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Review: When Beavers Flew

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Written by Kristen Tracy
Illustrated by Luisa Uribe
New York: Random House Studio, 2024. Informational.

In 1948 McCall, Idaho, beavers are a big problem for the townspeople. They break fences, flood fields, and chew orchards, but game warden Elmo Heter knows beavers provide important environmental benefits. To help the townspeople and protect the beavers, Heter proposes moving the beavers to an uninhabited portion of the Chamberlain Basin. However, the area is so remote that it is difficult to transport the beavers on horseback. Instead, Heter devises a plan to use leftover World War II parachutes to drop the beavers from planes inside self-opening boxes. 

This delightful and surprising historical episode is an engaging introduction for readers young and old. Digital illustrations depict endearing beavers and beautiful landscapes, and demonstrate Heter's design process for the landing containers. The happy ending for both the beavers, their ecosystem, and the townspeople is a hopeful example of the coexistence of humans and nature. Further detail on the relocation is included at the back.
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