Owl Moon

Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon. Illustrated by John Schoenherr. New York. Philomel Books, 1987. 

Owl Moon, was written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by John Schoenherr. It is a realistic fiction picture book about nature and the love between father and daughter.

Schoenherr's illustrations walk readers through cold, snowy woods late at night as the bright light of the moon guides the characters in the search of the great horned owl. He uses soft and exquisite watercolors to capture the mood of the nighttime setting. He places the reader in the air, showing the father and daughter from the owl's perception.

The story begins when a young girl and her father go owl watching one cold winter night in the woods near their farm house. It is the girl's first owling adventure, and she is full of anticipation. She knows that you must be quiet and brave.

The girl remains quiet thought the hunt and is not disappointed when their first attempt to call for an owl isn't a success. All her brothers had told her "sometimes there's an owl and sometimes there isn't." When they stop to call for the owl a second time, an echo threads its way through the trees and a great horned owl appears. Their search has been a success and the father and daughter walk hand in hand back home.

This is a story about growing up--as the little girl conquers the cold and her fears of seeing an owl and the bonding experience she shares with her father.