Owl Moon

A young girl and her father set out for the woods one snowy night, in this lovely, contemplative picture-book, the Caldecott Medal winner for 1988. Aware that she must be very quiet, the girl narrator struggles to keep up with her father, and - when they enter the darkness of the woods themselves - to be brave. Both are necessary, she informs the reader, when one is going owling, something she has been waiting a very long time to be allowed to do. Finally, in a moonlit clearing, with snow whiter than milk, the pair see what they have come for - a Great Horned Owl. After a moment (or one hundred) of magical connection, the owl flies on, and the tired pair head home...

Owl Moon is yet another of those classic picture-books that have long show more been "on my radar," but that I'd somehow never read, so I'm glad it was chosen as one of our "Winter Themed" selections, over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong. I loved so many things about the book, from Jane Yolen's simple but evocative text, to John Schoenherr's beautiful watercolor artwork. The idea that sometimes the best and most magical experiences in life require effort and discipline, is worked seamlessly into the story, as is the notion that long awaited "treats" are especially delightful. The enchantment of the winter landscape is perfectly captured by both word and image here, and I particularly appreciated the fact that, even before they have seen the owl, the girl and her father are not alone, as a variety of woodland creatures observe their journey. The two-page spread in which the owl is depicted is simply breathtaking, allowing the reader to feel, with the two in the story, that sense of joyous culmination.

All in all, a delightful winter picture-book, one I highly recommend to all young nature and owl lovers, and to anyone who loves the cold enchantment of this season! show less

Owl Moon offers a reading experience that reflects the quiet story it’s telling and makes you want to read it aloud in a hushed voice. Yolen’s descriptions are tactile and atmospheric, and coupled with Schoenherr’s illustrations both show and tell you what the characters are seeing and feeling. I love that the story doesn’t have capture or conquest as a goal, but instead observation and appreciation of a fleeting experience with the natural world. C clearly feels the anticipation of the story and eagerly waits to come face to face with an owl.

I had mixed feelings about this book after reading it. I enjoyed the book mainly because of the detailed illustrations. The illustrator really told the story with pictures that perfectly matched the author's text. For example, for the line: “Our feet crunched over the crisp snow and little gray footprints followed us,” the illustration shows the child and her father leaving footprints in the snow as they walk through the forest. Even if a child cannot read this story, he or she could still follow what is happening simply by looking at the illustrations. The one reason I was not so fond of the book was that it was supposed to be told in the point of view of the young child who is going owling with her father. However, I did not feel show more as though the text matched how a young child would talk. I felt as if the voice of the child was very monotone for a majority of the story, and fell flat of how I would want the child to talk about her great owling experience. The big idea that I saw presented in this story was the relationships between people: father and child; owls and owl seekers. Experiences shared between people are important and children of young ages will enjoy this book. show less

Owl Moon is a story in which a little boy and his father go “owling” one winter night. I enjoyed this book for three reasons. The first thing I noticed and really liked was Yolen’s ability to use imagery to create a setting. Even on the first page of the book Yolen writes “There was no wind. / The trees stood still /as giant statues. / And the moon was so bright / the sky seemed to shine.” The author’s words paint just as much of a picture in the reader’s head then the big beautiful illustrations do. Secondly, I really enjoyed the free verse writing style and the way Yolen chose to break up certain words by line to put emphasis on certain words. For example, she writes “we watched the line / of pine trees / black and show more pointy / against the sky.” Her style of writing helps compliment the aspect of being able to easily create a setting and help the audience picture the scene in their heads. Finally, I enjoyed that I could relate to the boy even though I had never been owling because the writing was so well done, it felt like I was in the story. Phrases like “I could feel the cold, / as if someone’s icy hand / was palm-down on my back” as well as the buildup; walking in the cold, standing in the cold, and calling without any calls back, we can understand the boy’s excitement when he finally gets to the see the owl. I really enjoyed this book! show less

I liked this book for many reasons. First, it shows how the child has been waiting for a long time to go on this adventure with their grandfather. This can help the reader to make connections to their own lives and the traditions they may have with their families. Next, the by putting sounds in that the child and their grandfather heard is a great way for readers to make connections by putting themselves into the story. The great descriptive language made the story even more interesting to read, when he said “I listened and looked so hard my ears hurt and my eyes got cloudy with the cold.” A reader can imagine how cold this child was, and how anxious they were to see their first owl. The big idea in this story, is good things come show more to those who wait. The child waited through the cold night, to finally see the owl and hear it call back to them and their Pa. show less

Owl Moon Nonfiction: Modern Fantasy
Written by Jane Yolen, Illustrated by John Schoenherr

“Owl Moon” by is a good read and even better to look at. In this story a little child (unidentified as a boy or girl) goes owl watching with her father. After waiting what seemed like forever, they finally hear and owl and both feel a strong connection and smile. The language was very descriptive which gave the reader a great sense of imagery. For example, the author described the sounds such as small train noises and the dog barking in the background. The pictures by Schoenherr took the story to the next level. He focused on the contrast of light and dark in illustrations. Although the woods were dark, the moon and snow lightened the night. The show more moon is symbolic of good so when the owl appears it is seen right in front of the moon. I think the moral of this story is that patience pays off and any time spent with family is time well spent. show less

Owl Moon is a book for any parent who has ever shared a moment of quiet understanding with their child. A moment where you both hold each other in respect and love, where the struggle of living passes and you are both in awe of the world and eachother. I almost cried while reading this in the library. It describes an experience that I crave, but get so rarely from parenting. To share the amazing and hidden wonders of the world with my son. It is what I crave in creating art for children - to uncover something magical and at the same time real about this beautiful world.
Owl Moon is also for any child who has waited to be big enough to do something, or who is still waiting.
This is a beautifully paced story taking us slowly through the show more magic of a cold winter night, "quiet as a dream." The full moon lights the way for a father and child. The story is told in the first person and the child is so bundled in the illustrations that he or she remains ungendered, which is something that I appreciate (although the book summary and the LC subject headings proclaim it is a girl). The book is also really beautiful to look at. The delicate pen line drawings with water color washes are light and barren like the winterlandscape. The pages are designed beautifully by Schoenerr, using lots of white space. The text is also very well designed, layed out in short poem-like lines, which fit the stark illustraitons and mood of the story, though the text is straight prose. The illustrations also vary perspective and zoom to keep the repeating scene of child and adult walking through the night woods engaging.
Absoultely beautiful. I highly recommend this one. No surprise that it won the Caldacott. show less