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Summary: Good Parenting and instills love of nature
Review: Owl Moon is a wonderful story of a young girl's first hunt for the Great Horned Owl with her father. As they trek through the snowy forest, Jane Yolen's text and John Schoenherr's illustrations work together to create a realistic adventure and to express good parenting. The picture book comes to life through a peaceful countryside and a still forest. The child's continual silence and concentration add to the hunt. Within the text the child says, "I put my mittens over my mouth and listened hard." This displays her constant effort to remain quiet and to take the adventure seriously. Each illustration depicts a calm forest dominated by snow and nature. I feel that this book contains ideas that are "simple but not necessarily simplistic" much like Perry Nodelman's analysis of children's literature (221). For instance, in many scenes animals can be found hiding without the knowledge of the characters. The animals all sit calmly. This shows that the intent of the father and child is not to disturb nature but to quietly observe and to be apart of it just while they pass. This idea can not be found written within the text yet, it is understood when they see an owl and do not shoot it. This peaceful respect for nature that the father is instilling in his child is shown when they came to the clearing in the dark woods. She speaks of how the fit it exactly "and the snow below it was whiter than the milk in a cereal bowl." This emphasizes her grasp of the beauty and enjoyment natural world in a child-like way. It brings to mind games equal to finding shapes in clouds. The illustrator has also gone through the trouble of presenting the field in the shape of a large bowl. I feel that the most important aspect of the work is the example of good parenting it delivers. He spends quality time with his children, while he instills important morals. Pa has also taken all of her brothers owling and they have told her "sometimes there's an owl and sometimes there isn't." This reveals a sense of close family unity in which can be seen as the positive message of the story. However, the tone is not didactic. Pa even uses onomatopoeia to make the adventure more intense. He calls the owl with a long "Whoo-whoo-who-who-who-whooooooo." All of this helps emphasis the joy of the communion with nature. Her father has been instilling a respect for the owl and natural world, while strengthening the father child relationship.
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Summary: Owl Moon
Review: Owl Moon
Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen, is a wonderfully told story. It is a perfect story to read aloud and share with children at bedtime. John Schoenherr tells the story through pictures beautifully. They could almost exist alone. Children will love this heartwarming story about a very special night.
The story is about a little girl and her fathering going owling one winter night. In search of the magnificent and elusive owl, they have to be silent and brave going deep into the dark and scary woods. The story says that words are not important when you go owling, you only need hope. This story depicts the special relationship of a child with her father.
This story reflects a theme that children will understand. Nearly every child has something that they share with their father. In this story their was no conversation between the father and daughter, but it was still a special moment in time that the two will cherish forever. This story will show to children that it is not the words that make a special memory, but it is being together that makes it so special.
The illustrations are truly exquisite. They are done in watercolor and they capture every detail of their journey. He uses space to convey a silent mood and to show the greatness and bigness of the woods. They add a important element to the story.
Owl Moon is a wonderful story, well deserving of the caldecott award. It will be enjoyed by the young and old alike.
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Summary: Silence is Golden
Review: The illustrations are real art, with real composition, line, light, and beauty.
The writing is real writing, with vivid word choice, evocative images, poignant observations.Lesser books amuse or pass the time: this one opens the universe to your child. And you.
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Summary: I LOVE this book!
Review: This is the story of a young girl who goes "owling" with her father (seeking out owls in the forest to return an owl call).
As they walk along, I can feel the snow under my feet, the stillness in the air, the cold as it bites me. I can feel the sense of a time gone by, simpler, quieter. How can you not be drawn into this story?
I read this often to my kids. Yours should experience it as well!
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