Review By JESSICA ALMY
Kathryn Lasky and David Catrow’s award-winning book She’s Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head! tells the true story of the founding of the Audubon Society. I, for one, had no idea that the venerable bird organization had been founded to end the killing birds for their plumes, nor that its founders had taken a stance against hunting from the very beginning.
The story of Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall — two women who did not even have the right to vote — will inspire young activists and give them a history lesson to boot. Not only did these politically disenfranchised women succeed in shutting down a warehouse that trafficked in bird pelts, but they created an organization to work for the protection of birds for generations to come.
Vegetarian parents will also be delighted to learn that Ms. Lasky even tackles the issue of eating birds. “[F]or one awful minute they all imagine songbirds instead of apples in their pies,” she writes — leading some undoubtedly to conclude that perhaps some day people will look back on some of the foods our society considers acceptable with the disdain we now feel toward warbler pie.
Ages 5-9. For activities to accompany the book, visit Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Doris // Jul 15, 2010 at 10:04 am
Audubon may be against bird hunting, but they support deer hunting. I would hate for vegan/AR kids and adults to get the idea that Audubon is an anti-hunting organization. Audubon has been the bane of many animal protection groups over the years, because of their repeated support of deer hunting. For example:
http://www.ctsportsmen.com/issues/audubon_to_allow_bowhunting_of_d.htm
Jessica // Jul 16, 2010 at 11:45 am
That’s true. Audubon is not an AR organization. I guess that’s why this book surprised me like it did! Thanks for the clarification.
(A better wildlife organization for families who believe in animal rights is Defenders of Wildlife.)