Book Descriptions
for To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
“To see an owl is magic.” A girl fascinated by owls draws them, dreams about them, and goes in search of them with her mom, to no avail. She watches programs about owls. She reads about owls. She keeps an owl journal with pictures and facts. She’s also drawn a map of the nearby woods. When her teacher, also a birder, looks at her map, he shows her a spot where he’s seen great horned owls nesting. After school that day, she and her mom head out. “When will I find you? … Hoo-hoo-hoo Hooooo-hooo.” A child’s passion is supported by her mom (who is clearly not as enamored with owls) and a teacher with a shared interest in this picture book that builds to a moment of wonder for the child and a jolt of happiness for readers and listeners. “Magic.” The story unfolds patiently and includes a judiciously repeated refrain: “Perfectly stout. Large, round eyes. Silent, knowing faces. Birds of the night.” The girl and her mother both have long black hair and light brown skin in the detailed pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations that include pages from the girl’s owl journal. (Ages 4-8)
CCBC Book of the Week. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2025. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
An endearing story about a girl’s efforts to spot an owl from the Caldecott Medal winning creator of Wolf in the Snow. This gorgeous picture book that encourages patience and perseverance will resonate with readers of all ages who have longed to see one of these elusive creatures in the natural world.
When will I find you?
Where could you be?
What will it take?
To see an owl.
Silent and wide-eyed, owls are hidden creatures of the night. Janie has always dreamed of finding one. She searches everywhere for signs of an owl – on the open prairie for short-eared owls, on the beach for snowy owls, and for great horned owls in the woods near her home. But months go by, and she sees no owls. She wonders, what will it take to see an owl?
Her teacher, Mr. Koji, a fellow bird-lover, shares that he, too, waited a long time to see an owl. He assures her, “If you are very quiet and very patient, and if you look very close, you might just find them.”
When the snow begins to fall, Janie and her mother head into the woods again, and as she looks carefully, hidden high up in the trees, what she sees is pure magic.
From Matthew Cordell, the creator of Wolf in the Snow that was awarded the Caldecott Medal, comes this beautiful story about quiet perseverance that will resonate with anyone who has experienced the anticipation of discovering a rare treasure in the wild.
When will I find you?
Where could you be?
What will it take?
To see an owl.
Silent and wide-eyed, owls are hidden creatures of the night. Janie has always dreamed of finding one. She searches everywhere for signs of an owl – on the open prairie for short-eared owls, on the beach for snowy owls, and for great horned owls in the woods near her home. But months go by, and she sees no owls. She wonders, what will it take to see an owl?
Her teacher, Mr. Koji, a fellow bird-lover, shares that he, too, waited a long time to see an owl. He assures her, “If you are very quiet and very patient, and if you look very close, you might just find them.”
When the snow begins to fall, Janie and her mother head into the woods again, and as she looks carefully, hidden high up in the trees, what she sees is pure magic.
From Matthew Cordell, the creator of Wolf in the Snow that was awarded the Caldecott Medal, comes this beautiful story about quiet perseverance that will resonate with anyone who has experienced the anticipation of discovering a rare treasure in the wild.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.
