Feathers in the wind by Sally Grindley

Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781 4088 1947 0.
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Animals. Endangered species. Written with the auspices of the London Zoo, this is the second book by Grindley that I have read showcasing a family where mum is an international vet, called to places where animals are in danger. This time it is Northern India, where an entrenched local custom is about to take place. An annual kite festival in itself does not sound ominous, but when many kites are fitted with strings embedded with glass that can cut other people's kits to shreds, then there is danger for the local dwindling vulture population.
Joe and Aesha travel with their parents to India, and are warned that they will not be involved with their mother's work of rescue, but will be shown how to fly a kite ready to take part in the festival. This they do, but things happen to make them the centre of the attention in rescuing a vulture they find, damaged by the glass laden kite strings.
As with Pawprints in the snow (2010) the story is simply told, but the relationships between children and adults are neatly told and the background fascinating and informative. Grindley makes learning about these endangered animals an easy exercise with her thrilling stories.
Fran Knight