FICTION

Owl Howl and the BLU-BLU

by Paul FRIESTER
tr. from Swiss by Erica Stenfalt. illus. by Philippe Goossens. 32p. NorthSouth. May 2016. Tr $8.95. ISBN 9780735842465.
COPY ISBN
PreS—Preschoolers just learning to use their words are sometimes upset by something, and no one can understand what is causing the distress. This is the case with a baby owl who sees an object (in actuality a red balloon) that he calls a "BLU-BLU," and all of the forest animals are left guessing what it is and where it's gone. The conjectures range from savory to smelly, until finally the crow guesses correctly. This baby owl, who looks like a "BLU-BLU," is reunited with the balloon, at least momentarily, until something explosive happens. Sometimes the fun of decoding a preschooler's message is what she does with that information. The lush, soft-focus artwork captures the action and the endearing cartoon characters' expressions.
VERDICT A lovable and engaging selection for sharing with a group or one-on-one.
Reviewed by Gwen Collier, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY
Little Owl hoots loudly for the "BLU-BLU" (a red balloon), garnering attention from concerned and baffled forest animals: "HOO-HOO-HOOO!!!" But when Little Owl eventually finds the missing balloon, she proceeds to pop it into tiny pieces. First published in Switzerland, this third Owl Howl story is rather tame; soft, earthy forest colors convey a common woodland scene.
, May 01, 2016

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