Gobble, Gobble: One Year In The Life Of A Wild Turkey

by Cathryn Falwell

The ideal turkey book for preschoolers and the perfect Thanksgiving picture book for kids! This turkey story for kids follows a little girl named Jenny through a year of observing the wild turkeys that live near her home. Gobble, Gobble is a great resource to learn about the seasons and the life cycle of wild turkeys through the storytelling of a child. Arrow-shaped footprints lead a young backyard naturalist to a flock of funny-looking birds with big strong Wild Turkeys! Once nearly extinct, these comical critters now gobble their way across North America. Follow Jenny through a year of enchantment as she shares her discovery of these wonderful birds. Gobble, gobble! Jenny wrote a journal, too, with lots of fascinating stuff about a distinctly American bird. Although it once numbered in the millions, wild turkeys nearly disappeared with over-hunting and habitat destruction, but are now making a comeback. The unique illustrations are block prints over collages. The collages are made from cut and torn paper plus all sorts of things from nature―bark, leaves, feathers, even wasp nests! Falwell also offers tips for children to make their own cut-paper pictures and how to keep a nature journal.

Genres: Picture Books, Thanksgiving, Childrens, Nature, Animals, Birds, Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The brightly colored pictures and simple, rhythmic text in this picture book describe the life cycle of wild turkeys as witnessed by a young girl and a deer who always seems to be present or lurking in the background. More information about turkeys is found at the end of the book, and I learned something--turkeys eat ticks! My back yard has deer ticks, which attach themselves to my cats. I've got to get some turkeys back there! Recommended for pre-K through middle elementary kids.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explore and learn with Jenny, a little girl who records in her journal the habits of the wild turkeys that live near her home. After a year of watching their movements and lifestyle, Jenny has learned a lot and now is ready to share her findings with the reader.

[Amanda Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad idea--share what wild turkeys do throughout the year---like slide down icy hills?

This book is super random.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good illustrations.

[Shasta Codizal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the turkeys

[Jess H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good turkey book for thanksgiving where the turkey doesn’t end up dinner by the end of the book.

[Fatma · Rating 5 out of 5]

جميل جدا جدا

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

When do you normally think about turkeys? Isn’t it usually around Thanksgiving? But, of course, turkeys live year round. Jenny is a curious girl who likes to observe nature. In the spring, she finds arrow-shaped footprints and striped feathers that lead her to a flock gobbling wild turkeys looking for seeds to eat. In the summer she sees the turkey babies as they hatch and run. In autumn, as it turns cooler, the turkeys roost up in the trees. And what do you imagine turkeys do in the winter? Do you think that they might slip and slide in the snow like the rest of us?
Not only does this charming book provide information about the life cycle of wild turkeys in a woodland habitat and reinforce the progression of the seasons for children, it also encourages observation skills in youngsters as they look at nature. In the back, “Jenny’s Journal” gives more facts about turkeys, plus there are a list of fun things to do and an animal tracks guessing game. Cathryn Falwell, who has written and illustrated over eighteen children’s books, accents her rhyming text with unique illustrations of block prints over collages which are made from cut and torn paper with all sorts of things from nature, such as bark, leaves, feathers, and even wasps nests. More downloadable activities for this book are located at the publisher’s website. Gobble, Gobble is a young nature lover’s delight!

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s always a relief to find books that celebrate turkeys for who they are. Gobble, Gobble does just that—a young girl observes a family of wild turkeys near her home, carefully noting how they preen, strut, raise young, and communicate. The illustrations are bright and fun and capture the essence of wild turkeys. Best of all, there’s nary a mention of cranberry sauce or Thanksgiving centerpieces.

Veg*n families will celebrate that! In all, this could be the perfect children’s book on the subject—if it weren’t for the last couple of pages. While the author compassionately encourages youngsters that

We need to respect [wild turkeys] and watch from a distance.

…she’s a bit less charitable when the issue comes to domesticated turkeys. Of these beleaguered birds, the author writes simply,

Turkeys raised for food that people eat are called domestic turkeys. These turkeys look different than wild turkeys. They are bigger, slower moving, and can’t fly.

The author also discusses the National Wild Turkey Foundation’s role in restoring wild turkeys to various areas of the US. To me, it’s a bit dishonest that she doesn’t mention that the NWTF’s intense interest in “saving” the turkey comes from “saving” them for hunting.

[Jazmine Shoup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gobble Gobble by Cathryn Falwell is a simple children’s picture story book that details the experiences that a young girl has with the turkeys that live outside of her house. The book follows the young girl through all of the seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter, and the different interactions that she shares with the turkeys in her yard. For example, “summer days are filled with sun. Turkey babies hatch and run!”, and “Autumn leaves are red and gold. Turkeys crunch with footsteps bold.” The book is written in a simplistic manner yet has a wonderful rhyme scheme to keep young children interested and intrigued in the story that is being told.
The illustrations in the story are bright and colorful, adding to the warm spirit that the book emotes. The illustrations are very kid like yet are intricate enough to provide a good sense of the scenes that are trying to be shown. I gave the book 4 stars, because although I liked the rhyming structure and illustrations throughout, I thought that it might have been too simplistic. I would use this book for a 1st-2nd grade classroom. It could perhaps teach a lesson about the seasons or even about Turkey’s in general. Overall, I liked the story and thought that it was very cleverly done.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cathryn Falwell has created a picture book that introduces children to turkeys - not the kind on the dinner table, bu those that are seen in the woods and fields. Each season they are busy with different activities. In spring, the toms show off to impress the hens and the hens are busy making a nest for their eggs. he babies hatch in summer. Fall has them roosting in the trees as the red and gold leaves drift to the ground. And the turkey tracks are visible in the winter snow.

The illustrations are charming and the text is just enough to carry the reader along, not too heavy or cutesy. It would be a nice change of pace to read at Thanksgiving - a book where the turkey is not in danger or humorously escaping the danger, just a tour through the year with examples of what wild turkeys do. Young readers are introduced to proper terms such as tom and hen, and there are additional facts in the section at the back of the book, "Jenny's Journal."

Our school library received a copy in a give-away contest. The author was kind enough to autograph it for us.

[Terry]

I picked this book the first time, but my kids asked to read it again. They liked the descriptions of turkey behavior and the amusing illustrations of those silly turkeys. Additionally, they love books about nature and this book does a great job of describing how these birds adapt to the changing seasons.

Dynamic illustrations, a clever narration concept, and additional resources at the end make this an enjoyable read.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing read about wild turkeys! The illustrations are beautifully painted. The story follows a gaggle of wild turkeys through the seasons as a little girl watches them in the forest and field near her house. The text is rhyming and is 'ok'. The emphasis on watching nature change (rather than eating turkeys) gives a new spin on being thankful.

This was another 'find' by Andrew --he seems to have a knack for pulling good books off the shelf randomly.

[Christine Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would work for storytime and is a good length for pre-school. I also like that it rhymes and uses the work "gobble" which children think is funny. If only the illustrations would have been better, I would have given it three stars.


Subjects

Wild turkey -- Juvenile fiction

Turkeys -- Juvenile fiction.

Stories in rhyme

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite a Thanksgiving tale, this title traces the path of wild turkeys all during the year. Surely could be utilized in storytime for November...just not an "eat the turkey at the conclusion" book.

[orangerful · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picture book story of wild turkeys growing up in a little girl's backyard. Nice to have a story about a turkey that I can read for the Thanksgiving storytime which doesn't end with the turkey being a meal or avoiding being a meal!

[Miss Pippi the Librarian]

Turkeys don't magically appear just for Thanksgiving. They don't live and die in a grocery store. Turkeys are wild animals that survive the big outdoors all year long. Take a peek and discover the lives of turkeys!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story as Jenny follows the turkeys through the seasons doing different things. It’s fun to watch how Jenny connects to the turkeys It also offers a few tips on how to keep a nature journal. You can use the suggestions for just about any type of journaling project.

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 3 out of 5]

My five year old had it read to him once, then wasn't interested in a re-read. Suffers by comparison with the author's Turtle Splash! and Scoot!> but a solid nature entry more appealling around Thanksgiving time.

[Roberta · Rating 2 out of 5]

A year in the life of a turkey. "Jenny's Journal" at the end was the best part. I learned some new things - like a baby turkey is called a poult, a young male a jake, and a young female a jenny. The illustrations were cute.

[Susan Dunn]

I'm going to add this to my Turkey storytime list. It's about observing wild turkeys, so a nice change from the traditional Thanksgiving stories.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up like this little girl - watching wild turkeys from my window. Lovely illustrations and peaceful tone. No chopping off the turkeys head for Thanksgiving or anything like that.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book about wild turkeys through the seasons. SPOILER: Doesn't end in a feast!

[Linda Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the come back kids(wild turkeys)with Jenny over a year. Rhyming text and great illustrations make this a storytime winner. 3+

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrations were great, story covers the four seasons of the life of a turkey through the journal of a young girl.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will make a nice addition to storytimes of many themes: seasons, fall, stories in verse. Great back matter as well.

[Lindsey Lubker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about Jenny following turkies and watching when and describing what they do throughout the year.

[Erma Talamante · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute rhyming book about a little girl and the wild turkeys that live near her.

This would be a great holiday book for children of all ages!

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't call this a Thanksgiving book, but I do like turkey and it was interesting to read and learn about them in a rhyme/story form!

Nice pictures..fun facts and crafts in the back!

[Casandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl observes wild turkeys throughout the year.
Turkeys