Peregrine Falcon: Dive, Dive, Dive! (Blink of an Eye: Superfast Animals) Library Binding – Illustrated, August 1, 2010

This is a very educational book for younger kids who are interested in science. Our seven year old Grandson loves this book.

It's hard to imagine an animal that can go as fast or fast than your car, but the peregrine falcon can do just that. It can fly 68 miles per hours (109 kph), but an even more amazing feat is that it "can also dive through the air" at 200 miles per hour (322 kph). Not even a baseball pitch or a speeding roller coaster can match the speed of the peregrine. They can be found around the world living in "places with steep, rocky cliffs." Their nests, unlike other birds, are not made of things like "grass or twigs," but rather are made of soils and gravels they find on the ledges they make their homes on.The peregrine falcon is a "bird of prey" and hunts only when he is in the air. They do not solely live in the wild, but can also be found in cities where they hunt for pigeons and starlings. In this book you'll be able to see one as it is diving through the air and later eating his meal. You'll learn how it catches its prey with its talons or can knock the "victim to the ground with its closed talons." Another weapon this magnificent bird has is its sharp, curved beak. You'll also learn how they almost disappeared because of DDT, how they made their comeback, who they have to be wary of, how they are trained to help us at airports, and you'll learn many other interesting facts about the fabulous peregrine falcon.This is an amazing portrait of the fastest animal in the world, the peregrine falcon. J. Peter Jenny, the president and CEO of "The Peregrine Fund" was the consultant on this book. The excellent layout and numerous photographs will make this book very appealing to the young reader. Confident readers will be able to easily work their way through the text. Difficult words are highlighted in bold text and defined in the visual glossary in the back of the book. Small sidebars, in the shape of a stopwatch, offer additional information. For the older student, ages 9 to 12, interested in the peregrine falcon, I'd recommend the fictional "My Side of the Mountain" and "Frightful's Mountain," both by Jean Craighead George. In the back of the book is an index, a visual glossary, and additional recommended books and a link to the publisher's website to explore.