An owl with an unusual passion learns to shine in this fresh, funny debut picture book introducing a poetry-loving owl whom kids will cheer for.
Otto loves poetry—Keats, Rossetti, Dickinson, even T. S. Eliot. He prefers reading to roosting and reciting to hunting. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be a problem. But, you see, Otto is an owl. When the other owls begin to make fun of Otto, he embarks on a difficult journey, finding along the way both his inner poet and a community that accepts him for who he is. Celebrating courage and the importance of sticking with your passion, and incorporating an engaging mix of original and famous poems, Vern Kousky has created an enchanting and inviting world—a forest filled with the sounds of poetry.
On sale: February 24, 2015
Age: 5-8 years
Grade: Grades K-3
Page count: 32 Pages
ISBN: 9780698172166
Reading level: Lexile: AD630L
Vern Kousky (www.vernkousky.com) was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in Pennsylvania. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he works as a private tutor and as an adjunct professor of English for Touro College.
Otto the Owl Who Loved Poetry is his first picture book.
“The mixed-media illustrations, conveying the forest’s dark tones contrasted with the cartoonlike, golden Otto, are lovely, and there is a nice message of self-acceptance.”
—Booklist “A quiet, charming story. . . . Kousky’s mixed media illustrations are comical yet endearing, and add zip to the story. This tale would be good to use when discussing individuality, courage, or perseverance; as well as making a pleasant tie-in to a poetry unit. It would make a good read-aloud or sharing one-on-one.”
—School Library Connection
