Owl Babies »

Martin Waddell wanted OWL BABIES to capture the "strong emotion of 'I want my mommy!' " that is so familiar to children. Martin Waddell is the author of more than one hundred books for young readers.

Patrick Benson enlarged his technique of cross-hatching for the illustrations of OWL BABIES so that it would have "a more graphic image—rather like a woodcut." Patrick Benson is also the illustrator of THE LITTLE BOAT by Kathy Henderson and LET THE LYNX COME IN by Jonathan London.

The bay owls came out of their house,
and they sat on the tree and waited.
A big branch for Sarah, a small branch for Percy,
and an old piece of ivy for Bill.

When three baby owls awake one night to find their mother gone, they can't help but wonder where she is. Stunning illustrations from unique and striking perspectives capture the owls as they worry about their mother: What is she doing? When will she be back? What scary things move all around them? Not surprisingly, a joyous flapping and dancing and bouncing greets her return, lending a celebratory tone to the ending of this comforting tale. Never has the plight of young ones who miss their mother been so simply told or so beautifully rendered.

Publishers Weekly

New to board book format is Martin Waddell's Owl Babies, in which three worried owlets wait for their mother to return from her night flight. Patrick Benson's disarming cross-hatched pictures of fluffy, wide-eyed owl babies, and the use of light colored text against a black background, turn this sweet story into a hauntingly lovely little book. (Candlewick, $6.99 22p ages 18 mos.-2 yrs. ISBN 1-56402-965-4, Oct.)