Owen (Caldecott Honor Book) [Hardcover]

Kevin Henkes (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: September 15, 1993 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years | Series: Caldecott Honor Book | Lexile Measure: 370L (What's this?)

Owen had a fuzzy yellow blanket. "Fuzzy goes where I go," said Owen. But Mrs. Tweezers disagreed. She thought Owen was too old for a blanket. Owen disagreed. No matter what Mrs. Tweezers came up with, Blanket Fairies or vinegar, Owen had the answer. But when school started, Owen't mother knew just what to do, and everyone -- Owen, Fuzzy, and even Mrs. Tweezers -- was happy.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The clinical name is transitional object, but for young children, a beloved blanket is more like a lifeline. And that's exactly how Owen feels about his baby blanket, fondly named Fuzzy. The Owen-Fuzzy relationship is cruising along smoothly until a nosy neighbor, Mrs. Tweezers, leans over the fence and asks his parents, "Isn't he getting a little old to be carrying that thing around?" With kindergarten just around the corner, Owen's parents wonder if he should in fact relinquish his prized Fuzzy. Kevin Henkes uses his signature mouse characters and jewel-tone watercolors to explore the antics and foils of one mouse-boy, one rag-blanket, and two parents wondering how to help their son kick the habit. This is what Henkes does best--playfully bringing childhood fears and feelings to the surface while portraying real-life parent-child tensions. Mrs. Tweezers, a real sourpuss, is no help at all. She offers terrible over-the-fence advice, such as dipping Fuzzy in vinegar (as if to cure a nail-biting habit) or stealing the blanket in the night.

It is not until the eve of Owen's first day of kindergarten that his mother hatches the perfect solution. Ultimately, she finds a way that Owen can hang on to his first true love while also taking the next step into middle childhood--a solution that suits everyone, including Mrs. Tweezers. Caldecott Honor Book, Horn Book Fanfare Honor List, ALA Notable Book, Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, ALA Booklist Children's Editors' Choice. (Ages 3 and older) --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly

A worthy addition to Henkes's ( Chester's Way ; Julius, the Baby of the World ) impressive, engaging oeuvre, this animated tale takes up the case of a wee mouse's devotion to a no-longer-fuzzy blanket named Fuzzy. Imbued with Henkes's characteristically understated humor, spry text and brightly hued watercolor-and-ink pictures chronicle how Owen's next-door neighbor, Mrs. Tweezers, suggests to Owen's parents a series of ploys to separate their son--who is soon to start school--from Fuzzy. The ingenious mouse foils each attempt, until his resourceful mother stumbles upon "an absolutely wonderful, positively perfect, especially terrific idea." With some snipping and sewing, she transforms the beloved blanket into a batch of very portable handkerchiefs, a stratagem that not only keeps Owen happy but manages to silence the meddling Mrs. Tweezers. Even youngsters unattached to a Fuzzy-like object will feel a kinship with the winningly wily Owen--and parents of the attached may find a useful solution to an age-old dilemma. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books; 1st edition (September 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439686180
• ISBN-13: 978-0688114497
• ASIN: 0688114490
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kevin Henkes is the creator of many distinguished books for children, including Kitten's First Full Moon (winner of the Caldecott Medal), Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, and Chrysanthemum. His novels for young people include Olive's Ocean (a Newbery Honor Book) and Bird Lake Moon.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My Son's Favorite Preschool Book December 5, 1999

By Shannon Johnson

Format:Hardcover

This a very sweet book about growing up. In the book, the main character, Owen, is getting ready to go to school for the first time. He is crushed when he learns that he cannot take his beloved blanket to school with him. As the story unfolds, Owen and his parents work to find a solution to his dilema. This book has subtle humor and simple text that is perfect for emergent readers. The story is one that small children can easily relate to and parents will appreciate. The illustrations are consistent with Kevin Henkes' style. They are lovable and full of expression. I rate this book as one of Kevin Henkes' best!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Owen, My Hero February 15, 2002

By Ginkgo

Format:Hardcover

Owen is one of my favorite characters of all times...probably because like Owen, I was very attached to my blanket. How I wish this book had been published when I was a child! As usual, Kevin Henkes' story is charmingly written and illustrated. There is a lot of humor, plenty of which will make parents laugh as hard as(or harder than) their children.

When Owen's busybody neighbor, Mrs. Tweezers, convinces Owen's parents that he's too old to carry around his beloved, yet tattered, blanket, his parents begin a campaign to separate Owen and the blanket. Little do they know the lengths to which Owen will go to protect his blanket. Owen's Mom comes up with a solution that makes everybody happy, even that annoying busybody Mrs. Tweezers! Owen is a spunky, loveable little guy!

Enjoy!!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Sends the wrong message about security objects July 24, 2012

By J. Quist

Format:Hardcover

Despite being a fan of Kevin Henkes, I could not bring myself to like this book. The idea behind the story- trying to get a young child to part with his/her blanket- is certainly one that might appeal to parents. However, I dislike the fact that the parents start trying to force their son to give up his security object simply because the neighbor who can't mind her own business peer pressures them into thinking they are being bad parents by letting him keep his "baby" object. They also make a fuss over Owen not being able to go to school with a blanket (which strikes me as odd because the preschools where I live don't seem to mind if you child brings a special object as long as they tuck it away in their cubbie). So not only do the parents attempt to force the poor kid to suddenly be okay with getting rid of his blanket, but when they realize it won't work they attempt to compromise by cutting it up into little squares and sending him to school with handkerchief-sized pieces. Suddenly Owen doesn't care that his blanket isn't fuzzy anymore and is in small squares, which I have a hard time believing wouldn't be rather heartbreaking in real life. My own son has a blanket he loves dearly but he is naturally spending less and less time with it on his own as he gets older without me having to give him lectures on how the nosy neighbor thinks he's a baby and hacking it into small pieces. I'm sorry, Kevin Henkes, but this one did not work for me as a parent. I'm not saying there shouldn't be rules about where a security object is or isn't allowed, but I disagree with the message that it's wrong to have one the minute you hit school age.