Owl at Home

2018: Oh gosh. How have I never read this yet? I mean, welcoming winter and being scared of the two bumps near the bottom of your bed are bemusing enough, and I don't know if Lobel or Frank Asch did the moon as friend & follower better, and upstairs/ downstairs is classic... but, erm, "Tearwater Tea?!" Wtf? Deep, man.
---
2023: Reread. Even better this time. Thank you.
---
2024: Reread. I mean, we know right off the bat that this is a different sort of owl. Not so wise, you see. At night he's supposed to be hunting, and he is supposed to sleep during the day. Is he just foolish, or is he an iconoclast? Are these stories just funny, or are they surreal & philosophical? I dunno; I just know that I never get tired of them.

I had mixed feeling about this book after reading it. I liked the book because I thought the plot was very organized. The storybook was compiled with short stories of Owl dealing with various situations, and how he was able to overcome each obstacle. I thought this type of plot was interesting, and it allowed for multiple opportunities for suspense. During each story when Owl was confronted with a difficult situation there was suspense in how he was going to be able to overcome it. For example, when he invited winter in the house and it was causing chaos there was suspense in how he was going to get it to leave. Each story was completed in this manor, and this helped to create a well-paced flow to storybook. I thought that the short show more stories also would help to keep the readers engaged. With having a new story every few pages students would be able to keep their interest and their engagement. The language was also very clear throughout the story. It was patterned and easy for students to read. One example of a typical sentence is, “who can it be? Said Owl. Knocking and thumping at my door on a night like this.” These sentences could be easy for students to read and do not have too many complicated words. The reason I had mixed feelings about the story was because I thought some of the stories were a little bit too unreasonable. They were playful stories for children, but some of them were a little too unrealistic for my own personal taste. For example in one story Owl was scared of the bumps at the end of his bed. He kept moving his feet but still did not understand that the bumps were being created by his very own feet. The story would be interesting for young students, but I thought it was a little too naïve, but could be good for students in the primary grades. Another reason I did like the story was that the character was well-developed in my opinion. Owl was able to display many emotions throughout the story. And handled the situation in ways that made him more developed. Another reason that I liked the story was that the illustrations were able to really enhance the story in my opinion. For example, in the first story Owl invited winter into his house and winter created havoc on the house. But the illustrations really show how much chaos winter is causing in the house. Having the illustrations was able to really show what was happening, and in this way enhanced the story. The illustrations also fit the written text quite well. The stories were written in almost a whimsical way, and the illustrations also were drawn that way. I believe the big message of the story is that bad situations can be overcome with some ingenuity and willpower. Owl is able to overcome each new situation by thinking clever and trying new things. show less

Arnold Lobel's "Owl at Home" is comprised of several short chapters, each its own story, about Owl's escapades in his cozy little home. In the first, Owl invites winter into his house to warm by the fire and winter quickly freezes it, prompting Owl to make him leave. In the following story, Owl sees bumps at the bottom of his bed and begins to fear them, not realizing they are his own feet. Next, Owl makes tea out of his own tears. In another story, Owl keeps running up and down the staircase is in his home, trying to be in two places at once. Lastly, Owl goes for a night walk in the woods and becomes convinced his new friend "moon" has followed him home.

Each is a short, easy-to-read, and charming tale of the child-like owl. He is a show more character who can easily be described as "special." He sees the world differently, and everything is somehow magical or mysterious. Although adults may chuckle at Owl's silliness, children will undoubtedly relate to his worldview. The chapter concerning Owl's fear of his own feet is especially telling of the character. Lobel writes with mostly short, "easy" words, but his sentences are more complex than the traditional "see Jane run" style of early readers. In addition, because each chapter is a separate story, children can read only one at a time and feel a sense of accomplishment and closure. I would recommend this book for children ages 4-8, who are beginning to read on their own. show less

An easy reader by one of my favorite children's authors, and one my children enjoy very much as well. Owl is silly and doesn't always have good ideas (like being afraid of the bumps his feet make under his covers, or trying to be two places in once by racing up and downstairs). Nevertheless, some stories have some depth and make good conversation starters, like the sad things that cause Owl to cry).

Somehow I missed this one when my son was little, but upon the recommendation of my mother-in-law, who had the privilege of being read this book by her granddaughter (my niece), I picked it up recently. Lovely. Arnold Lobel never disappoints, but Owl is such an endearing character, and these stories are full of juicy thoughts for lucky kids (and grown-ups too!) to absorb.

Although the pictures are lacking and the words seem cumbersome on each page, young readers will delight in the antics of Owl in these chapter like stories that occur throughout this book. The word choice is appropriate yet challenging due to the limited picture supports, however, the reader is still left smiling at how literal Owl sees and understands the works around him. It is in fact his character that draws the reader in and keeps them wanting to see what happens next to Owl.

Melancholy stories about Owl and his days as told by Arnold Lobel. From making tear-drop tea to befriending the moon Owl has magic in everyday.

Easy Reader

I saw Lobel on the list - so hopefully this choice counts, because I love Owl at Home. These sad sweet stories are amazing for the Easy Reader Genre. Owl is my alter ego I'm sure. Tear drop tea is too amazing for words.

Kids respond well to this book. We read it in first grade this year. To paraphrase the Langley School Music Project, What is lost these days is the sense of melancholy kids love. They have an emotional scape more broad than a lot of literature gives them credit for.