Divya Srinivasan (1) (1973–)

Little Owl explores the beauty of the nighttime, encountering many other animals out and about (and some sleeping) in his travels. Eventually he heads home to his tree, where his mother describes the coming of the dawn. By the time she's done, Little Owl is fast asleep...

Having greatly enjoyed Divya Srinivasan's illustrations for Neil Gaiman's picture-book, Cinnamon, I've been meaning to track down her own stories about Little Owl for some time now. I'm so glad I finally got around to Little show more Owl's Night, as it is a lovely bedtime book, one pairing a simple text with magical artwork. In truth, it's the visuals that make this book, as the text is mostly unremarkable. The artwork, on the other hand, is gorgeous - deep, vivid colors pop off of the mostly black pages, and the stylized animal figures manage to be both cute and beautiful. I will definitely be tracking down the other titles about Little Owl, and recommend this one to picture-book readers looking for beautifully-illustrated bedtime books. show less

Shy Octopus watches the other inhabitants of the coral reef she calls home in this lovely picture-book, but isn't sure she wants to interact that closely with them. Alarmed when the friendly seahorses come calling, she changes her color to camouflage herself, and flees the reef for a more peaceful part of the ocean. After encountering a crabbing boat and a giant whale, she finds just what she is looking for, and enjoys some time by herself. Eventually though, she finds herself missing the show more company of the other inhabitants of the reef...

Having enjoyed all three of author/illustrator Divya Srinivasan's delightful picture-books about Little Owl - Little Owl's Night, Little Owl's Day and Little Owl's Snow - I was quite excited to discover that she had also created a book about an octopus! Being a lover of all things octopode, I immediately sought out Octopus Alone, and (predictably) found it charming. The artwork is every bit as appealing as in the Little Owl books, with vibrant colors that pop off the page, backgrounds that are themselves beautifully colored, and stylized figures that are immensely appealing. I particularly liked the fold-out page showing the massive whale. The story itself is likewise engaging, highlighting the fact that while shy and/or introverted creatures (and children) may seek time alone, they also need companionship. Recommended to young octopus lovers, and to fans of Srinivasan's distinctive artwork. show less

Little Owl returns in this follow-up to his debut adventure, chronicled in Little Owl's Night, this time finding himself exploring during the day, when he should be asleep. Astonished at the things he sees - animals that aren't abroad at night, butterflies instead of moths, the beauty of the misty rainbow created by the nearby waterfall - he returns home at dusk with a new appreciation of the world around him...

Although I did appreciate the narrative in Little Owl's Day, with its emphasis on show more discovery, and the beauty of the natural world, what really made the reading experience a pleasure was Divya Srinivasan's bold illustrations. The colors pop off the pages, which have pastel backgrounds during the day, and a deep black one at night, while the stylized animal figures are cute and somehow quite expressive. Little Owl, appropriately enough, is all eyes. I don't know that this one impressed me quite as much as its predecessor, but it certainly had appeal, and is one I would recommend to young animal and owl lovers, and to anyone who enjoyed the earlier book about this little strigine character. show less

Little Owl returns in this third picture-book adventure from author/illustrator Divya Srinivasan, following upon Little Owl's Night and Little Owl's Day. This time he experiences his first autumn and winter - his first snow! He watches as the leaves fall and some of his friends - Bear, Hedgehog - go into hibernation. Enjoying the foggy, snowy forest with Raccoon, he is assured by his mother that spring will come again...

Like its two predecessors, Little Owl's Snow pairs a simple but engaging show more text with absolutely magical illustrations. In truth, the visuals are what make these books stand out, and this is no exception. The bold colors pop on the pages, which mostly have deep black and gray backgrounds, and the stylized, big-eyed animal characters are sweetly appealing. Of course, as a fox lover I particularly enjoyed the wintry scenes in which a vibrantly red fox cavorts on a snowy white background. Recommended to young animal lovers, and to picture-book readers looking for stories about autumn and winter. show less