Stephanie Owen Reeder (text) and Astred Hicks (illustrator), Swifty, CSIRO Publishing, October 2022, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781486315918
We adore swift parrots for their gorgeous colours, endearing natures, love of nectar and their messy eating spreading pollen to make flowers grow. Swifty grows from a hatchling to a fledgling in the blue-gum forests of Tasmania, ready to follow the blossom trail across Bass Strait to mainland south-eastern Australia. They are one of the fastest parrots in the world.
Stephanie Owen Reader carefully refers to the dangers that the swift parrots face. What happens to the other two birds that disappeared from the nest? The sugar glider is a predator who takes the other two parrots. There are natural dangers such as cats. Swifty does not notice as she flies into glass panes that screeching birds will attack. It is a relief that Wildlife Rescue saves Swifty. That we can all save Swifty.
There are only around 750 swift parrots left in the wild. These precious parrots are endangered. This makes Swifty an invaluable book. It is time to bring the swift parrots into the orbit of children’s lives. It is time for adults to recognise we must protect them. Swifty does this.
Swifty is beautifully illustrated by Astred Hicks. There is so much to learn in her illustrations from the fluffy down of newborn parrots to their feasting on lerps on leaves and sticky nectar from gum blossoms.
The information pages at the back of the book, help to unlock the open questions in Swifty. There are also excellent teacher notes at the CSIRO publishing website. We have reviewed several of their books lately and the quality is high with all of them.
Highly recommended. A book for ages 6 to 9.
Reviewed by Susanne Gervay
