Little Owl Lost [Hardcover]

Chris Haughton (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: August 10, 2010 | Age Range: 2 - 5 years

From a debut author-illustrator! What if a little owl fell from his nest? A reassuring story for the very young told with whimsy and simple, vibrant artwork.

Uh-oh! Little Owl has fallen from his nest and landed with a whump on the ground. Now he is lost, and his mommy is nowhere to be seen! With the earnest help of his new friend Squirrel, Little Owl goes in search of animals that fit his description of Mommy Owl. But while some are big (like a bear) or have pointy ears (like a bunny) or prominent eyes (like a frog), none of them have all the features that make up his mommy. Where could she be? A cast of adorable forest critters in neon-bright hues will engage little readers right up to the story’s comforting, gently wry conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS–Haughton's simple story line, retro colors, and folksy artwork bring a fresh view to an often-used plot. Little Owl falls from the nest while sleeping. He meets a squirrel who promises to help him find his mother, but Squirrel uses each descriptor (“Big Eyes,” “Pointy Ears”) to find the wrong animal. Finally, they meet Frog, who says: “I know your mommy....Your mommy's looking everywhere for you.” Owl and owlet are reunited, and the new friends are invited up for cookies. The spare, repetitive text is just right for a preschool audience, and will quickly have young listeners chiming in with “That's not my mommy.” Haughton's pitch-perfect use of language flows smoothly to the satisfying end. The pencil and digitally rendered illustrations, which have the feel of a mix of woodblock and cut-paper collage, are done in intense, saturated colors of olive, red, orange, fuchsia, blue, and yellow. Little Owl is black with blue and purple accents and bright eyes, and stands out boldly on both the color-saturated pages and the stark white ones. The art does a wonderful job of conveying movement and encouraging page turns. This little gem will work equally well in storytimes or one-on-one.–Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CTα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

Chris Haughton is an Irish illustrator and designer who now lives in London. In 2007, he was named one of Time Magazine’s DESIGN 100 for his work for Fair Trade and People Tree. LITTLE OWL LOST is his first picture book.

Product Details

• Age Range: 2 - 5 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (August 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763650226
• ISBN-13: 978-0763650223
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 0.4 x 10.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,982 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Birds

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A simple story beautifully told September 23, 2010

By J. Prather TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This is a story that's been told before, but perhaps never so beautifully and simply than in Little Owl Lost. The illustrations are basic and done in a color palette that is certainly unusual in kid's books. The colors are muted and earthy and only add to the charm of this little owl's search for his mother after he falls out of his nest. The picture of Little Owl tumbling out, accompanied by a simple UH OH is just priceless.

Kids will enjoy following along with Owl as he keeps trying to describe his mother, only to keep getting pointed in the wrong direction. The story ends perfectly with a cookie party back at the nest, but wait a minute... That little owl is looking unsteady again! UH OH. The text is spare; just enough to keep things moving along and the attention of even the youngest squiggly kid in the audience. This is a solid recommend for both group and one on one sharing for any preschooler or kindergartner. It is a great choice for any permanent story time collection.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars laugh out loud funny August 23, 2010

By Amanda J. Horrigan

Format:Hardcover

My son will be three this week. We go through LOTS of library books. Most are okay, and few are read for naptime AND bedtime in the same day. This is one of the special ones. I like it for its simple story and great pictures. He likes it for its hilarity. Little Owl falls out of his nest and is lost. Little Owl describes his mama as being "this big" to which squirrel helpfully replies, "yes, yes. I know" and takes him to a bear. Then Owl says his mama has "pointy ears". Again squirrel says, "yes, yes. I know, I know" and takes him to...a rabbit. Lastly they go to frog for the "big eyes". They eventually find mama and all go to the nest for cookies. Love it!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Will Little Owl find his mommy? October 23, 2010

By Library Lady

Format:Hardcover

Irish illustrator Chris Haughton's debut picture book has reached the states with the title Little Owl Lost. Haughton uses a rich yet subtle color palette which is perfect for the tone of the story. The artwork will draw you in, but the simple story of a baby owl that fell out of his nest and lost his mommy will keep you turning the pages.

When baby owl falls asleep and tumbles out of his nest, squirrel finds him and helps him look for his mother. Little do they know that his mother is looking for him too!

It is a story that has been told before (Is Your Mama a Llama?, Are You My Mother?) yet the simple text and repeated lines make the story feel fresh, comforting, and just as touching. Little Owl Lost is an excellent addition to your collection, especially for toddler or preschool age children.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars sweet little book August 17, 2010

By SNQ

Format:Hardcover

i was drawn to this book for the artwork and beautiful colors--it considers a more sophisticated palate than usual kid-art fare. the story is simple and very sweet. currently reading it to my 6-month-old nightly.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST GIFT for little kids! December 2, 2011

By carrinlena

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

My niece is 3 years old and she had me read it 7 times in a row, She even started to memorize the words herself. SHe loved it!! SHe loves owls and it was an easy quick read. Especially when you are dealing with small children who do not have a long attention span and who love to hear it over and over again! Very happy she loved it so much! beyond what I expected..... It is also a very sturdy hard cover book. Beautifully illustrated.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Our all time favorite February 14, 2012

By sunshinemom

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been reading this to my son since he was just a few months old. He's now 14 months and still loves it. And I never tire of looking at the gorgeous illustrations. We have gone through hundreds of books this past year, and this is one we have read over and over. It's amazing and I can't wait until he comes out with another one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful colors, cute story January 7, 2012

By May1

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

While the story is a bit simple, the illustrations are great and captivate baby, and the story is humorous for adults.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Kids and parents will enjoy the lovable Little Owl November 8, 2011

By Jennifer

Format:Hardcover

Poor Little Owl fell out of his nest while sleeping. A squirrel sees him bounce along the forest floor and stops to check on him. Little Owl says that he's lost and asks where his mommy is. Filled with the best intentions the squirrel confidently states that he can find Little Owl's mommy, he simply needs to know what she looks like.

The super adorable owl holds his wings as far apart as possible and declares his mother "VERY BIG. Like THIS!" Clever squirrel knows just who his mother is and takes him directly to... a giant blue bear.

Little Owl says that not his mommy, his mommy has pointy ears on top of her head. The squirrel quickly takes him to... a very surprised rabbit. Little Owl keeps adding more descriptions but the squirrel never manages to find the right animal.

Oh my gosh! This book is so stinkin' cute! Kids will enjoy Squirrel's attempts to find the right mommy and will appreciate Little Owl's fear and relief. I've read this to several classes but it wasn't until the upteenth reading that I noticed a silhouette of Mommy owl hidden in the backgrounds. Once squirrel starts running around looking for the right mommy, have the kids start looking for mommy.

Kids and parents will enjoy the lovable Little Owl and Squirrel, the unflattering descriptions of his mother, and the funny little ending. Little Owl Lost would also make a great gift for younger children or mothers-to-be.

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