Booklife Review

When four eaglets face a devastating storm that knocks them out of their nest, they’re swept into an odyssey of self-discovery that leaves them questioning their place in the big, unfamiliar world around them. As the eaglets try to make sense of their surroundings—and the strange animals they run into—they also fight for a sense of belonging: when they happen across a squirrel, who bears some slight resemblance to them with its coloring and habitat, the eaglets quickly latch onto its way of life, though only one decides to stay, the others “trek[king] out on their own, away from the only world that they’d known.”

Whetung (author of The Corn Chief) offers younger readers the chance to ride along as the story’s eagle stars embark on the adventure of a lifetime, taking flying lessons from crows, learning hard life truths from a cunning raven, and more. Some of those lessons come with a hefty cost, as when two remaining eaglets discover, from a raven with some tricky plans, that not everyone can be trusted. Whetung allows the eaglets space to make mistakes, bounce back, and, above all, choose their own path—wisdom that adult readers will relish learning alongside their young ones. E.B. Sunflower’s monochromatic illustrations delight, showcasing the eaglets exploring the natural world, with dazzling bursts of burnt orange splashing through, in the eaglets’ beaks, claws, and the ever-present sun beating a steady rhythm in the background.

Whetung delivers a valuable lesson for young audiences: “the language, the culture, [and] the home of [your] kind” is never out of reach, and a caring mentor may be all that’s needed to uncover one’s path. Each of the four eaglets eventually settles on their purpose and place, a happy ending that, though diverse in its outcomes for the story’s leads, will resonate.

Takeaway: Four eaglets discover their purpose and place.

Comparable Titles: Nancy Van Laan’s Rainbow Crow, Nadia Sammurtok’s The Owl and Two Rabbits.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A