Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City

by Janet Schulman, Meilo So (Illustrator)

The birdwatchers of Central Park were buzzing–a young red-tailed hawk had been spotted, would he stay? The bird they dubbed Pale Male not only stayed, he became one of New York City’s most famous residents. Pale Male and his mate built their nest near the top of one of Fifth Avenue’s swankiest apartment buildings. Nine years and 23 chicks later, Pale Male’s fame had grown so large that a CBS newsman named him Father of the Year! But Pale Male was less beloved by the residents of the building, and in 2004 the owners suddenly removed the nest–setting off an international outcry on behalf of the birds.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Animals, Childrens, Birds, New York, Nature

40 pages, Library Binding

First published March 11, 2008

About the author

Janet Schulman has worked in children’s book publishing as an editor and an author for more than 40 years. She is currently Editor-at-Large and Division Vice President of Random House and Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second picture book encounter with Pale Male and I'm very happy to know this illustrious bird and honorary citizen of NYC as somehow (no, I do not live under a rock) I had never heard of him before I encountered the book! For those similarly in the dark, Pale Male arrived in New York City's Central Park when he was less than two years old and, unlike the many other hawks who simply migrate on through, Pale Male decided that he could make a very nice home for himself right there in Central Park, and he even convinced a female to agree and be his mate. He has now spent many years in NYC and is the object of deep devotion by many "fans"--tourists and birdwatchers alike.

I first read City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male by Megan MacCarthy and thought it was a great introduction to Pale Male. And the one I would recommend for younger children. Schulman's book is more complicated and also more complete (for example, the timeline is more clear; we learn Pale Male and his first mate did not successfully rise any offspring and that his mate had to be sent away to a rehab facility after she broke her wing against a building--this might be troubling for young/sensitive readers) and thus one I would recommend to older readers or adults looking for a quick "biography" about this fine feathered friend-to-many. My only qualm with Schulman's book is that a few times it seemed a bit needlessly political (could alienate certain readers) but overall I appreciated the style and substance.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful combination of science and picture book! The water color illustrations are not only beautiful but very engaging for children. The background science about red tailed hawks is wonderfully integrated in the really inspiring story. This story of blase New Yorkers who become so attached to the nesting hawks shows how deep our connection to nature goes. My grandsons were captivated by this book which includes lengthy but very lively text. Long live Pale Male!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of three picture-books devoted to the story of New York City's resident raptor - the other two are Jeanette Winter's The Tale of Pale Male: A True Story , and Meghan Mccarthy's City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male - Janet Schulman's Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City is the most detailed of the lot, and is one I would recommend to slightly older readers. Beginning with the young red-tailed hawk's arrival in Central Park - a common stop-over for migrating birds - the narrative covers his various attempts at starting a nest, his residence on top of one of Manhattan's most exclusive apartment buildings (overlooking the park), the many eyasses he and his mates have raised over the years, and the controversy surrounding his temporary 'eviction' from his home.

Despite living in the New York area, and being well aware of Pale Male and his history - my mother is a great fan, and was simply beside herself, when his nest was torn down - I learned a few new things in Schulman's book. I was not aware, for instance, that Pale Male had been nominated as "Father of the Year" by a CBS news commentator! Meilo So's artwork, done in watercolor and colored pencil, was just lovely, capturing the beauty of both the hawks, and their city home. As mentioned above, this was a more textually dense telling, than the other two picture-books devoted to Pale Male's story, so I would recommend it to young bird lovers who are a little more advanced in their reading, or who can sit still for, and absorb more complex narratives.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not fiction. I remember this story well because I was so affected by it as were my family and friends. This was a lovely book that also has pictures to go along with it and illustrations.

At that time, I was outraged by the story and was very relieved that Pale Male got his happy ending after all. Recommended to all animal lovers.

[Robert Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reviewing a lot of Caldecott Award books, and how this wonderful book could not garner even an Honor, let alone the Medal is a mystery to me.

This is a story about the spirit of New York City, in the form of it's most famous flying citizen, the Red Tailed Hawk named Pale Male. His story reflects the heart and soul of New York; youthful hope and exuberance, young love, perseverance and the struggle to survive. The watercolor illustrations are splendid, vivid and colorful. The text is intelligent and not at all patronizing for children.

This book is a true jewel, beautiful to look at and with a message of survival and courage that is quintessential New York. Just like The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks before it, this is a small masterpiece that was undeservedly overlooked by the Caldecott Awards.

In the same spirit, I highly recommend Arrowhawk by Lola M. Schaefer. Search for it!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a young red-tailed hawk arrives in New York City, he causes quite a stir among bird-lovers, but once he decides to build a nest on top of a Fifth Avenue high rise, all sorts of complications follow. The author has done an extraordinary job of capturing the essence of NYC and the way the hawk managed to capture the imaginations of so many. Only someone with the hardest of hearts could fail to be moved by the determination of the bird and his mate to build a nest and raise their young. The watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are simply extraordinary. I especially loved the colors used for the hawk's eye view of Central Park with its fall foliage. An Author's Note provides more information about Pale Male and the park. This is a vivid reminder of how civilization has encroached on the territory of other living things, making it hard for many to find a place to nest. I loved the advocacy of Pale Male's fans who take to the street in protest once his nest has been removed. This is my favorite of the three Pale Male books.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I've never heard of Pale Male before - I simply wanted to find a book featyring a hawk for our youngest. But we were thrilled by this story and we were amazed by the wildlife diversity in Central Park. The narrative is entertaining and the watercolor illustrations are very realistic. We realy enjoyed reading this book together and I thought the author's note was very informative.

[GraceAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot, and the art is beautiful. I confess, though, that I love Jeanette Winter's The Tale of Pale Male even more, with its poetic text and astonishing pictures.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even the hardest of hearts will admire the true-story-tenacity of a red tailed hawk who dares to call an elite apartment building in New York City home.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pale Male was a male hawk that set up residence in New York City within sight of Central Park. With plenty of small game to feed on in the park, he became a major attraction to many New Yorkers and tourists. He soared with ease over the high buildings, making him easy to see from the ground. Taking a mate, the couple raised several broods of chicks, nesting near the top of a local building.
When there were some major objections to the natural mess caused down below, there was a movement to remove their nesting habitat. However, there was significant opposition to this move, some of which was based on the endangered species act. As a consequence, it was decided that the hawks would be left alone to live out their lives in that area.
This is a true story, which makes it all the more appealing. It demonstrates that there is popular interest and support for nature in urban areas. Pale Male became a significant attraction for the people of New York as they watched the hawks fly and followed the progress of their chicks. Written for children, this book is also a delight for adults.

[Katie Cat Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conservation. Wild animals in city settings. Superb illustrations.

Story: Based on real events, in 1991 in NYC a red-tailed hawk was spotted. A rare sight, birdwatchers followed him as he stayed in the city rather than flying onwards. Birdwatchers and citizens watch as he finds mates, builds nests, has hatchlings year after year.

Language: Rather factual, little readers will be either bored or interested. Older readers and adults will enjoy the text and story, and all ages will enjoy the beautiful watercolor illustrations.

Characters: Told in 3rd person, the story follows Pale Male the hawk, with his mates, hatchlings, politicians, protestors and citizens along the way.

Makes you want to visit NYC just to spot the birds!

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

NYC's most famous feathered resident gets a delightful biographical treatment in this book. Adults will learn just as much as the kids as we learn the story of two red-tailed hawks who roost, hunt, nest, and raise young in the bustling Big Apple.

I also appreciate the fact that the hawks' travails and successes were closely monitored by everyday New Yorkers, and the birds' presence brought so many people from all walks of life together. When the hawk couple were themselves in trouble, New Yorkers banded together in an admirable show of support to help them. All of this is memorably recounted in the book.

[Clare Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this non-fiction picture book for kids (but adults love it too!!). Cool story about a red tailed hawk that made it's home in NYC!!! Birders there hadn't seen hawks like that nesting in the city for over 100 years!

[Korban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that I read a long time ago. Loved the art and the bird.

[Sandy Sopko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated story of the Central Park redtail hawks. Loved it!

[Pyrate Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young male hawk wonders into Central Park in NYC and fins himself a mate and struggles against all elements, natural and man-made to raise a family.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story about a hawk in Central Park. Really interesting information about birds in Central Park in general.

[Shamya Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

i like it

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when they have 27 babies. And they look so cute.

[JR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neat story; loved the artwork especially.

[Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting subject. Some educational material included. Nice pictures. Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City by Janet Schulman is a solid C+ book.

[Rebecca Tenbrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked that the author of this book chose to write about something that is not found a lot in nonfiction books. This book was about a red tailed hawk that made its home in Central Park. This was rare to see in Central Park and according to the book this hawk made big news and became a celebrity. I like that the author incorporated facts on red tailed hawks throughout the book as well as told the story line on this famous hawk. The author also provided an authors note which gave us a little more insight into red tailed hawk behavior and the possible reason behind this particular hawk living in Central Park. I feel like this author was very knowledgeable because she visited Central Park and learned all about the legend of this bird while on a bird tour there. I found this book to be a good read and I would love to share it with a class. I think it is fascinating to experience the life of a bird through this book. I also noticed on the credits page that there is a number of research done on this hawk and the author used that research in her book. There is even a website dedicated to this bird. All of these resources makes this book even more reliable in terms of information. This book was written in 2008 and I was just very curious to know if the hawk is still around or what ever happened to him. He was first spotted in Central Park in 1995 and the book did not really mention how long a red tailed hawk usually lives but it did not mention anything about the hawk's death or anything. It did mention that many of his babies have grown up and have nests just like his nearby.

[Alyssa Becker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New york City; written by: Janet Schulman, illustrated by Meilo So; Copyright 2008, 34 pg.
*Nonfiction #6*

This book follows the life of a pale red-tailed hawk. Due to his unusual coloring, this hawk caught the eyes of many birdwatchers in Central Park. Intrigued, they nickname the hawk "Pale Male" and continue to follow Pale Male on his journeys throughout his life. They, and other added supporters, were rooting for Pale Male in all of his endeavors. This included standing up for them during the Migration Act, which threatened to destroy their home, a nest on top of a hotel in New York City.

I honestly was not a big fan of this book due to the fact that it did not have much substance to it. I wish there would have been less words, and more to-the-point text. Either that, or spread the text our across more pages because I felt the words swallowed up the entirety of the pages. I will say that the illustrations were fantastic and the story line was good but could have been improved with more action or more exciting word usage. I would bring this book into the classroom if we were doing a research project about birds, however I would not want to keep it in my classroom year-round.

[Roxanne Hsu Feldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note to self:

The illustrations are great with wonderful water colors and those thin lines accentuating the shapes or some details. Examples: the fledglings pages. The studies of hawks show their majestic natures and fluid flight movements. The closer one examines the pictures, the more one appreciates the art.

The text is fine and with moments of humor and sparks: examples: "The birders watched the hardworking parents ferry home pigeons, rats, and occasionally a squirrel or a songbird from their well-stocked Central Park meat market." There is a quiet dignity and power also in its very matter-of-fact reporting of the events.

The page with all the newspapers reporting the removal of the nest is well researched: all the newspaper headlines are correctly and directly taken from those papers.

[Gayle Baar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the best Bluebonnet nominee I've read so far. Pale Male is a nonfiction story of a red-tailed hawk who chose the top of an apartment building in NYC as his nesting place. The author draws you in and you become part of the Pale Male fan club as you experience the dangers for a red tailed hawk and his family in a steel and concrete forest.
I felt uplifted and at peace with the fact that man and animal can live together--if the one with the larger brain can adapt with the same acumen as the one that flies.

[oplkids · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pale Male is a red-tailed hawk who, with his mate, builds his nest on the ledge of an apartment building high about Fifth Avenue. Soon, the people who live in the building complain about feathers, bones and other waste falling to the sidewalk, and the nest is taken down. But after many New Yorkers protest, Pale Male is allowed to return. He and his mate raise their babies and continue to live in NYC.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can see why this book has received accolades. It's really a classic fairy tale. Our heroic hawk takes up residence in a strange city, falls in love, meets setbacks, wins out over impossible odds only to be foiled and to succeed once again. While telling this riveting true tale, Schulman deftly weaves in facts about hawks and their food, New York, politics, and history. The watercolor paintings are gorgeous, and there is a detailed author's note.

[Charlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pigeons are city birds; red-tailed hawks are not. Even the greenery of New York's Central Park had never enticed a hawk to nest in the city--then Pale Male arrived. The hawk and his mate chose an apartment building as the site for their nest and then the birdwatchers who first noticed the birds were joined by all sorts of citizens who became fans of the bird. With softly colored illustrations, this book details the life of a "citified" bird who became famous.

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book we have read about Pale Male, the famous feathered New Yorker. Janet Schulman did a fantastic job chronicling Pale Male’s life since moving to the Big Apple. The controversy, protesting, and prevailing over the rich few who wished to throw him and his mate from their humble home, his loyalty, determination, and paternal devotional all make for a fantastic read that will make anyone a Pale Male Fan!

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

I first learned about Pale Male from a documentary which I got from the library. I was delighted to find that someone has written a picture book about him, which filled in some of the gaps that the film left. I understand that there is a second children's book by a different author about Pale Male--must check that out.