Springtime Storks: A Migration Love Story

Affection soars in Munro’s kindhearted debut inspired by the real-life plight of two mated birds. Literally beginning with a “BANG!,” a white stork named Katerina narrates an account of what it was like to be shot out of the sky by a hunter. She lay injured in a field, her distressed mate Luka swooping down and calling her name, until a man “scooped me up with gentle hands.” While Katerina receives care, Luka is forced to continue the long journey solo. When Luka reappears in spring, the couple nest together and welcome a brood of chicks— establishing the pattern for an annual reunion. O’Byrne’s mixed-media art weaves patterns of patchwork farmland, rows of trees, and fields of flowers, providing a bucolic backdrop. Human characters are portrayed with pale skin. An author’s note and species notes conclude. Ages 4–8. (Dec.)