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In the book, "Owl Moon," John Schoenherr uses pen and ink with a watercolor wash. The use of watercolor creates a sense of mystery and depicts what it is like to walk in the woods on a winter night with no more light than what is given off by the moon and stars reflecting off of the snow. This vagueness is complimented by the use of pen and ink in order to create a sense of reality by showing what little detail the characters were able to see as they continued on their journey. The added detail in the foreground also helped to create a sense of depth. Schoenherr chose colors which added to the mystery of the darkness and created the sensation of a cold night. I especially enjoyed the way that the author added detail within the expressions of the father and daughter when they finally heard a response from an owl. The owl itself was shown in great detail which I feel was to convey a sense of realness to the mystery of great bird. Another technique that I enjoyed was the adding of other hidden woodland creatures throughout the book which added to the anticipation of finding the owl. By doing this the illustrator is able to capture the child's attention as he/she begins to search for the owl along with the characters of the story.

Each page painted a wonderful picture both visually and within the story line of a father and his daughter creating memories of time together that neither one would forget. Although they spent the evening together in silence I feel that the time together showed a special bond being created between the two. Not only does the idea of silence throughout the story create a sense of adventure, it also shows that words are not always needed in order to create wonderful memories and that love can be conveyed between people by just spending time together. Although this book is recommended for children ages 6-10, I believe that it readers of all ages would enjoy this story and that the message of quality time spent with the ones you love could be enjoyed by the whole family. This is a wonderful story which could be shared in both the classroom during read-alouds or at home as a bedtime story.


Silence is Golden   August 12, 2003
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is somewhat of an odd-ball Children's Book.
It doesn't have the rhyme of a Dr. Seuss book or
the rhythm of "Goodnight Moon". Amazingly and in
its own right, it captures the beauty of a wilderness
night and the powerful yet silent bond between a
parent and a child. The interplay beteen the text and
the illustrations makes this book so satisfying good.
Did I mention that my 4 yr old loves it too.


This is why we have books   January 15, 2003
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

The illustrations are real art, with real composition, line, light, and beauty.
The writing is real writing, with vivid word choice, evocative images, poignant observations.

Lesser books amuse or pass the time: this one opens the universe to your child.

And you.


a wonderful experience without leaving home   December 4, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

The way that the author describes all what is happening on that special night, for the little girl, really puts the picture in your head. It is almost like you are walking with them that very night hearing, seeing and doing everything they do right along with them.
The realistic pictures help bring the story to life, they make it seem as if you are there!


Charming Father Daughter Story   September 19, 2002
 1 out of 4 found this review helpful

Sometimes hard to find a nice story with father daughter characters (most so geared to mothers). But this is a charming one and my husband appreciates it.
Only drawback is that my daughter is particularly found of action stories with more scary characters so sometimes hard to keep her interested. But I know she listens because she often brings up lines from the book while walking in the woods...