JUST ONE OWL

Noticing happy pairs all around, solitary Owl longs for a friend.

Wide-eyed Owl perches on a slender tree branch. “Two squirrels [sit] nearby. Two squirrels. Just one owl.” Gliding away, Owl wonders, “Where is a friend to talk to?” Owl comes across more duos: leaves, deer, and even stars. But always, “just one owl.” Crimi brings the tale to a funny, unexpected, but deeply satisfying and sweet conclusion as Owl spots a pair of eyes in the dark and finds a pal at last. Repetition and the use of contrast (“Two leaves. Two deer. ‘One owl,’ said Owl’”), as well as slight variations in Owl’s dialogue (“Where is a friend to fly with?” “Where is a friend to play with?”), will build confidence among emergent readers navigating the inconsistencies of the English language—in particular, the phonics-defying phrase “One owl.” Owl’s final encounter before the story’s end (“Two big. Two smiles”) practically demands a homophone lesson around the words too, two, and to. Bynum’s expressive cartoon art pairs well with the text and layout, resulting in a tale that works equally well as a bedtime or naptime read-aloud. In fact, pre-readers will point to pages and recite the text as if reading it.

Simple and engaging.