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Excellent Pricing on Fidget's Freedom Exceptional pricing! Pricing for One Book includes shipping (U.S.A). For multiple purchases please contact us for shipping options and prices. Fidget's Freedom One Fidget $13.95 Twin Fidget's $24.95 Triplets $31.95                                                                June 12, 2006 Denver: After a five and a half  year peregrination,  our Fidget's Freedom project has produced the finest product in the children's genre dealing with one of the few success stories about restoring an endangered species back to viable levels. Follow the development of this project below.  Congratulations to Stacey Patterson, the author for her great story, and Vadim Gorbatov for his exquisite illustrations.   The second book, Fidget's Folly, illustrations have been completed and we awaiting the current business climate to change before publishing.  The final book, Fidget's Family, brings Fidget's story full circle as she becomes a parent and raises her own family..  Congratulations to all who parented this project from its early beginnings!! Second in the series, Fidget's Folly illustrations finished! Cover: Early Praise for Fidget's Freedom

History: Fidget's Freedom, written by Stacey Patterson, a falconer, and REF supporter for many years, tells the story of a peregrine falcon going through the hacking process and taking its first flight into freedom.  The book was accepted by REF's publisher several years ago, but we (REF) have had the duty of getting this children's story illustrated properly. The story runs a little over 1,000 words, and introduces young children to the difficult concept of "hacking", which is one of the most important developments responsible for raptor recovery worldwide.   Stacey's words do an excellent job in communicating the idea to very young children, however, to really work well,  superb illustrations are imperative to complete the book and tell the story of Fidget's freedom.  Meet the author. We are very pleased to announce we have engaged the services of (arguably) Russia's best wildlife artist and illustrator, Vadim Gorbatov.  Twenty two illustrations have been produced to bring Stacey's  words to life, in a truly international collaboration. REF editors traveled to Moscow October, 2004,  to complete art direction for the book, and discuss illustrations for the next two in the trilogy about Fidget, her freedom, folly, and family.  May 11, 05 Update:  We have just received high resolution scans of all the art with only 3 illustrations still requiring a few minor alterations. Vadim will also be adding one or two small black and white sketches to be used as part of the design element connecting various parts of the book.   Pre-sales should be available in mid-November or December of 2005. Early comments on the illustrations from professionals in the field of peregrine recovery have all had similar sentiments: "beautiful,... superlative...this is for a kid's book, WOW..." Fidget's Freedom is being peer reviewed by leaders  in their respective fields. Quoting Jean Craighead George, "What a glorious book Fidget's Freedom is!  The story and the illustrations are both powerful and endearing.  I can not praise Vadim Gorbatov's illustrations enough.  His work is on a par with that of Louis Agassiz Fuertes with added drama.  Stacey Paterson's story telling is warm and perceptive."  Ms. George, to those who do not know, is the sister of the famous biologist researchers, the Craighead brothers.  She is a famous children's author whose early writing gifts were displayed with the book, "My Side of the Mountain."  Ms. George has written over 50 books, with a new book coming in 2006, entitled, Luck, the Story of a Sandhill Crane.  Fidget' Freedom has also been endorsed by Alan Tennant, author of the bestselling On the Wing: To The Edge of the Earth with the Peregrine Falcon, soon to be a major motion picture starring Robert Redford. "Fidget's Freedom is simply a great children's' book. Its perfectly detailed, soft-hued drawings -- by esteemed Russian wildlife artist Vadim Gorbatov -- capture the wryly humorous, often -rumpled look of these amazing, yet not always swift and sleek birds of prey. Likewise, Stacey Patterson's text successfully negotiates the difficult narrative line between over humanizing wild things and the equally erroneous, empathy lacking data of scientific papers." Our New Crafts Gallery is Open Crafts Gallery collectibles: Our brand new Crafts Gallery opens with truly unique ways to celebrate  the beauty of raptors for any  sincere raptorphile. Together with our new Arts Gallery, you will be seeing the finest in raptor art, brought together for you from all over the world. Visit our Raptor Collection and see what we offer.  All revenues support our environmental education and research projects.   Thanks to everyone who has helped with our final goal of finishing our art direction/editing with the artist in Moscow. Our Publisher's Circle campaign was very successful.  Follow the link to see our supporters who joined our Publisher's Circle.

REF Curator, Anne Price, listens to artist, Vadim Gorbatov, describe some of the research he conducts for
many of his paintings during a visit to his studio in Moscow.

We are pleased to provide a sampling of Fidget's exceptional illustrations.

Early morning stretch, while brother Echo sleeps.

Fidget with her brother, Echo

Hack box attendants prepare for release...

Listen to author, Stacey Patterson, read from her book...Scroll along with Stacey for the next 6 illustrations.

Pricing for One Book includes shipping.  For multiple purchases please contact us for shipping options and prices Mutiple Savings One book $12.95 Two books $24.00 3 books $32.00

Note the exquisite use of reflected light on all of Vadim's illustrations...

Twenty two illustrations have set the highest standards for natural history art in a contemporary children's book. Because this is printed in hardback with color throughout, pricing will be higher than our current book, Raptors, however, we will make special pricing available to any organization ordering multiple copies.  Stay tuned and learn how you can get involved to promote environmental literacy with Fidget's Freedom.   Below: On June 24th, 2005 REF's  editors took copies of all of Fidget's illustrations to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the Gerald Peters Gallery, had an opening for wildlife artists Tony Angell, Lars Jonsson, and Thomas Quinn and their show featuring nothing but raptors.  Raptors in stone, in bronze, oil, and water color to name a few of the mediums in which they were represented by three of the world's leading painters and sculptors devoted to the natural history genre. The day after opening festivities, the featured artists named above plus sculptor Kent Ullberg, and writer Stephen Bodio assembled around all of Vadim Gorbatov's illustrations and made some general and specific observations for the editors to consider during the design phase of the book.

Top, left to right, Kent Ullberg, Lars Jonsson, and Tony Angell examine Fidget's 22 illustrations before offering commentary for the editors to consider during the design phase of the book. Above (left to right): Ysbrand Brouwers, Director of the Artists for Nature Foundation, joins Tony Angell, Stephen Bodio, and Lars Jonsson, to get a sneak preview of this precedent setting work.  REF thanks everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to offer their comments and observations. Fidget begins to stretch her wings... Stacey Patterson's next two books in the Fidget's Freedom trilogy are completed and awaiting an illustration schedule from the artist, Vadim Gorbatov. Fidget's Folly, the second book's illustrations are completed and we are waiting for the business climate to improve before publishing.. Falconry in Russia:  After extensive market research, REF is pleased to announce another book under development.  It will deal with the topic of falconry in Russia and the old republics of the ex Soviet Union. It will be the first book of its type to be made available to the English language marketplace. Both contemporary and historic practices and information will be covered in a coffee table edition.  No doubt, you will also see illustrations from Vadim Gorbatov gracing its pages. The principle author, Stephen Bodio, is currently working up the outline.  Mr. Bodio is one of the best living writers dealing with natural history subjects, especially falconry.  He is respected world-wide with readers eagerly awaiting his next books.  Thanks to all of the falconers, American and international,  who completed our online survey.

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Last revised: August 25, 2010