Late one winter night a little girl and her father go owling. The trees stand still as statues and the world is silent as a dream. Whoo-whoo-whoo, the father calls to the mysterious nighttime bird. But there is no answer. Wordlessly the two companions walk along, or when you go owling you don't need words. You don't need anything but hope. Sometimes there isn't an owl, but sometimes there is.

Distinguished author Jane Yolen has created a gentle, poetic story that lovingly depicts the special companionship of a young child and her father as well as humankind's close relationship to the natural world. Wonderfully complemented by award-winning John Schoenherr's soft, exquisite watercolor illustrations, this is a verbal and visual treasure, perfect for reading aloud and sharing at bedtime.

Does your child know what it means to go owling? Do you? In Owl Moon, a little girl finally gets to accompany her father on an all day search in silence and cold for an owl sighting - a right of passage the little girl has clearly been looking forward to for years. The ink and watercolor pictures are simple, with plenty of open space, and the focus is on the words and their poetic structure and sound. The story reads like a poem, with carefully placed lines and descriptions like, Somewhere behind us a train whistle blew, long and low, like a sad, sad song. This is great exposure for your child to poetic and expressive writing.

This is a beautiful story of a father and daughter bonding in the outdoors. The story addresses some important lessons every child eventually has to learn. The child narrator explains that when one goes owling, you have to make your own heat, stay quiet, be patience, and be brave. Your child may have a specific experience in your family that they are looking forward to participating in when they are old enough, which you can compare to this book to help make a connection. Or perhaps your child will enjoy searching for the owl in each picture (there is not always one) and find the other winter wildlife hidden in the trees and brushes.