BERKELEY’S BARN OWL DANCE

Whoooo better to lead a barn dance than a bouncy young owl? Fledgling Berkeley spends the day practicing her dances with sibs Bo and Bree in anticipation of the Leave the Nest Fall Fest, after which Berkeley will fly away to find a barn of her own. But Berkeley neither wants to go nor understands why she has to. After Poppa and Momma Owl describe the wonders of the world that she’ll experience after she leaves the nest, Berkeley, Bo and Bree set out, exploring a wood and dancing on a bridge before finding a safe, warm barn. All the animals inside seem to have been waiting for her, and she leads them in a rousing barn dance: Berkeley has found her new home. Howells’s digital illustrations use simple shapes and pale hues; similarly, the book’s design has a muted typeface and an abundance of white space. A warm story for the very young, with a subtle message. (Picture book. 3-5)