THE HAPPY OWLS

by Celestino Piatti ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 18, 1964

It should be two stars-- one for each eye. The illustrator, a well-known designer, has retold the folktale of the owls who advised the quarrelsome barnyard fowl on how to be happy. The owls were content with a little to eat, their comfortable tree and beauties of the changing seasons. The peacock, chickens, duck and geese thought this kind of happiness was incredible and went back to preening, stuffing themselves and quarreling. The art work transcends the story. Piatti's stylized owls peer out of the page, loom over their advises and in one, stare in full-sized unblinking wisdom straight out at the reader. Done in a rich tempera, all of the birds are recognizable. The use of brilliant color is beyond simple description-- it's an eye-fest.

Pub Date: May 18, 1964

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Atheneum

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1964

Categories: NONFICTION