SKY DANCER

A real delight, for the eye and for the spirit. One February morning, just after a snowfall, Jenny has a face-to-face encounter with a red-tailed hawk. Filled with awe, Jenny watches for ``her'' hawk and is troubled when a neighbor talks of shooting a hawk that's been killing his hens. Somehow, Jenny must find a way to protect this wild creature. Ormerod's strong but delicate pencil and watercolor scenes capture both the wilderness and the gentle bond between living things in nature. The exuberance found in the flight of the hawk and Jenny's imitation sky dance on the snow-covered ground will fill readers with wonder. Even city children will come away with a sense of what a winter morning is like on the edge of the woods. The long text and Jenny's size (she's 10 or 11) make this appropriate for middle graders as well as young listeners. (Picture book. 4+)