Whoo-ku Haiku: a great horned owl story by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Jonathan Voss

I would love to see owls in my backyard, not least because I have too many squirrels! Alas, I will have to settle for this gorgeous book.

In haiku, Gianferrari tells the story of a nest of owl hatchlings. While the snow falls, the parent owls build a nest and protect it from crows. The mother lays three eggs, but one is lost in a crow attack. They raise the other two, feeding them skunks and snakes, defending them from hawks and foxes, as they learn to fly. Finally the two owlets are grown and depart to find their own home.

Many more details about great horned owls are included in the back matter, as well as books for further reading, websites, and videos.

Voss' watercolors swirl across the pages in shades of gray, blue, and brown, showing the owls' camouflage and the nighttime world. This isn't a charming owl story for bedtime, but a beautiful celebration of nature and poetry and the harsh beauty of natural life in the wild.

Verdict: An excellent choice for classroom use on poetry and owl units, or for reading with owl fans who can handle creatures being eaten (i.e. adults, I'm pretty sure most kids can handle this). A lovely book. Curious City DPW has some great extension activities available as well.

ISBN: 9780399548420; Published March 2020 by Putnam; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library