I think this book can be used for intermediate level. This book talks about the strange migration of owls and how the increase of lemmings led the snowy owls to come out early to eat them.

Sandra Markle does an amazing job with her Animal books, whether it is an endangered species, or tracking animals such as the Snowy Owl. I have seen Snowy Owls at the airport near my home so this book helped explain why they have been here in the last few years and never before.

In 2013 there was a Snowy Owl Iruption and they ended up traveling much further south than before. Scientists were able to band some of them and later put GPS trackers on them to see what their migration paths were. There are lovely illustrations accompanying the text explaining this phenomena and giving us some general information about the Snowy Owl. My 4 year old grandson and I went through the book looking at the illustrations and describing them. He enjoyed learning about the own even though the rest of the book was beyond him. A great book for school libraries especially when studying animals, their migration, adaptations and the impact of the environment on their lives. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. ( )

Sandra Markle introduces her latest wildlife investigation with a startling discovery in 2013; snowy owls in... Maryland? Why were snowy owls, an Arctic bird that rarely migrate south, suddenly showing up in large numbers in Canada and all down the east coast of North America? To solve the mystery, Markle takes readers through the life cycle of the snowy owl, from breeding season to the importance of lemmings. The snowy owl irruption (an unusual migration pattern) had no definite cause, but various scientists advance different theories such as an unusually large amount of lemmings resulting in a larger number of snowy owl hatchlings surviving and causing increased competition. Heavy winds and storms were another possible cause.

Whatever the reason, the snowy owl irruption of 2013/2014 gave researchers an unprecedented opportunity to study these usually elusive predators, but the snowy owls' arrival in new hunting grounds also caused problems, both with local animals and humans. One snowy owl in particular, given a transmitter during the irruption, added a great deal of knowledge about snowies due to its extensive round-trip migrations, stretching all the way down to Maryland and back to the Arctic. A final chapter discusses the future of snowy owls, the possible impact of climate change, and more of the discoveries made due to the irruption.

Back matter includes an author's note, discussing how the Markle worked with scientists, notes, glossary, additional resources, and index.

Verdict: For readers not yet ready to tackle the more demanding Scientists in the Field titles, Sandra Markle's excellent nonfiction investigations, many framed as mysteries, offer a tantalizing look at real scientific research as well as interesting stories about animals. The large format of the books, which allows for the break-up of text with photographs and additional information, may discourage some close-minded teachers, librarians, and parents, who see them as "picture books" but they will be doing their students and readers a great disservice. Recommend this to kids interested in science, animals, and those who need samples of how research works.

ISBN: 9781512431063; Published 2018 by Millbrook; Purchased for the library

This book is about reports from scientists who track snowy owls and their odd migration patterns.

Snowy owls live in the Arctic Tundra, but in the years 203-2014 alarming numbers were being spotted as far south as Florida. What made these owls migrate so far south?
This book could be used as a read aloud for older elementary children. It has reference aids that make it a good reference source for grades 3-6. The beautiful full color photographs make it an appealing book to read if the reader has an interest in owls. ( )