OLIVER THE CURIOUS OWL

One little owl dares to fly into the unknown.

When most owls are born, they ask only one question for the rest of their lives: “Who?” Not Oliver. When he hatches, he adds “What?” “When?” “Where?” and “Why?” to the mix. Like his family, Oliver lives in a big tree, the only world they’ve ever known. Yet all too soon he’s wondering about what lies beyond. But taking that extra step only happens when his best friend, Bug, falls into the river and is swept away. Comically flying to the rescue (the spherical bird does not look particularly aerodynamic), Oliver meets new animals (some further facts about which appear in the backmatter) and sees new sights. Some of it is good and some of it is bad, but in the end, when he tells his family of his adventures, they’re inspired to explore the world for themselves. With skill, the book deftly avoids the pitfall of preachiness, showing and not telling the moral of this tale. The old message exhorting readers to try the new is also nicely tempered by the dreadful rainstorm Oliver and Bug suffer through, showing that not every new experience is purely joyful. Deeply saturated colors, particularly the blues and orange-reds, pulse on the page, giving lift and verve to Oliver’s story.

Who who who could resist the gentlest tale of adventure? Not you you you.