EAGLET’S WORLD

Minshull (The Cornhusk Doll, 1987) follows an eaglet from preconscious life inside his egg through his first successful flight past snow-capped mountains as a young adult. She shows the gradual expansion of his world, from the confines of the egg to life as a baby in the cozy nest to his first scary flight when his mother nudges him out into the world. Those who object to anthropomorphized animal stories will want to let this one fly on by, as Eaglet has all the emotions and rational capabilities of a young child. But for those who don’t mind the format and the determined cheery tone, Eaglet is an appealing, brave little character whose story has obvious parallels for children facing their first forays out of their own familial nests. Gabriel (Where Do I Sleep?, not reviewed) provides striking paintings of Eaglet’s growth in double-page spreads that are designed for reading to a group. An author’s note offers additional background on eagles that will be useful for classroom discussions. (Picture book. 4-8)