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Birdlore

The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey

Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth
Hardcover
11"W x 9"H | 20 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Mar 18, 2025 | 40 Pages | 9780593488584
Age 4-8 years
Reading Level: Lexile AD740L | Fountas & Pinnell R
From the author of Shark Lady comes the true story of Florence Merriam Bailey, the groundbreaking scientist who inspired a nation to take up bird-watching and worked tirelessly to protect our feathered friends.

Before Florence, there was no such thing as "bird-watching". Bright plumes on lady's hats were all the rage, but no one was climbing trees or wading through marsh-grass to spot the birds they came from. Even scientists studied birds in labs instead of outside in their natural habitat.

But Florence changed all that. A bird-lover since childhood, she wanted to show the world what made these creatures special. She wanted everyone to care as much as she did, and so she taught classes, printed pamphlets, and eventually began leading bird walks so people could see it with their own eyes. Over time, they did see! With hard work and perseverence, Florence changed the way we look at birds, inspiring millions to follow in her footsteps on bird walks of their own.

With gorgeous illustrations by award-winning artist Devon Holzwarth (Listen), Florence's story takes flight in soaring spreads that capture her inquisitive spirit and passionate advocacy for our feathered friends, a legacy that lives on to this day.
JESS KEATING is a zoologist-turned-author who writes with the sort of wisdom you can only get from multiple crocodile bites and skunk sprays. Jess has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, and at the age of eight, she even started a library in her room (mainly so she could charge her brother late fees). She is the author of Pink Is For Blobfish, The Girl Who Built an Ocean, Shark Lady, and many more outstanding nonfiction picture books. She lives with her husband in Ontario, Canada, where she is hard at work on her next book. View titles by Jess Keating
DEVON HOLZWARTH is a picture book illustrator, author and painter. Devon earned her BFA in 2000 from the Rhode Island School of Design focusing on screen printing and painting. She is the author-illustrator of Found You as well as Sophie's Stories, winner of a Society of Illustrators gold medal award. She has illustrated a number of other picture books, including Everywhere With You; The Story of a Book; Papa, Daddy, and Riley; All that is You; A Flicker of Hope; Not Far From Here; and Tia Fortuna's New Home. Devon received a Schneider Family Book Award for her illustration work in Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion. Devon grew up in Panama surrounded by nature and her dad's art supplies. View titles by Devon Holzwarth
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"An elegant tribute to Florence Merriam Bailey.... A high-toned and attractively illustrated profile." —Kirkus Reviews

About

From the author of Shark Lady comes the true story of Florence Merriam Bailey, the groundbreaking scientist who inspired a nation to take up bird-watching and worked tirelessly to protect our feathered friends.

Before Florence, there was no such thing as "bird-watching". Bright plumes on lady's hats were all the rage, but no one was climbing trees or wading through marsh-grass to spot the birds they came from. Even scientists studied birds in labs instead of outside in their natural habitat.

But Florence changed all that. A bird-lover since childhood, she wanted to show the world what made these creatures special. She wanted everyone to care as much as she did, and so she taught classes, printed pamphlets, and eventually began leading bird walks so people could see it with their own eyes. Over time, they did see! With hard work and perseverence, Florence changed the way we look at birds, inspiring millions to follow in her footsteps on bird walks of their own.

With gorgeous illustrations by award-winning artist Devon Holzwarth (Listen), Florence's story takes flight in soaring spreads that capture her inquisitive spirit and passionate advocacy for our feathered friends, a legacy that lives on to this day.

Creators

JESS KEATING is a zoologist-turned-author who writes with the sort of wisdom you can only get from multiple crocodile bites and skunk sprays. Jess has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, and at the age of eight, she even started a library in her room (mainly so she could charge her brother late fees). She is the author of Pink Is For Blobfish, The Girl Who Built an Ocean, Shark Lady, and many more outstanding nonfiction picture books. She lives with her husband in Ontario, Canada, where she is hard at work on her next book. View titles by Jess Keating
DEVON HOLZWARTH is a picture book illustrator, author and painter. Devon earned her BFA in 2000 from the Rhode Island School of Design focusing on screen printing and painting. She is the author-illustrator of Found You as well as Sophie's Stories, winner of a Society of Illustrators gold medal award. She has illustrated a number of other picture books, including Everywhere With You; The Story of a Book; Papa, Daddy, and Riley; All that is You; A Flicker of Hope; Not Far From Here; and Tia Fortuna's New Home. Devon received a Schneider Family Book Award for her illustration work in Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion. Devon grew up in Panama surrounded by nature and her dad's art supplies. View titles by Devon Holzwarth

Photos

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Praise

"An elegant tribute to Florence Merriam Bailey.... A high-toned and attractively illustrated profile." —Kirkus Reviews
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