I am a Roadrunner

I Am a Roadrunner: I race the desert on two fast feet invites children ages 5-10 into a sunlit morning in the Southwest. In a gentle, first-person adventure, Zippy-a Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) and devoted parent-must cross an open wash watched by a hawk to bring a lizard back to hungry chicks. Alongside the roadrunner, Maya, a spirited 7-year-old with a homemade tail and crest, imagines every lean, quick step.

Wonder and real nature facts weave through the story. Readers feel the heat as Zippy warms up by lifting feathers to let the sun touch a dark skin patch, then cools by fluttering a throat in the rising blaze. They learn how a long tail works like a rudder for sharp turns, why X-shaped tracks come from two toes forward and two back, and how short wings help with brief glides while strong legs carry a bird that can reach about 20 miles per hour.

With lyrical language, vivid desert details, and a warm arc from calm to worry to relief, this picture book blends imagination with science. Back matter includes a clear, kid-friendly fact page and a realistic bird image to support curious readers. From Kimberlee Everson and the I Am a Wild Bird series, it's a natural fit for read‑aloud time, classroom nature units, and young observers who love to run, notice, and care.