Owl Moon~ Picture book, Contemporary Realistic Fiction

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

Owl Moon is about a father taking his daughter owling. They walk through the woods and the daughter learns from her father. She learns about being quiet, brave, and patient. Finally, the daughter and father get to watch an owl fly over their heads together. The story is told through the eyes of the little girl.

The writing on the pages is always placed on a light blue or white background making it easy to read. This also makes the reader feel as if the writing is a message in snow. All of the illustrations are very detailed with faces and all of the owl’s feathers shown clearly. These pictures are also very colorful even though they are placed in the snow and woods where most would think that there are only a few basic colors. The shapes used in the illustrations are all very easily recognized by the reader and will help in understanding the images.

The illustrations and the text complement one another. A younger reader can grasp what’s going on through the pictures and the text without fully understanding all of the text. The illustrations mesmerize the reader making them want to read the text. The author is showing the importance of a daughter's relationship with her father. This story is very socially relevant because it shows the importance of male role models, even in girls' lives. Anyone can enjoy this book, however, the reading age level would be 7 years old.