Whoo-Ku Haiku: A Great Horned Owl Story

by Maria Gianferrari, Jonathan Voss (Illustrator)

Overview

Stunning illustrations and gorgeous haikus lead young readers through the dramatic life cycle of one of America's most beloved wild animals.

Pip. Pip. Pip. Poking
A hole. Cracking. Cracking. Out
Pecks the white owlet.

Watch as a pair of great horned owlets peep and squeak in their feathered nest. Mama and Papa hunt for food and fend off predators while the chicks grow strong enough to hop and flap between the branches of their tree, then leap and fly away, ready to explore the wild world around them.

In this thrilling nonfiction picture book, a combination of haiku and dazzling illustration shows readers the fierce majesty of one of North America's most ubiquitous wild animals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399548437
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

WHOOO's Maria Gianferrari? She's a self-proclaimed bird nerd with a special fondness for raptors. Her love affair with birds began in 7th grade science class when her teacher, Mr. Lefebvre, initiated a bird count. While walking her dog, Becca, Maria's always on the look-out for birds, and she loves searching winter tree tops for nests. Maria lives in northern Virginia with her German-scientist husband, German speaking daughter and rescue mutt, Becca. This is her first book with G.P. Putnam's Sons. She's also the author of another bird book, Hawk Rising. To learn more about Maria, please visit her website: mariagianferrari.com.

Jonathan D. Voss writes and illustrates stories for children. Growing up, he was never far from a pencil or paint brush, and began working as a portrait artist right out of high school. Jonathan is the author and illustrator of the Hoot & Olive stories Brave Enough For Two and Imagine That. He is also the illustrator of Sally Walker's Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. Jonathan lives in North Carolina with his wife and two kids. Visit his website at jonathandvoss.com.

Editorial Reviews

Gianferrari [introduces]…children to an easy-to-grasp poetic form, against the appropriately moody naturalistic wash of Voss's stunning pictures, in sepia ink and watercolor.

The New York Times Book Review - Gregory Cowles

"Vivid and accessible: an illuminating portrait of one of nature's most iconic birds." —Kirkus Reviews

"Gianferrari tells this avian story wholly in haiku, introducing children to an easy-to-grasp poetic form, against the appropriately moody naturalistic wash of Voss's stunning picture, in sepia ink and watercolor." —The New York Times Book Review

From the Publisher

2019-11-24
The great horned owl takes wing through illustrations and haiku.

With the assistance of illustrator Voss, here, self-confessed "bird nerd" Gianferrari indulges her "fondness for raptors" by describing the life cycle of North America's most common owl. Gianferrari spotlights a great horned owl family as a male and female make their home in an abandoned squirrel nest, lay three eggs, and then nurture the two owlets who hatch. Choosing the spare, declarative force of haiku to tell her tale, Gianferrari interestingly juxtaposes the raw, predatory nature of these birds, as the parents hunt prey and protect their young from numerous existential threats, with a verse form traditionally reserved for depicting nature's more pastoral scenes: "Papa delivers a snake" and "alights on the nest" with "a skunk for supper" while "crows dive-bomb and caw." Voss' intricate double-page spreads often utilize inset panels to capture the tension of nature in action; especially effective is a gorgeous close-up highlighting mama owl's razor-sharp talons and tawny-flecked eyes as "Red fox launches—pounce!" aiming for one of the newly flying owlets. As a bonus to this comprehensive window into nature, Gianferrari's notes include engaging resources to help children better understand the unique qualities of this dominant predator.

Vivid and accessible: an illuminating portrait of one of nature's most iconic birds. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews