The Owl and Two Rabbits, written by Nadia Sammurtok and illustrated by Marcus Cutler. Inhabit Media, Fitzhenry & Wnhiteside. 2019. $16.95 ages 5 and up

"What's going on here?" said the owl. His huge wings spread out from left to right, completely blocking the way back to the rabbits' den. The rabbits froze with fear as they studied him from top to bottom. The owl's sharp talons dug into the ground as he stared at the two rabbits. In a timid voice, the bigger rabbit said, "W-w-we ... "
In this cautionary tale from the Inuit tradition, two rabbits get their comeuppance when they fail to listen to their parents' advice about safety. There is lots of suspense to keep young readers on the edge of their seats.

As soon as the two sisters forget to keep themselves hidden, as suggested by their elders, they frolic about with abandon. Never thinking that they might be in trouble, they take great pleasure in enjoying their freedom. It isn't long until an owl hears them, and swoops in. To say they are scared is an understatement.

The owl is delighted to find such a fine meal, and tries to capture both at the same time. They are a bit of a heavy load, and very determined to save themselves from the owl's talons. Just as those bunnies had not listened to their parents, the owl did not listen to his wife's advice to let one go. He was greedy.

Once released the rabbits ran as fast as they could, with the owl following right behind them. Would the large boulder ahead of them help? Terrified, they hid behind it. When the owl came too close, they used all of their strength to push that boulder right at their predator. Tada - success!

Let's hope they learned a valuable lesson. Educational and entertaining, with charming, colorful  artwork, this is a book that children will enjoy hearing more than one time.