Realistic Fiction: Owl Moon

Title:Owl Moon 

Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: John Schoenherr

Genre: Realistic Fiction   

Major Awards: Caldecott Medal (1988)

Age Group: 4-7 years old

Family traditions are incredibly special, and in Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, a little girl and her father get to share in the family tradition of late night owling together. It was a perfect and quiet and the little girl in the story and her father went to go owling. As they walk through the woods the little girl is taking close notice to all of the sounds that she hears in nature, the whistle of a near by train, dogs howling in the distance, and the crunch of their feet in the snow. The little girl had heard about owling from her older brothers before and had been waiting a long time for it to be her turn.When they reach the pine trees in the woods her Pa begins to call out the sound of the Great Horned Owl and she watches in amazement as he searches the sky, but they don't see anything. As they keep moving further into the forest her Pa calls out again and an owl actually returns the call and with the help of a flashlight both the little girl and her Pa get a perfect view of the owl before it opens its grand wings and fly's away. Throughout  the entire story the little girl is recalling all of the rules of owling that her father has taught her and the biggest one being to have hope in the Owl Moon.

This is a beautiful book that would be a nice edition to any PreK- 2nd grade classroom library. The book tells a beautiful story of a father and a daughter going owling. With its beautiful illustrations the book would make an excellent story for both independent reading and a class read aloud. The book can offer a really fun interactive experience for students where they can practice their owl call just like the little girls Pa and the class can discuss the sounds and sights the little girl experiences during her first time owling.