To See an Owl

By Matthew Cordell

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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593649893
• ISBN13: 9780593649893
• Release Date: January 2025
• Publisher: Random House Studio
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 10.3" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Made me want to go searching for owls immediately

Sometimes I just hold this book and stare at it. I was woefully under prepared for the sudden desire to listen to owl calls, learn about owls native to my area, or the planning of a trip to go birding, and asking people about owls they have seen. This one lit a fire in me. The artwork is beautiful, I'm to the point that anything Mr Cordell does I will just automatically add to my collection. I love that Janie is working towards a goal, and it takes time, consistent effort, and a whole lot of nothing and disappointment. The struggle to achieve and the reality that things don't happen instantly, if at all, what wonderful fodder for discussing. For me this book was magic.