Billywise

by Judith Nicholls

This gorgeous, lavishly illustrated picture book tells the tale of Billywise, the newborn owl, as he wonders, "Do I dare?" After first creeping out of his shell, Billywise meets Moth, who is amused by the flightless ball of fluff, and says to him, "It doesn't look as if you'll ever fly!" But all the while Billywise listens to his mother's encouraging

You will grow, you will prowl,
You will slide through the air;
You will swoop, loop-the-loop,
You will stare, you will glare...
As silently as moonlight,
You'll glide through the midnight air.

And finally, one moonlit night, he spreads his wings... With beautiful illustrations and a sophisticated, poetic text, this book captures perfectly a child's hesitation to leave the nest and the glorious moment of a first step.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billywise, Judith Nicholls, Jason Cockcroft.
Young owl overcomes doubt to fulfil its calling. ***

[Zenzile Nyathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

We learn so much from the wildlife around us…and I find this to be true as I read Billy Wise.

This story contains poetic refrains, which are insightful and inspire courage. Billy wise is a beautiful story of an owl who learns to fly.

I do recommend!

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Growing; waiting to be older.