Nicole Godwin is an award-winning children’s author, known for her books Jelly-Boy and We Are Australians. Godwin shines a light on environmental and animal rights issues and helps people think more deeply about the interconnected world around them. Her latest book, Swoop, is no exception. It’s a charming, cheeky story about a magpie with one very important role!
Magpie has one job, one desire, one purpose: KEEP THE EGGS SAFE. Always on alert for danger, will Magpie’s determination be enough when rock-carrying intruders arrive?
Godwin has done a fantastic job at making me love a bird species I once feared: the magpie. Like many Australians, I’ve been a victim of magpies and their swooping antics. But why do they swoop?
Illustrator Susannah Crispe showcases her signature style of watercolour and digital collage illustrations in Swoop. Setting the scene, Crispe makes readers really feel like they’re in the crux of swooping season with sunny park landscapes and bike-riding families trying to evade protective magpies.
This picture book takes readers on the picturesque journey of swooping season from a magpie’s POV. Taking on the role of protector, a male magpie just wants to keep his almost-ready-to-hatch babies safe. He swoops to keep threats away, but this protective act doesn’t stop a group of rock-throwing kids from coming near his nest… you’ll have to read the book yourself to see if he still succeeds in his job.
Recommended for children aged 5+, Swoop also includes some fun and informative facts at the end discussing everything from magpie antics and being an Aussie icon to the dreaded swoop. I found it particularly interesting to learn about the different roles female and male magpies have in this season: the mother lays between two and five eggs and sits on them nearly continuously for twenty days, while the male magpie’s role is to protect – hence, the swooping.
Teachers and librarians, this picture book also aligns with key curriculum areas including, science, literature, ethics and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. I can picture students soaking up every fact while preparing for the upcoming swooping season.
So get ready to discover a whole lot about these clever, cheeky and charming songbirds through Swoop, a delightful picture book that teaches you all about Australian magpies and animal behaviour. I highly recommend it for curious and inquisitive young readers!
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