Reviews

Puffins! A KidLit Bird Book Review

May 12, 2026 by Susan Wroble No Comments
Front cover of the picture book PUFFINS! with dozens of black and white Puffins with orange beaks and feet. At top, the words "written by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Maris Wicks." Center, the title, in the same bright color as the puffins beak: PUFFINS! One puffin looms from the bottom right and stares directly at the reader.

When you can’t stop talking about a book because you learn so much, you know you it’s a winner. For example, do you know the collective noun for a group of puffins? A raft! Out of five stars, I’d love to give Puffins! a ten.

Author Maria Gianferrari’s lyrical writing and illustrator Maris Wicks’ vivid comics combine to make this nonfiction picture book impossible to put down.

 

Front cover of the picture book PUFFINS! with dozens of black and white Puffins with orange beaks and feet. At top, the words "written by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Maris Wicks." Center, the title, in the same bright color as the puffins beak: PUFFINS! One puffin looms from the bottom right and stares directly at the reader.

Front cover of the nonfiction picture book PUFFINS! written by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Maris Wicks

 

“This island of puffins,” the story begins, “and summering seabirds (plus a handful of scientists) is as noisy as a city. A nesting city, safe from land predators.” The book introduces readers to two mated puffins as they meet up after their months at sea and return to their burrow. Mother Puffin lays and incubates her single egg while Father Puffin patrols, keeping others away.

 

“The Rules of the City.” Father Puffin chases and drives off a young puffin who has ventured too close to the burrow.

 

Puffins! takes readers through the puffin life cycle, following young Puffling as she emerges from the egg to—after years at sea—returning to her island, finding a mate, establishing a burrow, and the hatching of her own Puffling. One spread of Puffins! shows the development of that amazing coloration.

Coloration developing in Puffling as she spends her first years at sea.

 

Maria Gianferrari‘s lyrical books often focus on the natural world and the interactions between animals and humans. Her other bird books, also published by Roaring Brook Press, are You and the Bowerbird (2023, also illustrated by Maris Wicks) and Hawk Rising (2028, illustrated by Brian Floca). Her books have been included on the 2023 New York Public Library’s “Best Books for Kids” list, the 2021 Bank Street College of Education’s “Best Children’s Books of the Year”, and the 2024 Boston Globe-Horn Book Nonfiction/Poetry Honor.

The biggest surprise of this book was in the backmatter. Illustrator Maris Wicks did far more than draw the incredible science comics in this book. She also conducted research, living in a tent on Maine’s Eastern Egg Rock island where the story is set.

Research! Illustrator Maris Wicks spent time living on Eastern Egg Rock Island to study the puffins.

 

Maris has packed a lot of information into the pages of backmatter. Those baby pufflings need their parents to bring about 2000 fish in their first six weeks of life. There is also information about puffin body language, the hazards of human hunting and work to species on their home on Eastern Egg Rock island. Now, one of the crises facing the birds is higher sea temperatures, which forces the parents to venture further a deeper in search of food. For those who would like to do more to help, there is a link auto the Audubon Seabird Institute.

This is a book that spans interest levels, encompassing kids who love animals, kids who love comics, and anyone who wants to learn more about the Atlantic Puffins. It’s a perfect fit for public and school libraries. In addition, I would stealthily place a copy near any reluctant readers—this is a book they will pick up and devour.

Puffins!, written by Maria Gianerrari, illustrated by Maris Wicks

Roarding Brook Press, 2026; ISBN: 978-1-250-35737-3

48 pages, ages 4-8

 

 

Written by Susan Wroble
Susan Wroble has always paid attention to the birds around her, perhaps in part because Burd is her middle name! She is always happiest when outside gardening and listening to birdsong. Coming from a family with a strong commitment to service, Susan started volunteering after college with two years in the Peace Corps in the Independent State of Western Samoa, where she taught high school math and science. Currently, she volunteers as leader of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society for Children’s Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and at the Colorado Children’s Hospital. She also leads a long-term Denver-area support group for parents of Twice-Exceptional Children. Susan’s degrees are in electrical engineering and foreign affairs, but her great love is children’s books. She writes nonfiction, and tends to focus on stories that share a message of hope in this era of climate change. She has written four children’s books for the school library market. Her book DAWN CHORUS: PROTECTING BIRDSONG AROUND THE WORLD is scheduled for publication with Holiday House in 2026.