Owl Sees Owl

July 25, 2016
A small barn owl embarks on a solo journey by night in this quietly enchanting reverie. Godwin (One Moon, Two Cats) traces the owl’s explorations in a single poem composed of four-line, four-word stanzas: “Home/ Mama/ Brother/ Sister/ Tree/ Nest/ Hop/ Look.” Midway through the owl’s travels, after it has flown past “Fall/ Leaves/ Red/ Yellow” and mice scampering over pumpkins, it spots its own reflection in a stream (“Owl/ Sees/ Owl”), and the poem’s mirrorlike structure is revealed; as the owl returns to its sleeping family, Godwin inverts the stanzas that appeared in the first half of the book, to almost palindromic effect. Working in a variety of media, Dunlavey (Over in the Wetlands) creates a sleepy rural landscape for the owl to traverse, shifting between close-ups of the bird, its white face aglow in the moonlight, and more distant views from above and below. It’s a story that finds a lovely balance between the joys of independence and the comforting security of home. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Illustrator’s agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties.

July 1, 2016
Leaving the tree trunk where family slumbers, a fledgling owl explores the night world.Wide awake, Owl hops out of the tree nest where mother, brother, and sister sleep soundly and, with a "Jump, Flutter," and "Flap," flies above the fall woods with its red and yellow leaves. Soaring upward, Owl's eyes gleam in the moon's beam while "Stars Twinkle" and "Mice Scamper." Spying its reflection in some water, "Owl / Sees Owl," causing the young bird to turn back home, flying above the mice beneath the stars, past moon beams gleaming in deer's eyes, and over falling leaves to the family nest. The simple, often alliterative, onomatopoeic text forms a spare poem of single words arranged strategically on double-paged spreads to coordinate symbiotically with the luminous watercolor, colored pencil, ink, collage, and digital media illustrations, visually and verbally tracking Owl's foray away from and return back home. Deft use of reflected light, bird's-eye perspective, and a dark palette create an atmosphere of silent wonder. Observant readers will notice text and illustrations repeat in reverse order, beginning with "Home Mama Brother Sister" as Owl departs and closing with "Sister Brother Mama Home" as Owl returns safely home. A perfectly paced, holistically rendered home-away-home story. (Picture book. 3-7)

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Starred review from July 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 1-"Soar/Glide/Swoop/Swoosh." A young owlet leaves his nest one night for a solo adventure-and, by the light of the moon, sees his reflection in the water. "Owl/Sees/Owl." Startled, he makes his way back home, where he finds safety in the comfort of his nest. "Sister/Brother/Mama/Home." With only a few words per page, this poetic picture book is inspired by reverso poetry. Words that lead up to Owl seeing himself in the water are rearranged as he returns home. The mirroring of repetitive, rearranged text, coupled with tranquil, mostly blue watercolor and mixed-media illustrations, makes for a meditative and soothing experience for all readers. This is an ideal storytime choice for very young children because of the large print and thoughtful placement of text; basic words and concepts make this an obvious selection for early literacy enthusiasts. Fans of the author's previous work One Moon, Two Cats will once again appreciate her introspective yet economical use of words to convey exploration and peacefulness. Fans of Jane Yolen's Owl Moon and Martin Waddell's Owl Babies will also love this calming story about an owl's first adventure. VERDICT Those who enjoy poetry and picture books will find quiet contemplation in this obvious choice that will appeal to any audience.-Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2016
Preschool-G *Starred Review* One night, a small owl ventures out of its nest. Like a curious child seeking adventure, the owl leaves the safety of home and family to explore the larger world. Using only four well-chosen words, which resemble short poems, on each two-page spread, a whole story is told. Tree / Nest / Hop / Look and the owl is poised on a branch. Jump / Flutter / Flap / Fly and the owl is on its way. The full moon is ever present, lending enough light for the owl and the reader to see details such as fall leaves changing color, pumpkins on the ground, and mice scampering away from the owl, which is more intent on exploring than hunting. In a climactic scene, the owl's trip takes it to a pond. There, in the water, Owl / Sees / Owl, or at least owl's reflection. The amazing discovery sends the owl scurrying back into the sky. Furthering the theme of a mirror image, the text reverses itself. The same four words reappear on each page, but this time in opposite order, and the circular trail of words and pictures leads the little owl safely back home. Luminous blue-and-black-toned multimedia illustrations, rendered in soft shapes and rich colors, convey the quiet, dark beauty of an autumn night. Simple yet stirring, this is perfect for preschooler bedtimes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)