Complete with excerpts from his diary, his own drawings, and other illustrations, a biography tells the tale of a young man who gave up a life in civilization in order to live in nature and become the woodsman and artist he was meant to be. Grade 3-5-This picture-book biography of one of America's best-known naturalists offers readers a real slice of Americana. It focuses on an imaginary letter that Audubon has written to his father in which he tries to explain why he has rejected urban life. The narrative clearly depicts the love and respect that he had for nature, and conveys the lure of the outdoors that Audubon found irresistible. The lyrical prose makes this volume a compelling read-aloud, and the excerpts from Audubon's journal lend authenticity to the text. Lush illustrations clearly depict the beauty of the landscape. Minor's paintings are complemented by several of Audubon's own drawings. This combination is visually effective, but it will be hard for children to determine the illustrator of each piece. Although Audubon's works are noted below the copyright information, the page numbers given don't seem to match up with the illustrations, making it difficult to identify his art in this unpaged book. Despite the problems, the pictures are lovely and the text is pleasant. Robyn Walker, Elgin Court Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. Gr. 2-5. In this picture book for older children, Burleigh delivers an unusual portrayal of artist-naturalist John James Audubon, revealed through an imagined conversation between Audubon and his father. Brief, rhymed lines of conversation followed by italicized quotes from Audubon's actual journals explain why Audubon chose to forego the ordinary life of a shopkeeper to explore nature and develop his art. Brightly toned watercolors that realistically re-create the scenery and the wildlife of the early 1800s are accentuated with spot-art cameos of birds from Audubon's paintings. Full-page pictures on the right-hand pages alternate with double-page spreads to create a visual rhythm that matches the spare, poetic text. The picture-book format allows readers to appreciate Audubon's world as it catches the essence of a remarkable man, unknown to many children, who developed a special relationship with nature and immortalized America's bird life. This has rich potential for classroom use. Julie Cummins Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Robert Burleigh 's other books include By My Brother's Side , for which he was a contributing author; Into the Woods; The Secret of the Great Houdini; Black Whiteness ; and Messenger, Messenger . He lives in Chicago, Illinois. Wendell Minor is the award-winning illustrator of dozens of picture books, including his own Yankee Doodle America , Robert Burleigh's Into the Woods , and Reaching for the Moon , written by Buzz Aldrin. Mr. Minor's work can be found in the permanent collections of such institutions as the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and the Library of Congress. He lives with his wife, Florence, in Washington, Connecticut. Visit Wendell Minor at www.minorart.com. Used Book in Good Condition