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The Awkward Owl
When a little owl has difficulty flying, he needs an extra boost of confidence to try again. It takes the loving care of a little girl to help him overcome his awkwardness and take to the skies. A sweet and funny story for bedtime or anytime.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2012
293 people are currently reading
520 people want to read
About the author
Shawnda Blake
6 books11 followersI love books. I love to write books. I love to read books. I love to read books to my kids.
I do not, however, love reading boring books....the ones where you "accidently" turn 6 pages at a time in an attempt to shorten the torture. If I never have to read another book that lists the names of every type of Digger in the western hemisphere, I could be blissfully happy.
When I am working on a children's book, I hope to capture the adult's interest as well as the child's. That way you won't have to hide one of my books on the tippy-top of the bookshelf and pretend you can't find it. Or delete it from your kindle late at night and have to explain how a computer could "eat" something and why boring eBooks are the best tasting.
But ultimately my goal is to make a kid laugh with a story they might remember longer than it takes to walk out of a Barnes and Noble (I have 3 kids, so that is a generous amount of time, trust me).
(I know, I know...I was supposed to write my Author's Bio in third person, but it made me feel schizophrenic. I know I wrote it, YOU know I wrote it, I know YOU know I wrote it. However, if you prefer the traditional style bio, see below (pretend you don't know I wrote it).)
Shawnda Blake lives in Holts Summit, Missouri with her handsome husband and three terrific kids. She also has a dog, a cat, a goldfish, a turtle and two sea-monkeys. Shawnda has a BA degree in History, a BS degree in Computer Information Systems and an MA in Information Science, none of which prepared her in the least for the hardest job of all - Mom.
I do not, however, love reading boring books....the ones where you "accidently" turn 6 pages at a time in an attempt to shorten the torture. If I never have to read another book that lists the names of every type of Digger in the western hemisphere, I could be blissfully happy.
When I am working on a children's book, I hope to capture the adult's interest as well as the child's. That way you won't have to hide one of my books on the tippy-top of the bookshelf and pretend you can't find it. Or delete it from your kindle late at night and have to explain how a computer could "eat" something and why boring eBooks are the best tasting.
But ultimately my goal is to make a kid laugh with a story they might remember longer than it takes to walk out of a Barnes and Noble (I have 3 kids, so that is a generous amount of time, trust me).
(I know, I know...I was supposed to write my Author's Bio in third person, but it made me feel schizophrenic. I know I wrote it, YOU know I wrote it, I know YOU know I wrote it. However, if you prefer the traditional style bio, see below (pretend you don't know I wrote it).)
Shawnda Blake lives in Holts Summit, Missouri with her handsome husband and three terrific kids. She also has a dog, a cat, a goldfish, a turtle and two sea-monkeys. Shawnda has a BA degree in History, a BS degree in Computer Information Systems and an MA in Information Science, none of which prepared her in the least for the hardest job of all - Mom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
August 11, 2018
The Awkward Owl is about an owl who is, well, awkward. He doesn't fly as well as the other owls, so people point and stare. Luckily for him, he makes friends with a little girl who takes care of him like a pet. Her love for the owl eventually makes him want to fly properly, so he just does.
I didn't love the message here -- just wanting to do something doesn't mean you'll suddenly be great at it. I would have preferred to see that the girl's love encouraged the owl to practice to get good at flying. Nonetheless, there are some amusing parts that I know would bring giggles from little ones listening to this story, so this gets a middle of the road rating of 2.5 rounded up to 3.
I didn't love the message here -- just wanting to do something doesn't mean you'll suddenly be great at it. I would have preferred to see that the girl's love encouraged the owl to practice to get good at flying. Nonetheless, there are some amusing parts that I know would bring giggles from little ones listening to this story, so this gets a middle of the road rating of 2.5 rounded up to 3.
November 7, 2012
This is a short, delightful children’s book about an owl who hasn’t quite mastered the art of flying. It’s funny and accompanied by coloured illustrations which are most appealing—they are cute, comical, fun, and have a very engaging naturalness about them. They portray the accompanying text to a tee, and I adored the expressions on the very lovable owl’s face.
I’ve already read it three times, so for parents or grandparents who secretly think to themselves ‘oh no, not again’, every time their child or grandchild pulls out their favourite book for the umpteenth time, I think the charm of this little book will be quite longlasting!
Although I read this on my Kindle the first time round, I think this is definitely one for a colour ereader to appreciate it fully.
I’ve already read it three times, so for parents or grandparents who secretly think to themselves ‘oh no, not again’, every time their child or grandchild pulls out their favourite book for the umpteenth time, I think the charm of this little book will be quite longlasting!
Although I read this on my Kindle the first time round, I think this is definitely one for a colour ereader to appreciate it fully.
April 10, 2017
This is a sweet story with nice drawings. I'm interested in seeing and reading this author's other works.
June 9, 2018
Cute and sweet story! The illustrations were a bit childish, but that's not a bad thing. Good message about caring for and believing in others.
March 18, 2017
A poor little owl who couldn’t fly right. No matter how he tried, he flew upside down, backwards, and any way but the way he should. When he flew into a tree, a little girl rescued him, nurtured him, loved him, and encouraged him to try flying again.
It was adorable when the little girl took the owl home and, with a little TLC, gave him confidence to try again. The pictures are cute too. Looks like children drew and colored them. You might want to have drawing paper and crayons handy, as your youngsters might get a hankering to try to draw this cuddly little owl.
With simple illustrations and such a cute little owl, this is sure to delight the young ones. It has a message too. Don’t give up on yourself. If you fail, try and try again.
It was adorable when the little girl took the owl home and, with a little TLC, gave him confidence to try again. The pictures are cute too. Looks like children drew and colored them. You might want to have drawing paper and crayons handy, as your youngsters might get a hankering to try to draw this cuddly little owl.
With simple illustrations and such a cute little owl, this is sure to delight the young ones. It has a message too. Don’t give up on yourself. If you fail, try and try again.
April 9, 2018
Such a sweet little tale about an owl and a little girl. The perfect bedtime read to read with your young ones.
November 10, 2015
What a sweet sentimental book with such an adorable little owl as the main character.
'"Once there was an awkward owl." Thus begins the tale...
Other owls can swoop and soar and play loop-the-loop in the sky while the awkward little owl can only flop around, flail his wings and be made the butt of jokes by observers passing by. One day he flies smack-dab into a big old oak tree and a little girl who has observed the mishap tenderly scoops him up and takes him home.
Her mother does not want that "thing" inside the house so the young girl makes a home for him outside in a little shed. She takes very good care of him, feeding him nutritious food, bringing him clean water to drink every day and loving on him so... all the while worrying about why he can't fly like the other owls.
When love is dispensed abundantly that love is most often returned, and that's just what happens between these two. The sporatic owl loves her back so much that he decides to give flying another go one more time. Can he actually do it? Will he disappoint her if he is unable to take flight and soar? What do you think will happened?
This book is gentle and full of support and friendship. It encourages children to become involved with nature and our beloved animals and try to their best to care for them and take responsibility for their well-being. I loved the illustrations with all their expressions and action. The message of the book is positive and it will be a lovely life lesson to pass on to your children.
'"Once there was an awkward owl." Thus begins the tale...
Other owls can swoop and soar and play loop-the-loop in the sky while the awkward little owl can only flop around, flail his wings and be made the butt of jokes by observers passing by. One day he flies smack-dab into a big old oak tree and a little girl who has observed the mishap tenderly scoops him up and takes him home.
Her mother does not want that "thing" inside the house so the young girl makes a home for him outside in a little shed. She takes very good care of him, feeding him nutritious food, bringing him clean water to drink every day and loving on him so... all the while worrying about why he can't fly like the other owls.
When love is dispensed abundantly that love is most often returned, and that's just what happens between these two. The sporatic owl loves her back so much that he decides to give flying another go one more time. Can he actually do it? Will he disappoint her if he is unable to take flight and soar? What do you think will happened?
This book is gentle and full of support and friendship. It encourages children to become involved with nature and our beloved animals and try to their best to care for them and take responsibility for their well-being. I loved the illustrations with all their expressions and action. The message of the book is positive and it will be a lovely life lesson to pass on to your children.
April 10, 2013
This is a very sweet book about a clumsy little owl that couldn't fly. Hard as he tried, he always seemed to end the wrong way up and the wrong way round. One day he crashed into the trunk of tree and fell to the ground. A small girl picked him up, took him home and loved him. She gave him some much-needed encouragement to try again, by telling him he could do it. And do it he did.
The text is well-written and enjoyable, and I loved the book cover at the beginning of the story promoting ‘Flying Basics: For the Beginner Bird’ – both funny and clever. Regrettably, the illustrations, hand-drawn in crayon, didn't really grab me, though young children may well identify with the style and simplicity.
There is also a message here: If you try hard enough you can do anything – so always believe in yourself.
A great little book for the very young!
The text is well-written and enjoyable, and I loved the book cover at the beginning of the story promoting ‘Flying Basics: For the Beginner Bird’ – both funny and clever. Regrettably, the illustrations, hand-drawn in crayon, didn't really grab me, though young children may well identify with the style and simplicity.
There is also a message here: If you try hard enough you can do anything – so always believe in yourself.
A great little book for the very young!
June 17, 2016
Cute story, but the little girl picking up a wild animal is not a good thing to teach children. Definite teaching moment about how to safely deal with wild animals. Cute book and the artwork was gentle and soft. Not bad. I got it for free on the Kindle ages ago. Not sure what it is going for now. 3.5 stars.
December 10, 2016
I really enjoyed this picture book. The illustrations were simple and almost childlike, yet bright and attractive. And the story was sweet and amusing with an encouraging message. It sure brightened my day.
November 16, 2012
I read to my son that has been sick the last week. He loved it and enjoyed it!
November 17, 2012
Darling story and illustrations. Highlights issues of courage, friendship and self-improvement. Also, that things get better with patience and perseverence.
February 2, 2015
Read it to my 3 year old for a bedtime story. I like that there are lots of pictures in this book. It's short enough for kids this age.
December 29, 2015
I like this book
I think that's its a really good book but yeah so READ it
I think that's its a really good book but yeah so READ it
June 14, 2018
I really love children's books. Authors can express so much with the story, the rhythm of the words, the pictures... This book does nothing. It's not particularly insightful about feeling awkward or overcoming. There is nothing special or eye catching about the way it's written and nothing that would catch a kid's attention (okay, maybe a kid would laugh for a second when the owl bonks into the tree?). Also, the pictures are a mix of computer and scribble...but not even artistic scribble, just kind of ugly scribble. Now, if a child had written and illustrated this book, I would be proud and impressed. Because it was written by an adult, I'm underwhelmed. I grabbed this for free, and I got rid of it because it's not worth what I paid. =(
October 21, 2018
What’s with the owl character books, you say? I say, Whooo can resist a so called “smart” character with a flaw? No one’s perfect, you know. The Awkward Owl captures the self-doubt we all have when we learn a new skill and it seems everyone else learns it better and faster than we do. All in all, a good lesson in the power of another’s caring and believing in you to push you to go further than you thought possible.
Some of the illustrations and punctuation were a bit awkward for me. Outlining or not outlining should be consistent, like for the boy and girl illustrations. And do we really need to have a labeled Owl Towel? However, I LOVED the “Hoot Sweets” and the child-drawn copyright page illustrations!
Some of the illustrations and punctuation were a bit awkward for me. Outlining or not outlining should be consistent, like for the boy and girl illustrations. And do we really need to have a labeled Owl Towel? However, I LOVED the “Hoot Sweets” and the child-drawn copyright page illustrations!
November 11, 2016
I like the message of being nice and inspiring confidence in others, but I think taking the owl out of its natural habitat was an unnecessary action, especially in a book for impressionable children.
The illustrations were super simple and child-like, which wasn't very interesting to me. If the pictures actually had been made by a child, it would be one thing, but an adult creating such lack-luster illustrations was uninspiring.
Okay book with a good message at its core.
The illustrations were super simple and child-like, which wasn't very interesting to me. If the pictures actually had been made by a child, it would be one thing, but an adult creating such lack-luster illustrations was uninspiring.
Okay book with a good message at its core.
December 31, 2017
This book has the best dedication ever: "Especially for Lauren who inspired this book, even though what she really saw was a turkey vulture."
So, the book is about an owl who can't fly so well. A girl thinks it is sick and takes care of the owl...who starts doing really well because he is loved and wanted.
So, the book is about an owl who can't fly so well. A girl thinks it is sick and takes care of the owl...who starts doing really well because he is loved and wanted.
November 3, 2021
The illustrations are very very very simple, childish like and they don't have any design on the page. The text and the pictures are separated and the story is not very exciting to read.
A girl tries to find a place for her friend owl to live, teaches her to fly...
Wouldn't work in my classroom.
A girl tries to find a place for her friend owl to live, teaches her to fly...
Wouldn't work in my classroom.
June 24, 2018
Very cute story!
This story about a little owl basically growing up and being helped is adorable! My girls totally loved it! It has a good moral to it too about not making fun of others.
This story about a little owl basically growing up and being helped is adorable! My girls totally loved it! It has a good moral to it too about not making fun of others.
June 20, 2024
A lovely, short children's book about awkwardness, failure and the power of having someone in your corner to lift you up and give you courage. It is endearing and can be used to teach a powerful lesson.
May 26, 2017
Sweet
Sweet story but it isn't strong enough to be its own book. Illustrations needed work in my opinion. 3 stars.
Sweet story but it isn't strong enough to be its own book. Illustrations needed work in my opinion. 3 stars.
May 27, 2017
Charming story!
My son and I enjoyed this darling story. We recommend it highly! This story shows compassion and kindness and the illustrations are great!
My son and I enjoyed this darling story. We recommend it highly! This story shows compassion and kindness and the illustrations are great!
June 16, 2017
Awkward owl
Great little book! My 19m old actually sat still & enjoyed 'turning' the pages. Will definitely purchase more books from this author!
Great little book! My 19m old actually sat still & enjoyed 'turning' the pages. Will definitely purchase more books from this author!
June 21, 2017
Awkward Owl
The "Awkward Owl" was a very cute story. It teaches children that with a lot of love you can do anything.
The "Awkward Owl" was a very cute story. It teaches children that with a lot of love you can do anything.
August 19, 2017
The kids loved it.
Such a sweet story about encouragement. My kids loved this awkward little owl character. I'm sure we will read this again and again.
Such a sweet story about encouragement. My kids loved this awkward little owl character. I'm sure we will read this again and again.
September 17, 2017
I read this to my son. It was ok but not one of our favorites.
December 27, 2017
Cute book!!
January 19, 2018
My kids love this book!
My kids love this story, great cadence and a quick read. Super enjoyable! The message is a sweet one about the power of friendship. Definitely recommended!
My kids love this story, great cadence and a quick read. Super enjoyable! The message is a sweet one about the power of friendship. Definitely recommended!
June 18, 2018
I simply had to give this five stars as it is just absolutely adorable.....
Nothing more need be said.
Nothing more need be said.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews