Like many children who grew up reading Harry Potter in the early 2000s, Hedwig made an indelible impression on my life. In my own humble opinion, owls are one of the most incredible, majestic birds around. They are also incredibly difficult to spot in the wild. So until that time when I manage to to do the impossible and see one in its natural habitat, here are some picture books to help me (and you!) appreciate my feathered friends even more.
By Matthew Cordell
New York: Random House Studio, 2025. Picture Book.Janie may be a little obsessed with owls. She reads about them, dresses like them, and draws never-ending pictures of them. The problem is that she's never seen one in real life. No matter where she is, day or night, Janie keeps her eyes trained to the sky trying to spot one and she still hasn't had any luck. Her teacher, Mr. Koji, also loves owls and gives her a hint of where she might be able to see some. This book is both a love letter to our avian friends and a treatise on the patience required to encounter them in the wild. Plus with Matthew Cordell as the illustrator, you can count on gorgeous illustrations in watercolor and pen and ink that will have you turning back to this book again and again.
Written by Hilary Horder Hippely
Illustrated by Matt James
New York: Neal Porter Books, Holiday House, 2024. Picture Book.After her teacher Ms. Rio offers her class advice on how to draw an owl, Belle creates an owl that is leaps and bounds ahead of the others in her class, making her teacher question how she could make the owl look so realistic. What she doesn't realize, however, is that the reason Belle is able to create such a beautiful owl is that after hearing the bird night after night, Belle has finally seen one through the window of her car as her and her mom sleep in it in the park overnight. She feels a kinship to the bird, knowing that something is looking out for her, and uses the feeling to reach out to a boy at her school facing similar difficulties. If you are looking for a moving picture book that is as much an introduction to discussing homelessness with young children, as it is a story about bird watching, this one is for you.
Written by Susan Edwards Richmond
Illustrated y Maribel LechugaWatertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2023. Picture Book.
Sova's mother studies owls as part of her work as a bird scientist and Sova wants nothing more than to go out with her to see the owls she studies. Each night though, her mother tells her she must wait, something that scientists must often do, her mother notes. One night, the time has finally come for her to go out with her mom to see the elusive bird she's been dreaming of spotting. If kids are wanting to learn the science behind studying birds this is a great choice!
Written by Stephanie Stansbie
Illustrated by Francis Ives
Wilton, CT: Tiger Tales, 2023. Picture Book.If you were hoping for books about anthropomorphized owls, the next two books on our list are where it's at. In this cute tale, an owl is afraid of flying because every time he opens his wings he falls to the ground. Eventually he's so scared of falling that he begins getting stomach pains and wants to refuse to even try. Rather than reassuring him that it will be all right, his mom tells him that he should be willing to fail time and time again if he ever wants to succeed. This is a beautiful book about perseverance to share with kids who are afraid to fall.
You may already know this one since it honored for the Caldecott Medal in 2023, but if you haven't read it yet, RUN don't walk to our shelves to pick it up. In this beautifully illustrated story, Owl tries to prove he has what it takes to be a knight. After many knights in the kingdom suddenly begin vanishing, Owl is finally accepted into knight school where he struggles to carry the heavy instruments needed to protect the kingdom. Despite this, he graduates and becomes part of the Knight Night Watch, where he eventually has to face a dragon. This adorable owl will worm his way into your heart; luckily the sequel Knight Owl and Early Bird came out in 2024.
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