The Barn Owls

By Tony Johnston

Book Overview

Tony Johnston's THE BARN OWLS recalls in quiet tones the memory of a barn that has stood alone in a wheat field for one hundred years at least. The owls have nested there and have hunted in the fields and circled in the night skies as time slowly slipped by. Every night, as the moon rises, a barn owl awakens and flies out to hunt. Feathered against the endless starry night, he swoops and sails to the darkened wheat field below and catches a mouse in his nimble talons. With outstretched wings, this barn owl returns to his barn nest and his hungry family, repeating the ageless ritual his ancestors have practiced here, in this barn, for at least one hundred years. Following the life cycle of the barn owl, this gentle poem evokes a sense of warm sunshine and envelopes readers with the memory of the scent of a wheat field.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0881069825
• ISBN13: 9780881069822
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.3" x 10.7"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Sweet, gentle bedtime story

My toddler son adores this book, and so do I. The text is melodic and engaging enough to be both captivating and interesting, but not dull in the way so many children's books can be. The illustrations are not as good as the text in my opinion, but still very good and intriguing for young children. This book quickly became a favorite bedtime story in our house, and is one I recommend highly to any parent whose child loves owls or animals in gerneral.

A quiet, gentle story with good info on barn owls

This is another great bedtime story. The rhythmic words and repeating phrases roll off the tongue naturally in slow, calm tones. The watercolor paintings echo the quietness of the owls' lives. The minimal text gives a general feel for barn owls' lives. Simple and lovely.