City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male

 

By Meghan McCarthy

This book is a true story of a red tailed hawk that resides in Central Park, New York City.  It tells of how surprised people were to see such a wild bird residing in the middle of a big city!  Once the hawk stays around for awhile and it becomes clear that he's there to stay, "the Regulars" (frequent birdwatchers of New York) name him Pale Male for his lightly colored feathers.

One question remains, though.  Will Pale Male ever find a mate in such a bustling city?  As it turns out, one day he does!  His mate's name is Lola, and together the two hawks build a nest in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the country.  The book goes on to ask, will their eggs ever hatch?  And even if they do, how could hatchling hawks survive in such an environment?  Guess you'll just have to read it to find out!

I really liked this book because it's based on a true story, and it shows the true resilience that many wild animals have in the face of urbanization and the loss of their natural habitats.  Who would have ever thought that such wild birds could survive in such an environment?  At the same time, it would be easy to use this book to lead into the discussion of how important it is to protect our natural wildlife.  Despite their strength and resilience, the birds would not be able to survive without our help.  The very end of this book features a lengthy author's note, which tells of how some residents of New York successfully lobbied to have the nest removed from the outside of their building.  Only after passionate protests from the Regulars and other New Yorkers did they reverse their decision and allow the nest to stay.  Pale Male and Lola have managed to survive in such an environment, but I'm sure there are many other animals who would not be able to do so!  This true story sends a very strong message to children that it is our duty to help protect our nation's wildlife.

Meghan McCarthy also illustrated this book, and I think her simple paintings stay true to the feel of the story.  The cartoonish quality would make this book very appealing to younger children.