Tiny Owl’s Scary Day

Horácek (A Best Friend for Bear) conveys a secure feeling of home and family with this onomatopoeia-filled adventure about a nocturnal youth’s day out. As morning dawns, Tiny Owl declares, “I’m not sleepy.... Please can I stay awake all day?” Mama Owl yawningly warns, “Days can be scary for a small owl,” but the downy gray protagonist ventures out anyhow (“Tiptoe/ Tiptoe/ Tiptoe/ Tiptoe”). Sunlit sights delight the curious bird, but several noisy encounters (“Creep/ Crack/ Click/ Crack”) spook her. Spying a river on one spread, the green-eyed avian character appreciates its “bright fish,” while a fiery red fox’s tail waves among the reeds, moving closer until Tiny Owl obliviously flies off... and a larger owl chases away the stalker. And when the young owl eventually heads home, she remains blissfully unaware of the near misses she actually encountered, and Mama’s full role as protector, the whole day through. Dramatically visualized via color-saturated mixed-media artwork, close calls with predators unfold over several pages, generating riveting beats of suspense and relief that draw to a peaceful end. Ages 3–7. (July)