K-Gr 3–Cohn uses captivating, easy-to-understand language to explore animal migration. Each entry introduces a different animal’s habitat and eating, hibernating, and breeding behaviors. Children will enjoy the passages on well-known creatures, such as snakes and salamanders, in addition to those on the lesser-known chimney swifts. The section on salamanders is reminiscent of Sarah Marwil Lamstein’s Big Night for Salamanders (Boyds Mills, 2010). Detwiler’s vibrant, full-page illustrations bring Cohn’s text to life, placing kids in the center of each environment. –Anne Barreca, New York Public Library
"Spread by spread, in short paragraphs of straightforward exposition set on illustrations showing the animals in their habitats, Cohn describes when, where and why a sampling of North American mammals, reptiles, fish, birds, amphibians and even invertebrates come together and move. Some migrations are familiar—monarch butterflies and sandhill cranes—and others may be surprising in this context, like the nightly movement of bats from a cave or the gathering of snakes in their winter dens. Species linked on the food chain may be described together: the horseshoe crabs and red knots who feed on their eggs; salmon and bald eagles. The author makes an effort to enliven these descriptions with interesting verbs. Salamanders “squiggle across fields.” Chimney swifts “chitter and chatter.” ...
The concept of animal groups that include hundreds and/or thousands of a species that move together seasonally is explained in the opening pages as migration. With the recurring phrase of “on the move” the author describes the gathering of various species and continues the explanation with how they are moving and why. Often the reason is the mating season or getting ready for colder or warmer weather. Written in a narrative style this book is appropriate to introduce the concept of migration for early learners. Additional details and fact boxes are included at the end of the book. Educators will find a detailed and helpful resource and lesson guide at the publisher’s website.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
When thinking about migration, birds might be the first animal that comes to mind. However, this book features a wide spread spectrum of other animals that migrate as well. Each double-page spread features a different animal and details about when and why it migrates. The text is descriptive, yet also poetic. Beautiful, detailed illustrations highlight each group of migrating animals in their natural environment. In the back of the book, there is more in-depth information about when, where, and why animals migrate. This section also includes details about the time of year each animal featured in the book migrates and where readers can go to see huge amounts of these animals gathered together. Overall this is an informative and attractive look at migration.
- Anne Bozievich, Library Media Specialist, Friendship Elementary School, Glen Rock, PennsylvaniaOn the Move: Mass Migrations, written by Scotti Cohn and illustrated by Susan Detwiler describes the migrations of several different types of animals, including birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates, across several seasons. This book describes the seasonal movement patterns of salamanders, horseshoe crabs, Mexican freetailed bats, polar bears, salmon, bald eagles and many other animals, focusing on those found in North America. The migration patterns vary between these animals. Some migrate once per year, while others migrate once in their lifetime. The author describes how the animals move from one place to the other, the types of food they eat, and other interesting and unique facts. The detailed and colorful illustrations highlight the important interactions between different species of animals. While the book does not emphasize how changes in the numbers or movements of one type of animal could affect the numbers and movements of another type of animals, readers will begin to understand these relationships. The book ends with quizzes and additional information describing each of the animals depicted in the main text. While the book does not detail the scientific research that explores the reasons for or the instincts behind these migrations, the websites’ supplementary material provides insightful questions to lead the students towards this understanding. More than a simple picture book, this is a thought provoking volume that helps readers begin to explore the relationship between the environment and animal populations.
— Heather L. Kimmel, Emory University and AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at USGS, Atlanta, GA
This is a charming book from which young readers can get their first glimpse into the wonders of animal migration. The book does a wonderful job of answering the simple question that might be asked by a youngster in a K–3 classroom: Why do animals gather together each year?
"The text examines the instinctual nature of some types of animals (such as caribou, salamanders, and horseshoe crabs) to move in large groups for reasons related to survival, including reproduction, food and water, and shelter. Brightly painted double-page-spread illustrations and large print make the book accessible..."
Snakes, bats, and caribou are just some of the animals featured in On the Move: Mass Migrations. The book, with beautiful illustrations, explains different animal migration patterns and behaviors. In the 'For Creative Minds' section at the back of the book children can learn more detailed explanations about animal migrations.
Scotti Cohn shares migration secrets from across the animal kingdom, through different habitats and over a year of seasons. Chimney swifts and monarch butterflies are more visible during fall migrations; come winter, elephant seals are on the move. There's information galore for earthkeepers and animal lovers who want to know more about the creatures who share our planet.
The author did a great job in explaining how hundred or thousands of the same animals migrate from one location to another. Some travel in groups due to climate change, food, to give birth in a warm safe place. This movement or migration can take place during the winter, spring, summer and fall.
"This is a good book to introduce the concept of migration to young children. I especially enjoy the teacher help pages at the end of the book presenting additional information and questions that can be used in a classroom setting. This book would be appropriate to use with small preschool age children, that will love the colorful pictures, as well as older elementary children that will benefit from the text."
"The author, Scotti Cohn, uses so many details and adjectives in her writing that you can almost hear the animals while you’re reading. Illustrator Susan Detwiler’s artwork is full of pretty, bright colors that really bring the animals to life."
On the Move: Mass Migrations has sections discussing the migrations of spotted salamanders, sandhill cranes, horseshoe crabs, caribou, chimney swifts, Brazilian free-tail bats, monarch butterflies, polar bears, snakes, elephant seals, salmon, and gray whales. These represent animals from a wide variety of places on the North American continent. Some move in order to find food, some to find mates, some need to go from a cold climate to a warmer one, some to find an appropriate or safe place to give birth or lay their eggs. Some sections discuss more than one season’s migrations for an animal. The section on horseshoe crabs even tells about red knot birds and common green darner dragonflies which both have a relationship to the crabs and the crabs’ habitat, but have their own migration patterns as well. Every section (or spread) has a lush, detailed illustration to give youngsters a true picture of the animals in their natural habitat. Everything in this beautiful book will delight youngsters and whet their curiosity and start their interest flowing. It will surely lead to further questioning and learning.