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Place of publication taken from publisher's website.
About the author
Susan Ewing is a children’s book author, nature writer, and educator. She has written many books for adults and children, including the picture books Ten Rowdy Ravens and Lucky Hares and Itchy Bears. She is passionate about educating children on the natural environment around them and loves identifying wild birds that come to her feeder. Susan lived for many years in Alaska but now calls western Montana home.Evon Zerbetz is an Alaskan artist and illustrator of several children’s books, including Dream Flights on Arctic Nights, Ten Rowdy Ravens, Blueberry Shoe, and more. Specializing in relief printmaking, her linocut constructions and art installations have exhibited in art galleries and displayed in stores, libraries, museums, and schools. Evon currently lives and works out of Ketchikan, Alaska.
Summary
Playfully told in quick, witty verses and illustrated with gorgeously colored linocut art, Alaska is for the Birds! features 14 feathered friends found across Alaska.
"The book features Zerbetz's signature bold, colorful prints of 14 birds alongside Ewing's playful poems about each bird."
—Ketchikan Daily News
"Fourteen Alaskan birds come to life in this exquisite book. . . Ewing, an experienced author of naturalist topics, weaves the poems into melodic informational texts. Paired with fellow Alaskan Zerbetz, the two create an attractive view of their local wildlife. The lino-cut art is bright and enhances the personality of each bird. A handsome spotlight on these feathered friends, this is recommended for nonfiction collections and fans of wildlife."
—School Library Journal
"Fourteen Alaskan birds each get their own vividly colored linocut print and a jaunty set of 5 rhyming couplets describing the animal’s physiology, habitat, food, and behavior. . . Each double page spread is attractively designed, with the bird taking up one entire page and the poem facing from the other side. . . Back matter includes a detailed paragraph on each bird, along with their scientific name and whether they are a migrant or year-round resident. A glossary of bird words rounds out this offering, along with decorative endpapers showing silhouettes of children observing birds."
—Youth Services Book Review
“Alaska Northwest Books wings into spring with Alaska Is for the Birds by Susan Ewing, illus. by Evon Zerbetz, serving up nature poems and woodcut art showcasing 14 birds found across this state.”
—Publishers Weekly, Spring 2022 Children’s Sneak Previews
Get a bird's-eye view of Alaska from forest treetops to open sea with Great Horned Owl, Tufted Puffin, Arctic Tern, and more in this playful celebration of northern birds. Written in witty verse and illustrated with gorgeous linocut art, Alaska is for the Birds! is a fun and informative treasure.
Foreword
AWARDS: CBC Notables, PNBA award, ALA notables, and other children’s book awards
EVENTS: virtual/in-person children’s bookstore events focusing on Montana (where author lives) and Alaska
REVIEWS: regional media (Alaska, Montana, PNW), kids and parents, and national trade
ONLINE: full social media campaign with outreach to children’s bookstagrammers and bloggers; book trailer and book guide will be available
PROMOTION: DRC via Edelweiss and hard copy ARC available; outreach via author and illustrator newsletters; giveaways via Goodreads, LibraryThing
TRADESHOWS: galleys/giveaways at ALA, PNBA, Alaska Library Association Conference
