Follow the Flyway: The Marvel of Bird Migration

by Sarah Nelson, Maya Hanisch (Illustrator)

In this lyrical STEM gem, nests full of baby birds hatch, grow feathers, learn to fly, and then finally follow the autumn winds south along the majestic flyway for their first big migration. Rhyming, poetic text and detailed, nostalgic illustrations make for an enthralling read-aloud, carrying readers along on the birds’ sensory journey of sights and sounds. Illustrated endnotes provide factual information about bird migration, the four flyways of North America, the species of birds found in the book and sources for further reading.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Animals, Nonfiction, Birds, Science, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

Published August 8, 2023

About the author

Sarah Nelson is the author of critically acclaimed fiction and nonfiction picture books. Her most recent title, Birth of the Bicycle: A Bumpy History of the Bicycle in America, is a 2024 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Sarah's other titles include Firefly Galaxy, Follow the Flyway: the Marvel of Bird Migration, and A Park Connects Us, which has been featured in dozens of StoryWalks across the United States. When not writing, Sarah teaches English to adult immigrants and refugees and loves walking in the parks around her Minnesota home. She is represented by Marietta B. Zacker of the Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency. Learn more at sarahnelsonbooks.com.

Reviews

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this picture book, we see different birds creating their nests, hatching their young, and teaching them to swim and fly. Then they all migrate south for the winter. Along the way, they hunt for food, rest by rivers or ponds, and instinctively follow the southern route their ancestors have taken for thousands of years.

The artwork is really beautiful, and you get a sense of energetic flying and flapping or peaceful rest depending on what the scene describes. I love the pretty nature scenes in the background, and all the little details of each different type of bird.

There is a section at the back of the book with more information about the types of birds that are included in the book. There are great egrets, trumpeter swans, mallards, Canadian geese, American white pelicans, blue herons, and a bunch of others. This section also explains how birds migrate and the different paths they take depending on what part of North America they inhabit.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Pat Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, informative & fun! This book with its lively language and pictures is both an engaging read-aloud and a fascinating reference book.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid information and the illustrations are rich and colorful

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow the Flyway is a beautifully written and illustrated book. As usual, Sarah Nelson’s words are carefully chosen, lyrical, and fun. Her writing is full of heart and bursting with love for her subject matter. Maya Hanisch’s bright, colorful, lively illustrations fly off the page, making for a dynamic combination of words and pictures. The images are rich and complex, giving the reader something new to see each time they open the book. The in-depth back matter fills in all the fascinating details about these amazing birds and their annual migration along an invisible path south. This book is for anyone who loves birds, nature, learning, beautiful pictures, and heartfelt writing. In other words…everyone!

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Nelson has written a book about bird migration that is at once informative and lyric. This would make a great book to read at bedtime because the language is soothing, "They follow food and follow water, the shape of the land, the tail of the wind, navigating with the sun and stars and the powerful pull of the south."

The timeline of the book starts with birds at rest before the entrance of baby birds recently hatched. After the young learn how to fly, the flock takes flight, which takes place across several pages. They fly over forests, follow rivers, rest atop buildings, and descend into parks and gardens until they reach the ocean. There they come to rest again to winter until they make the return flight north in the spring.

The back matter includes "Fascinating Flyway Facts," which includes a map showing the four North American Flyways. Next is "Birds of the Flyway," which lists 12 species: Trumpeter Swans, Mallard Ducks, Wood Ducks, Canada Geese, Common Loons, Great Blue herons, Green Herons, Great Egrets, American White Pelicans, Spotted Sandpipers, Wilson's Snipes, and Dunlins. Readers have already encountered these birds in the main narrative / artwork. Finally, the last page includes "Select Sources" and "For Further Reading" as well as dedications and acknowledgements.

It's a pretty book and a pretty informative one at that.

[John Mullarkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this wonderful book by Sarah Nelson in the new nonfiction section of the library as I searched for a picture book on bird migration. Not only was it timely (it is late September and the skies will soon be filled with birds heading south) but I found it to be both informative and visually appealing, as well as very lyrical - almost poetic - in its description of the many unique aspects of migratory birds. This book can be shared with all ages (including adults!) but is perfect as a read aloud for young children as it shows how and where birds’ “sense” the seasonal change and begin their journeys to warmer climates, and then back again. The illustrations by Maya Hanisch project movement as well as giving the individual birds a sense of personality; it also shows how migratory birds interact with our human landscapes, and how we can catch glimpses of them as they make their way throughout the various regions of North America. In addition to the story-like text, there is ample back matter and endnotes that give further insight into the various species of birds depicted in the book.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetic text and stunning artwork, created with pencils, water-based paints, and digital techniques, follow 12 different bird species as they migrate across one of the four North American flyways--in this case, the Mississippi Flyway. Beginning with their hatching and rapid growth, the little birds must learn fast and be able to keep up when the adults take to the skies. Even though this is their first migration, they are helped by the older, more experienced birds and the fact that they fly in flocks. The text gives readers a sense of the challenges of their journey as well as some of the sights they might see. The back matter offers additional information about migration, flyways, and identifies with thumbnail sketches the 12 different birds who have flown through the pages of this page. A good addition for a science classroom library, this book is a perfect gift for birdwatchers. This one is a 3.5 for me.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of knocking back the science for the sake of poetry, this is a beginner's guide to the concept of bird migration – the fact that flocks of many different species flee the cold when it arrives in the northern lands they inhabit, and disappear south. There is a more mature guide to the concept, and to the birds on these pages, at the end, but before that the core of the book provides very decent full-spread images of birds in flight and touching down on our landscapes here and there en route. It's easily read by a primary school audience, but one issue remains, and that is the fact we don't get the science of it, or the other migrations across the planet (from the gnu to the whales), and as a result it cannot really be thought of as a must-buy for a cash-strapped school library. As a luxury purchase it's fine, but essential – unfortunately not.

[LeAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful nature story from Sarah Nelson! Nelson’s books always enchant me with their natural rhythms, slant rhymes, and word pictures. This one does not disappoint, and Maya Hanisch translates Nelson’s words into delightful illustrations. Each bird has its own personality. The left-to-right direction of flight pulls readers on to the next page. Small children will be eager to learn more in the Flyway Facts section at the end of the book, read more about the different types of birds, and return to find them in the illustrations. This will make a lovely read aloud and provide hours of pleasure pouring over illustrations.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Migrtation is a wonder (and a puzzle) to nearly anyone who thinks about it, whether that is na typo-year-old asking "WHY?" or a postdoctoral scientist working out just exactly "WHY?" and "HOW?" such global phenomena can reliably repeat and continue, millennia after Millenia.
This vibrantly illustrated picture book describes some of the species of birds another interconnected patterns and passages across the seasons in effective images and lyrical language.
Let's be sure to share this one with kids/others of many ages to help appreciate the power and puzzlement of the wondrous world we inherited- and must protect.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a lovely picture book all about bird migration. I appreciated the variety of birds depicted and all the different places you'll find birds in nature. The illustrations are lovely and the text is lyrical and suited to read aloud. It's always nice to find an informational book that can be easily shared in that way. My biggest complaint is the choice of text. I found the script font hard to read and I was struggling to want to read all the words with tired eyes. I feel like that's poor book design that detracts from an otherwise great read.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice lyrical picture book for young children that honors the marvel of bird migration. We follow 12 different bird species as their babies begin their first migration. Each of the 12 birds are featured in more detail in the back matter, as well as more in-depth information about migration. The core narrative works as a nice read aloud for early elementary aged children. The words are dynamic and the illustrations pair nicely to celebrate birds and the natural world as a whole.

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Publisher's Spotlight. Opinions are my own.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. The story is engaging and fun, and the pictures are lovely. They add so much to the wonderful writing that is a hallmark of all Sarah Nelson's books. My grandchildren enjoyed reading this book with me. We appreciated all the educational material in the back of the book, plus sources where we can read more about this fascinating subject. It was fun to read about some of my favorite birds--especially the loon. Well done, Sarah!

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvel indeed! This book wonders at the miraculous journey many birds make every year. It starts with new little chicks of all kinds hatching and follows birds as they migrate south. The words are full of onomatopoeia and active verbs. The illustrations are lovely. I really loved the backmatter on "fascinating flyway facts" and the different kinds of birds shown in the illustrations.

[Holly Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetic nonfiction. Not narrative, but poetry. I found the rhythm of the book hard to follow. I reread it a couple times. I'm not sure I could manage it as a read aloud. I like the poetry of it, but I struggled with it. I just don't know where to put it exactly. At times the illustrations are a little wonky for nonfiction.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It was interesting to look at the migrations, and which birds will migrate.

Told in a way to keep young readers interested. The illustrations were superb!

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
Factual and well illustrated

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, lyrical look at bird migration. Can’t wait to add to my classroom!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, realistic art.

[Yuna Leek]

more books for children! woot woot!!

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous writing, lovely story, makes you want to join the birds on their journey!

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

When reviewing Jeannie Barker’s Circle, I talked about how I chose to read books on migration for a “safari” program I do for the first grade classes at the end of every school year. This is the second book I read for that program. Unlike Circle, this book features birds that are familiar to the students I work with, like the sandpiper, Canada goose, and mallard, because they’re birds that actually live in our region. (I think, though, I only had one person point out a specific familiar bird when we got to the “what did you notice that you want to share?” part of the read-aloud.) That was part of the reason I chose to read this book, but I also chose it because of Nelson’s poetic words and Hanisch’s illustration (done with pencils, water-based paints, and digital techniques)... Read the full review here