"Beyond the woods, me and Mama drive
to open prairies to look for short-eared owls.
We drive to the beach and
harbor to look for snowy owls.
We even drive to a cemetery to
look for screech owls and saw-whet
owls. Mama is not excited about
birding in a cemetery."
My first 2025 picture book, and what a beauty it is! Only another birder could write Janie's story with such love and devotion in her patient and persistent search for the owls she longs to see. I am an admirer of Matthew Cordell's work and am always excited to see his next book. This does not disappoint in any way!
Janie and her mother are often out birding, and chasing Janie's dream of seeing an owl in the wild. Her mother is an understanding and supportive companion for their many searches. Janie's teacher, Mr. Koji, has been birding for his whole life and offers encouragement by talking about the many birds he has seen. He, too, loves owls and provides tips and tricks for observation.
Janie keeps a journal to organize what she is learning, and what she knows. She and her mother follow the suggestions that Mr. Koji makes. They look and listen at all times of the day, without success. It takes days, then months. On the day Janie gives a report on all that she has learned, Mr. Koji has some important information to share.
""In fact, just this winter, I found a pair of great horned owls
roosting in this section of pine trees. They are well hidden and
very hard to find. But it might be worth a try." As I gather
up my drawings, I think about those trees. I've searched them
before. But not since autumn."
I love the easy storytelling, the repetition in some of the phrasing, the encouraging words from a beloved teacher/mentor, the familiar pen-and-ink and watercolor artwork that puts readers in the middle of the natural settings Janie and her mother visit as they keep the dream alive. Kids and adults who love birding, as Janie and Matthew do, will be filled with joy as their story ends.
No comments:
Post a Comment