Marcel, a young tundra swan, is tired from the first half of a winter migration. One thousand miles is a long way to fly—too long for Marcel, so he hides in the rushes to stay behind while his parents and the flock continue south. But with the lake nearly frozen over, he soon realizes that he is not cut out for life on ice. Other animals offer advice about how to survive the winter, but their ways of living aren’t right for the swan. Hungry and scared, he falls asleep – only to be awakened by a big surprise!

Written by Laura Goering Illustrated by Laura Jacques	32 pg, 8.5" x 10", ages 5-9, Lexile: 550 Hardcover: 978-1-934359-12-9, $16.95 Paperback: 978-1-934359-30-3, $8.95
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“No one in the publishing industry does beautifully illustrated, fun-filled, educational children’s books like Sylvan Dell does. They are a joy to read and one never considers tossing them into the garage sale ‘free’ bin. Not ever! Whistling Wings is no exception. Every library and school should have this book. Oh, and it should also be in every child’s personal library.” - Armchair Interviews

“This is one of the most beautifully written and illustrated books I’ve ever seen. This book gets a high five for keeping the reader’s interest from beginning to end, creativity, beautiful illustrations, and beautiful text. A future classic and present day ‘must read’ and ‘must have’ for sure!” - Children’s Book Reviews

“This is one of the most beautifully written and illustrated books I've ever seen!” – Stories for Children Magazine

Author/Illustrator Info:

Laura Goering (pronounced Gehring) is a professor of Russian language and literature (including Russian Literature for Children) at Carleton College. Every fall, people travel from all over the Upper Midwest to Alma, Wisconsin, to view the thousands of whistling swans (also called tundra swans), who stop there on the way from their breeding grounds in northern Canada and Alaska to their wintering grounds in the Chesapeake Bay area. It was this spectacle that inspired Laura to write Whistling Wings. While Laura has poems published in anthologies and several magazine articles to her credit, this is her first picture book. Laura, her husband, and their daughter live in Minnesota.

Award-winning illustrator Laura Jacques (pronounced Jakes) has more than 25 years of professional experience as an illustrator in the fields of advertising and publishing. She enjoys illustrating children's books that focus on natural history, wildlife, and the environment. In addition to illustrating Baby Owls' Rescue (Fall 2009) and Whistling Wings for Sylvan Dell, she has also illustrated At Home in the Rain Forest, Wildlife Refuge; A Classroom Adventure, and Sweet Magnolia. Her books have won several honors and awards, including "NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children" sponsored by the Children's Book Council and the "KIND Children's Book Award" sponsored by the Association for Humane and Environmental Education, a division of the Humane Society of the United States. Laura was chosen by the Rocky Mountain National Park's Superintendent to participate in the 2008 Artist-in-Residence Program in Colorado. Her work will be used by the park's Next Generation Program and Fund, whose mission is to engage children in nature and interest them in becoming environmental stewards for the future of our National Parks and the communities in which they live. Visit http://www.laurajacques.com/ for more information!