Skip to Main Content

About The Book

This “vividly imagined and well-written novel” (Booklist, starred review) tells a gripping story about a boy from Scotland and a girl from West Africa who join together to save a migrating Osprey—and end up saving each other.

When Callum spots crazy Iona McNair on his family’s sprawling property, she’s catching a fish with her bare hands. She won’t share the fish, but does share something else: a secret.
She’s discovered a rare endangered bird, an Osprey, and it’s clear to both her and Callum that if anyone finds out about the bird, it, and its species, is likely doomed. Poachers, egg thieves, and wild weather are just some of the threats, so Iona and Callum vow to keep track of the bird and check her migratory progress using the code a preservationist tagged on her ankle, no matter what.
But when one of them can no longer keep the promise, it’s up to the other to do it for them both. No matter what. Set against the dramatic landscapes of Scotland and West Africa, this is a story of unlikely friendships, the wonders of the wild—and the everyday leaps of faith that set our souls to flight.

About The Author

Courtesy of the author

Gill Lewis is the author of the critically acclaimed Wild Wings and One White Dolphin, both winners of the Green Earth Book Award, as well as Moon BearGorilla Dawn, and Scarlet Ibis. A veterinarian, her love of animals and the natural world plays a big part in her writing. She lives in the UK.

About The Illustrator

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (May 24, 2011)
  • Length: 304 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781442414495
  • Grades: 3 - 7
  • Ages: 8 - 12

Browse Related Books

Awards and Honors

  • California Young Reader Medal Nominee
  • Green Earth Book Award
  • Booklinks Lasting Connections
  • USBBY Outstanding International Book
  • Maine Student Book Award Reading List
  • Great Stone Face Book Award Nominee (NH)
  • ALA Notable Children's Book Nominee
  • Kirkus Best Children's Book
  • Black Eyed Susan Book Award (MD)

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Gill Lewis

More books from this illustrator: Yuta Onoda