see real puffins. I say real puffins because when I first read our Australian picture book Puffling I thought these little guys were invented and of course I mostly associated them with the publisher of Puffin Books. 

The Atlantic Puffin is the official bird of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. When this book was published in 2005 the end notes say Atlantic puffins were not endangered. I imagine this is a different story now. 

Bookseller blurb: The Atlantic Puffin is a familiar symbol of the Atlantic region, earning it the nickname Little Brother of the North. This wonderful story is told from the point of view of a puffin, drawing the reader effortlessly into the natural habitat of a puffin’s world. Accompanied with beautiful illustrations, Atlantic Puffin details habitat, breeding cycles, eating and nesting habits, and more, about the life of this fascinating animal. Artistically rendered, carefully researched, this latest installment from the popular writing and illustrating team of Kristin and Jeff Domm will delight any child or adult who seeks to learn more about the treasured Atlantic Puffin.

The informational content flows seamlessly from one page to the next, discussing the bird’s behaviour and habitat. The descriptions are refreshing and pleasing to the ear. For example, the puffin narrator states, “I feel snazzy in the spring when my webbed feet and beak turn bright orange.” The story leads readers through the life cycle of a puffin. Interesting facts are woven into the text, such as “Can you believe I sometimes carry twenty fish in my beak at once?” The evocative story will certainly heighten interest in this little-known bird. Quill and Quire

Take a look at my previous post about puffins.

Puffin facts:

• There are four species of puffins.
• Sixty percent of the world’s puffins breed in Iceland.
• A puffin’s beak (or bill) changes colour during the year.
• Puffins spend most of their lives out at sea, resting on the waves when not swimming.
• Puffins are carnivores and live off small fish such as herring, hake and sand eels.
• Puffins mate for life.
• Puffins don’t make nests, they dig holes. 
• The female puffin only lays one egg each spring.
• Puffins live a long life of around twenty years.
• The puffin is a poor flier but an excellent swimmer. 
• If you want to give your class a great laugh use this site to hear sounds of puffins.

Places where you can see puffins in the United Kingdom between March and July:

Scotland

– St Kilda

– Craigleith Island

– Isle of May National Nature Reserve

– Orkney Islands

– John O’Groats (surrounding coastline)

– Cape Wrath

– Fair Isle

– Shetland Islands

– Staffa Island

– Inner Hebrides

Wales

– Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire

– Skokholm Island

– South Stack, Anglesey

England

– The Farne Islands, Northumberland

– Coquet Island, Northumberland

– Bempton Cliffs, North Yorkshire

– South Stack, Anglesey

Channel Islands

– Burhou, Channel Islands

– Herm (east/south coast)

Northern Ireland

– Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland

Ireland

– Great Saltee

– Cliffs of Moher, County Clare

– Horn Head, County Donegal

– Puffin Island, County Kerry