The kingbird & the kinglet

Ted T. Cable, is a professor of park management and conservation, author of 12 books and more than 200 articles, and traveler to all 50 states and more than 30 countries. He resides in Kansas and enjoys bird watching, traveling internationally and writing about these activities.

Jacey Cable, Ted’s granddaughter, is a nine year old writer who has lived near Chicago and Nashville and now resides in St. Augustine, FL. She enjoys school and excels at reading and math. In her free time, you can find Jacey doing gymnastics, reading, writing stories and poetry, playing guitar, and singing at church.

ISBN 978-0-9891838-0-2

51495>

US $14.95

9 780989 183802

Written by: Ted Cable & Jacey Cable Illustrated by: Rita Kraushaar

THE KINGBIRD AND THE KINGLET

By Ted Cable & Jacey Cable Illustrated by Rita Kraushaar

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Ted T. Cable All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (except for brief quotations in reviews) — without the prior permission of the copyright holder.

Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2013908931 ISBN: 978-0-9891838-0-2 Printed in the U.S.A. by Mennonite Press, Inc., Newton, KS 67114 To order additional copies of this book go to: www.itsabirdthing.com

DEDICATION Jacey would like to dedicate this book to the teachers that have influenced her, encouraged her creativity, and made her want to write: Angela Rodgers, Rachel Kenyon, Mary Keller, Lauren Cooper, Kim Gaines, and Gretchen Sting.

Ted would like to dedicate this book to his wife and Jayce’s grandmother Diane who encouraged our family’s love of birds and the outdoors.

THE KINGBIRD AND THE KINGLET Once upon a time there was a kingly Kingbird who thought he was indeed king of the birds.

But the kingly Kingbird was not a calm and quiet Kingbird. Sometimes the Kingbird was cranky and crabby. He would call out warnings and threats to all the other birds with his rough raspy voice. If bluebirds got bossy or robins got rowdy, Kingbird would flash his red feathered crown and scold them with his sputtering stammering song. Kingbird was hurried and harsh; noisy and nosey.

But Kingbird was also brave.

He would chase away black creepy crows and huge hungry hawks that might eat the eggs or babies of the smaller birds in his woodland kingdom.

He was observant and adventuresome.

Kingbird watched over his forest from the top of tall trees. He would fly from his high perch to chase away invaders or to grab a bug for breakfast from right out of the air.

Kingbird appeared quite dapper with his dark blue, almost black back and tail and clean white breast. Just for show, his tail had a white band along the bottom of it.

He looked like he was wearing a tuxedo for a fancy party.

One spring day, when the oak buds were the size of squirrel ears, a flittering fluttering Kinglet flew into the forest.

The pretty little Kinglet was olive green with white stripes on her wings. She happily bounced from limb to limb like a butterfly.

Kinglet looked like a tiny leaf in the trees, so she blended into the forest unnoticed by the other birds. Even the wise and watchful Kingbird did not see her enter his Kingbird kingdom.

Ted T. Cable, is a professor of park management and conservation, author of 12 books and more than 200 articles, and traveler to all 50 states and more than 30 countries. He resides in Kansas and enjoys bird watching, traveling internationally and writing about these activities.

Jacey Cable, Ted’s granddaughter, is a nine year old writer who has lived near Chicago and Nashville and now resides in St. Augustine, FL. She enjoys school and excels at reading and math. In her free time, you can find Jacey doing gymnastics, reading, writing stories and poetry, playing guitar, and singing at church.

ISBN 978-0-9891838-0-2

51495>

US $14.95

9 780989 183802

Written by: Ted Cable & Jacey Cable Illustrated by: Rita Kraushaar