Customer Reviews

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark

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I was eight years old. I read the paperback edition of this book every night, cover to cover. The story of the effervescent Plop and the conquering of his fear of the dark is as enduring now as it was when it was first published over 30 years ago.

This version is abridged and illustrated from the one that saw me safely to dreamland as a child. No matter. The spirit is preserved and the illustrations are wonderful. Great for any kid with any phobia. A magical book.

I am now 13 years old, and I still listen to this classic tape when I have nightmares at night. When I was little I used to listen to it every single night. I listened to it so much that I almost broke it. If you are a parent looking for a good childhood book for your child I highly recommend it, from firsthand experience of being a child. Thanks

Originally published in 1968, "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark" is considered a classic in England. Now reissued with a whole new illustrator, we members of the United States finally get a chance to read this rather adorable tale. Though not a cutesy story in and of itself, illustrator Paul Howard has drawn a book that has perhaps set the standard for adorable barn owl tales everywhere.

Plop (an unfortuanate name, but whatcha gonna do?) is a small barn owl. Plop is also afraid of the dark. Though his parents attempt to inform him that there is nothing to be afraid of, he remains unconvinced. Finally, they tell him to ask various people and animals for information about the dark. From a boy the owl learns that the dark is exciting, with fireworks and such. From an astrologer he learns that the dark is wondrous, allowing us to see the many constellations in the sky. And so forth. In the end, Plop is convinced and is able to safely fly in the sky with his mother and father without fear.

If you'd like to read something to your little one that doesn't contain much in the way of tension or drama, this book's your ticket. Though Plop does partake in various escapades, none of these ever become dangerous. I was particularly interested in a section where he asks a black cat about the night. Considering that a cat would undoubtedly view a baby barn owl as a yummy snack, I was a bit amazed that nothing bad happened between the two. Nothing so much as the cat licking his chops or thinking to himself, "Boy could I go for a little fowl right now". Nuthin'. Which is fine. Illustrator Paul Howard has added pictures drawn with pastel pencils. The result is that Plop is the fuzziest, cutest, cuddliest little fluffball of an owl to ever flutter across the pages of a picture book. In addition to being a useful book for children that are afraid of the dark, it is also a good story for convincing children that owls are nothing, in and of themselves, to be afraid of. Just don't pair this story with Avi's "Poppy". All in all, this is a sweet little story with fuzzy-wuzzy pictures. Cuddly and adorable all at once, it is certain to be a child's favorite as the years go by.

I totally loved this book when i was little and still do now (I'm nearly 21!). I've lost the tape so I'm looking to get another one so I can show my boyfriend how good it is too. i would highly recommend that every child should have a copy of this book.

I was amazed by how perfect this book was. It still had the paper cover over the hardcover as if it were brand new directly off the shelf of any book shop in town. All three books I bought from this company were in perfect condition. I would definitely buy from them again.

The CD in English IS abridged. We first discovered Plop on cassette, and it ran 1 hour. This CD runs 20 minutes. It remains a delightful, short bedtime story for my 6 year old who has it memorized, but it IS abridged. I still would love to locate a truly unabridged CD that has the detail of the cassette.

I purchased this cd for my 5 year old Grandson, who is afraid of the dark. My daughter has to listen to the beginning first before giving him the headphones because it starts out with a scary loud chime and animal sounds that frightened my Grandson. He does enjoy the story. For a cd that is supposed to assist with children's bedtime fears I'm surprised that it starts out with eerie sounds. BUT, I gave it a rating of I LIKE IT because, once the story starts he enjoys listening to it.

I bought this for my toddler who is afraid of the dark. I hadn't realized it was a chapter book and had considered returning it. However, my daughter saw it and wanted me to read it. I read a chapter to her each night--and she was riveted. It's a story she could relate to and had an adorable protagonist--that fluffy baby owl named Plop. She loved it. Though she's still afraid of the dark, it allowed her an opportunity to explore her feelings and talk about them. Be aware that it has a few words and phrases used throughout that are uniquely British and may require additional explanation for young people who speak American English or other English dialects.

I know this story from my childhood. It is a gentle story about a barn owl, Plop, who is afraid of the dark. Each chapter deals with a different element of dark. Modern children may find it quite slow, especially if read aloud. My seven year old enjoyed it, when she read it for herself. In fact finding short chapter books with interesting vocabulary is quite challenging, and this book fills the niche perfectly.

More suitable for girls than boys, buy it and put it on your child's bookshelf for them to read aloud. Suitable for a good reader age 6-9. There is less to interest boys.

I purchased this story to read to my students. It is fabulous and funny. It is now one of my favorite books!The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark