Current Book Projects

Ninth Printing on Raptors

Excellent Pricing on Fidget’s Freedom & Fidget’s Folly

 

Fidget’s  Folly selected as one of the children’s books of the year 2012 by the Pima County Library Association.

Bird Watching Magazine Reviews Folly.  Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.

Original illustrations from Fidget’s Folly available for purchase.

Pricing for One Book includes shipping (U.S.A). Folly: $18.00

Pricing for One Book includes shipping (U.S.A). Freedom: $18.00
For multiple purchases please contact our publisher (Mountain Press Publishing) toll free: 1-800-234-5308

Both Books: $35.00 includes shipping within U.S.A.

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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.”

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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.

 

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

 

 

 

  

 
Pricing for One Book includes shipping.  For multiple purchases please contact us for shipping options and prices

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.

 

 

REF thanks everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to offer their comments and observations. Fidget begins to stretch her wings…