Book Review for Stanley Seagul by Cathy Mazur

Paperback
Tribute Books (July 2011)
Price: $7.95
ISBN: 9780983741800
Pages: 32
   
Cathy Mazur's Bio:

Born in Scranton, Pa., Cathy Mazur is the daughter of Gary and Catherine H. Errico. She was educated in the Dunmore public school system and graduated from Dunmore High School in 1971. She received a bachelor’s degree in Library Science from Mansfield State College in 1975. She received a Reading Specialist Certificate from the University of Scranton in 1978. Cathy was employed as an elementary school librarian for the Mid Valley School District from 1975 until her retirement in 2010. While at Mid Valley, she instituted and coordinated the RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) program for 33 years helping students to develop a love of reading outside the classroom. Cathy served on the Board of Directors for the Valley Community Library in Peckville, Pa. for over 20 years acting as president for one year and board secretary for 19 years. She presently serves on the library’s Developmental Committee chairing various fundraising events. She resides in Dickson City, Pa. with Frank, her husband of 31 years. They are the parents of two children, Gary, 27 and Gia, 19. Now in her retirement, she is focused on writing books for children like Stanley Seagull.

Review:

An Interesting Romp in the Life of a Seagull.
Stanley Seagull is about a seagull named Stanley who frolics with his friends on the beach, eating food that beachgoers drop down to them. One day, along with his cousin Seymor,  Stanley flies over a man grilling hotdogs. Seymor decides to fly down and steal one from the grill. Stanley was impressed with his abilities.

Stanley loved his life and flying over the sea. It's there where he found something strange sitting by the pier. It was green dump trucks. Seagulls were always looking for new sources of food, and this was a feast that couldn’t be ignored. Stanley began to feast on the garbage along with his friends. But with the feast came a warning to be ready to fly away at a moment’s notice.  Stanley had ignored the warning when his palate tasted the variety of food in the garbage trucks. It was this fatal error that caught Stanley underneath a tarp and taken to somewhere he did not expect.

Stanley found himself at a landfill a hundred miles away from his beloved sea. He was lost and alone, until he met another seagull who lived at the landfill, relying on the garbage for food. Will Stanley ever revel in the ocean's beauty again?

This is a story focusing on Stanley and his adventure to a landfill, the author explaining the reason why seagulls can be found more at landfills than they are at the sea hunting for food. Cities have greatly impacted the lives of seagulls, changing their feeding patterns and habits. These birds have become scavengers, instead of hunters.

Children will enjoy this 32 page picture book and it's colorful illustrations. The story is simply told with Stanley's love of the ocean pushed to the forefront, and with an underlying message that being greedy can change a life forever.