Three baby owls, Sarah, Percy and Bill, wake up one night in their hole in a tree to find that their mother has gone. So they sit on a branch and wait. Darkness gathers and the owls grow anxious, wondering when their mother will return. But, at last, she does, and they bounce up and down with joy, welcoming her home. Martin Waddell has won The Smarties Book Prize for "Can't You Sleep Little Bear?" in 1988. "Farmer Duck" was shortlisted for the Emil/Kurt Maschler Award in 1991, as was "The Hidden House" in 1990, having won the award in 1989 for "A Park in the Dark". "Rosies Babies" won the Best Book for Babies Award in 1990, and was also shortlisted for the 1991 Kate Greenaway Medal. Other titles include "The Tough Princess", "Let's Go Home", "Little Bear", "Amy Said", "Once There Were Giants", "We Love Them", "The Happy Hedgehog Band", "Squeak-A-Lot", "The Toymaker", "The Pig in the Pond" and "Sailor Bear".
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-- This simple story pales in comparison to the exceptionally well-crafted illustrations. Rendered in black ink and watercolor with an abundance of crosshatching used to show background, shadow, texture, and depth, each stunning woodcutlike panorama fills a double-page spread. Benson has chosen shades of turquoise, pale yellow, and light green for the large-type text in order to avoid detracting from the blue-and-green dominated paintings. Realistic as they appear, the three, fluffy, white baby owls and their mother are infused with distinct personalities. The owlets awaken one night to find their mother gone. Sarah, the largest, reasons that she is out hunting for food. Mid-sized Percy tends to agree, while tiny Bill will only repeat, ``I want my mommy!'' Mom, just out for a night flight, does return, of course, and her fledglings are delighted to see her. The repetition just doesn't work. The plot is too meager, the text too unexciting. Hutchins's Good Night Owl (Macmillan, 1991), Thaler's Owly (HarperCollins, 1982), and Yolen's Owl Moon (Philomel, 1987) are all better stories for preschoolers. Simple, well-written books about mother love and reassurance for this age group are abundant. --Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
