Chasing the Sun

A female Arctic tern begins her annual journey north in January, departing from the Weddell Sea in Antarctica. Others follow, and by April they’ve flown fourteen-thousand miles, arriving at the easternmost island in the Galapagos, Isla San Cristobal, Ecuador. Just two months later, they arrive at the Kongakut River in Alaska, where a precious hatchling comes to life. Four weeks later it’s old enough fly with the rest of the flock. Heading southbound, they pass caribou herds near the waters of the Aniakchak Bay in Alaska. By December, they finally reach the point at which they began their amazing expedition, spanning fifty-thousand miles.

This captivating non-fiction book will be a welcome addition to third to sixth grade elementary school classrooms, especially science ones. It’s full of interesting facts and tidbits about Arctic terns’ incredible migratory voyage, one they make primarily for survival purposes. There’s information on the end pages about some of the fascinating animals they encounter along the way. Additionally, there are gorgeous woodcut illustrations throughout that illuminate the pages with beautiful shades of pink, purple, grey, blue, and green. The breathtaking images perfectly complement the content throughout as well as the back matter.