Plight of the Pelican: How Science Saved a Species

The midcentury “plight of the pelican” provides a window into how the scientific process was used to discover the dangers of DDT in this hopeful picture book. When avian populations begin to plummet in the 1950s, “Scientists noticed./ And they worried.” Identifying fragile eggshells as the problem, researchers trace the cause to DDT, and one unnamed figure (identifiable as Rachel Carson), rallies the public. Repetition builds as the narrative recounts how “the number of birds continued to drop/ lower/ and/ lower/ while people/ demanding change grew/ louder/ and/ louder,” until the chemical is ruled a hazard. Layers of color enliven Wright’s artwork, which shifts from faithfully rendered images of pelicans to conventional depictions of farmland, protests, and more. Concluding verse effectively amplifies Stremer’s message about the importance of science as a vehicle for positive change. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Includes contextualizing back matter. Ages 5–8. (Apr.)