Parents' Guide to

Beauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3D-Printed Beak Rescued a Bald Eagle

By Regan McMahon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Amazing bird rescue tale shows teamwork, high-tech science.

Beauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3D-Printed Beak Rescued a Bald Eagle Poster Image

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This riveting survival story gives kids a close-up view of science and technology in service of wildlife. Beauty and the Beak tells one amazing story of a bird and the problem-solving raptor biologist who saves her, but offers lots more information in sidebars filled with facts, figures -- and feathers! -- that spotlight practical issues such as "How You Can Help" and "Endangered No Longer," which outlines the successful results of conservation efforts. The book won the 2018 American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Children's Science Book Prize and the the 2017 California Reading Association Eureka! Gold Award for nonfiction children's books.

The abundant color photos of eagles in the wild and Beauty's progress and treatment will draw kids in. The text is crystal clear and easy for kids to grasp, with specialized scientific vocabulary defined. And the main story of Beauty is beautifully told, with drama and suspense. Even the most graphic passage -- about Beauty's injury -- is told poetically:

"Suddenly a crash like lightning and thunder split the air! The eagle's face burned. She couldn't see. Her talons lost their grip and the tree seemed to spin around her. She fell to the ground, stunned. The sun was still high in the sky, but the eagle's world went dark. A bullet had shattered her beak. Her eye was torn and her face was bleeding. It even hurt for her to breathe. The eagle lay on the ground for days, too weak to move."

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