The creators of Great Carrier Reef, author Jessica Stremer and illustrator Gordy Wright, reunite in Plight of the Pelican to tell the story of the water bird's near-extinction. Through playful, enlightening text and dazzling illustrations, Stremer and Gordy inform their audience about the importance of conservation efforts at a time when climate change threatens many species around the globe.
Stremer mimics the flight of the pelican with the formatting of her diving and rising text, which lyrically relates the recent history of the majestic bird. In the 1950s, their numbers started to plunge. "Scientists noticed./ And they worried:/ Would there come a day/ when pelicans were gone/ forever?" As Wright's striking gouache and acrylic illustration depicts the sunset, the lines drop toward the bottom of the page. The mirroring of text and image produces an uneasy dread. But readers learn that scientists, activists, and laws intervene to save the pelican from the chemical DDT. "Nearly thirty-seven years after people stopped spraying/ the.../ silently building chemical,/ the number of pelicans went/ high enough/ up/ .../ that they were no longer at risk/ of disappearing." The successful rescue is uplifting and Stremer encourages her readers to use their voices "to stand up,/ speak out,/ and inspire change."
The subject matter of the picture book does not diminish its playfulness--Wright's illustrations change orientation mid-book, shaking up the reading experience, and the colorful, realistic images are continually paired with Stremer's bouncing, active text. Extensive backmatter adds resources for young readers motivated to learn more. Plight of the Pelican makes a superb splash. --Jen Forbus, freelancer