One Sleepy Night

By Sebastien Braun 

Year: 2013

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 2 – 4 years

No. of Pages: 20

Book Type: Bedtime, Board Book

ISBN:  978 1 84895 512 7

This charming bedtime board book is beautiful. And, of course, the central character is a baby bear on his way to bed. They stop by one sleepy owl, two badgers and three fireflies before finally calling it a night.

The rhyming text is memorable too!

Excerpt

Three sleepy fireflies litter and peep.

Softly, the wind whispers, “Hush! Time for sleep!”

One little bear has a wash before bed. 

The Little White Owl

Author:  Tracey Corderoy

Illustrator: Jane Chapman

Year: 2010

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978 1 84895 085 6

We’re all familiar with that one person in our circle who’s content with life and himself. And often, we find that even though we find this person a little out-of-place initially, eventually, we secretly aspire to be like him.

The Little White Owl is the story of a contented, happy bird who’s all alone in the world and his only possessions are a teddy bear and a clock. His favorite food is toast with strawberry jam. He has a favorite branch, too.

One day he decides to explore the world a bit and finds “owls – lovely owls!” Brilliantly colored but prim and proper birds who always sit still for they do not want their feathers ruffled.

They initially attempt to chase the little white owl away because he has no colors. But the owl wins the others over with his fantastical tales of ‘castles, and knights and dragons.’

Soon, the colorful owls can’t seem to get enough of the little white owl. They even follow him to his home and discover that life can be fun if they only allow themselves to have a good time.    

I love the transition in the expressions of the colorful owls. In the first few pages, they are shown morose and burdened. Gradually, the veneer cracks in one, then two and by the last page all the owls are laughing and frolicking in the snow.

This book is just perfect in every way - a charming story and paintings that make you go back to the book, over and over again. 

Excerpt

So the little white owl closed his eyes and magical stories came pouring from his heart!

Colourful tales of castles and knights and dragons with fiery breath and blasting through moonbeams and counting bright stars and tumbling down like a snowflake!

My Wild Life: I am an owl

Author: Camilla de la Bedoyere

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 25

Publisher: Miles Kelly Publishing, UK

Year: 2012

ISBN: 978-1-84810-621-5

Most children find owls fascinating. And this book will seal that love. :-)

This fun, nature-lover’s book from Animal Planet introduces children to the world of owls with fun facts, jokes, craft ideas, puzzles, poems, quizzes and more. It comes with a poster, an owl mask and stickers.

This book simply makes learning fun.

Excerpt

How fast do you fly?

I fly more slowly than other hunting birds.

I spread my wings wide, and lean forwards. The wind catches my wings, and I soar through the sky.

cock-a-doodle-hooooooo!

Author: Mick Manning

Illustrator: Brita Granstrom

For Ages: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Year: 2007

ISBN: 978-1-56148-568-0

Put an owl into a hen-house and what do you get? An unbelievably bold story and an unlikely hero.

So, one stormy night, an owl walks into a hen-house and thus starts a comedy of errors finally ending in the hens accepting him as their very own special cockerel.

This is a fun story for little ones. :-)

Excerpt

Owl got cross. He’d had enough.

He was hungry and he was fed up with the silly hens. So he said, “I’m an owl, not a fowl! Owls aren't hens. We hoot in the moonlight. We don’t peck corn, we catch … we catch …”

“Rats!” squawked a hen, peering into the hen house. 

I-Spy: Wide Eye Reading

Text: Karen Foster

Illustrations: Jan Smith

Publisher: Children First Ltd., UK

Age: 0 to 4 years

Book Type: Board book

No. of Pages: 12

Here’s another delightful bedtime book featuring Hoot, the sweet little owl. The book encourages your little ones to search for and 'spy' through peepholes on every other page. It’s a board book too so you can introduce it safely to your baby.

The book uses the much-loved I Spy theme to introduce the inhabitants of a great, big tree as ‘spied’ by a bat, Batwing.

The sleepy owls ought to bring plenty of bedtime calm to little ones.

Excerpt

Batwing says, ‘I spy two, big bright eyes.’

It’s Wide Eye keeping watch.

Goodnight Wide Eye!

Flea, where are you?

Author: Karen Foster

Illustrator: Jan Smith

For Ages: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 10

Publisher: Marshall Direct Learning, London

A lovely lift-a-flap book featuring Hoot the resolute little owl and his friend, Flea.

After we’d finished reading through the book, we realized that each page was devoted to a color! 

This story cleverly invokes a search which requires your little one to participate in. In effect, your child becomes a part of the story. Our baby helped Hoot look for his friend under a black hat, a purple lily pad, a red flower, a yellow rock, a green tree and a blue cave.

This is one of those books your toddler will love to read every night. All the best!   

Excerpt

Flea, Flea, is that you behind the yellow rock?

“No, it’s me”, ROARED Wily.

Flea, Flea, is that you in the green tree?

“No, it’s me,” chuckled Rangatang.

Flea, Flea, is that you inside the blue cave?

“No, it’s me,” whispered Batwing.