For December, we’re celebrating one of the most heartfelt wildlife stories in modern nature writing: Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-Luck Jay by Julie Zickefoose. This beautifully illustrated memoir follows Zickefoose’s tender journey rehabilitating Jemima, a young Blue Jay who arrives in her life battered, stubborn, spirited - and unforgettable.

Through Zickefoose’s intimate sketches, photographs, and deeply observant storytelling, readers watch Jemima grow from a vulnerable fledgling into a bold, mischievous, free-flying jay who still manages to keep her human caretakers wrapped around her tiny talons. It’s a story of resilience, trust, and the surprising emotional connections that can form between humans and wild birds.

Part natural history, part field notes, and part love letter to a single bird who needed a second chance, Saving Jemima invites readers to slow down, pay attention, and rediscover the magic in the everyday life of backyard wildlife. It’s a perfect winter read for bird lovers, rehabilitators, and anyone who finds comfort and hope in the natural world.