The death of her English father left Francesca alone and unprotected, with nowhere to turn but to the noble Italian family of her late mother. Adrift in a strange land, surrounded by cold and suspicious relatives who had disowned her mother on her wedding day, Francesca is determined to make the best of a bad situation. But nothing could have prepared her for the nest of dark secrets and oppressive cruelty she has been cast into. And her fate now rests in the hands of a mysterious horseman known as the Falcon, whose appearance will speed her salvation ... or hasten her doom.
There was something different about him. He had no name. He showed no emotion, never yielded. And Griff had always stood by him. Even in this place where cruelty and betrayals were the way of life. So when he decides to escape, he takes Griff with him. Their journey has no known destination, and no purpose except to make their way through life's chances.
In this inspiring book, young wildlife biologist Marcy Cottrell Houle spends a summer perched on a high rock in Colorado's southwest desert. With no phone or running water, she and her research parmer immerse themselves in the study of a pair of endangered peregrine falcons that return to their ancestral nesting site on Chimney Rock. Coming to know these birds intimately while sharing their home, Houle develops an abiding devotion to them. She observes their breathtaking flight, their indomitable character, and their urgent will to survive. Before me a peregrine falcon emerged from the cliff with a fierce beauty; with utmost ease and perfect control it spun in a dizzying dive to the earth. Talons outstretched, it lightly grazed the object of its attention -- a trespassing prairie falcon who had slipped across the peregrine's invisible territorial line.... Its flight was a gust of pure energy. While conducting her research, Houle learns that Chimney Rock is the site of an Anasazi ruin slated for commercial development. She meets the unexpected resistance and hostility of townspeople who resent the obstacle the endangered birds pose to potential tourist dollars. Houle uncovers the depth and complexity of the issue that leads this community -- and so many others like it in today's growing world -- to an angry impasse. With compassion, insight, and fairness, Houle explores the dilemma between environmentalists and developers, both of whom value the land, but in different ways. Wings for My Flight is the story of one biologist who, through the help of another species, comes to a greater understanding of her own. As a Colorado press, Pruett Publishing is proud to reissue thisaward-winning book that addresses issues vital to Coloradans and Westerners.
In the wake of a catastrophic event that has left the planet in shambles and decimated the hero community, the survivors now work towards putting the world back together. As Earth still licks its wounds from its greatest threat to date, there are those who would take advantage of this situation for power and gain. New heroes must rise in order to give the people hope, and one girl has the power to be the beacon. Will she continue to walk away from her destiny?
A new side-splitting Meg Langslow mystery from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Terns of Endearment. When Meg's grandmother Cordelia hosts a Renaissance Faire at her craft center, the whole family is put to work: Meg handles the blacksmithing, Michael and the boys will be performing, and no one misses the opportunity to dress up in full regalia. More exciting to Grandfather is the pair of rare falcons he discovers breeding at the fairgrounds. Concerned for their well-being amid all the activity, he appoints himself their protector. When one of the actors performing at the fair is found dead—an actor suspected of mistreating one of the falcons, among other sins—Grandfather is a prime suspect. Donna Andrews’s long-running Meg Langslow series continues to be beloved by its fans, who loyally read every new installment. The Falcon Always Wings Twice is a perfect new addition, full of laughter, adventure, and Andrews's wonderful cast of wacky characters.
In this extraordinary journey, Alan Tennant recounts his attempt to track the transcontinental migration of the majestic peregrine falcon — an investigation no one before him had ever taken to such lengths. From the windswept flats of the Texas barrier islands to the Artic and then south again into the Caribbean, On the Wing provides a hilariously picaresque and bumpy flight.
"Peregrine falcons are hunters, the fastest creatures in the world. But when Talon is locked in a cage--his wings stilled forever--his mighty heart and spirit are broken. He bemoans the loss of his wings, crooning the song all caged birds sing. No bird or squirrel anywhere in the world would ever dream of rescuing a falcon. But in the Rose Garden lives a squirrel like no other. Shikar the squirrel, a kind-hearted creature, is friends with the birds of the garden. His tiny heart bleeds for Talon and the terrible fate that has befallen him. And late one night, Shikar and his bird friends mount a daring rescue attempt."--Page [4] of cover.
A sensitive young girl grows into womanhood as she trains a falcon during three summers in the country. ‘The interrelatedness of nature is a thread that binds the book together and gives it depth. This is one of the best portraits of female adolescence in our literature.’ —SLJ.