Young Tawny: The Owl in Borrowed Feathers

by Kevin McEvoy Herlihy, Catherine Redgate (Illustrator)

128 pages, Hardcover

Published August 13, 2025

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Young Tawney: The Owl in Borrowed Feathers is a cute middle grade story about a penguin family who find an unhatched egg named Young Tawney and bring it up with their infant penguin to be a penguin. But Young Tawney is unlike any penguin they've seen or heard. When she learns she can fly, they send her to find her own kind and make her way in the world. Young Tawney then finds owls but thinks she is a penguin and has much to learn.
I loved the contrast between the Arctic setting and the forest and how different the birds lived. Some of the names and words were quite advanced for the age of the reader throughout the book though and I can't see many children being able firstly pronounce them but secondly to say them as I struggled to get my own mouth around some of the quirky names.
The illustrations dotted through the book are simple but beautiful sketches and really suit the feel of the book.

[Emily Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading this book one or two chapters at a time to my son, age 9. He really loves owls but did not know what a penguin was. So, it was fun to go over that together. I liked the ideas and concept of the general plot. I do think that the vocabulary of the story doesn't match middle grade though. I think some high school students might struggle to read words like gambol, discombobulated, clandestine, monochromatic, etc. Then too, I was also torn between two directions when it comes to the names of the characters. If I met someone with those names in real life, I would struggle to learn how to pronounce them properly as part of the multicultural world we live in. However, when someone is just learning to read names like Anjouen Scops can be a lot. I found my own tongue tied in a knot while reading and I'm a middle-aged adult. However, the bottom line is that my son and I had fun together, which is what counts. I received this title as an ARC.

[FaithfulReviewer (Jacqueline) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | JFS Aloysius Lithography, the author and NetGalley for a DRC in return for an honest review

This is a wonderful childrens book - ideal for reading to small children but also suitable for older children to read on their own. Kevin McEvoy Herlihy has written a charming story about a little Owl who is separated from his parents and is instead brought up by a family of Penguins. It is a heartwarming story that young and old alike will love to read. The accompanying black and white ink drawings by Catherine Redgate are beautiful.

#YoungTawnyTheOwlinBorrowedFeathers #NetGalley

[Rosanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely story of found family, finding your voice, and perseverance. I loved all the adorable illustrations. I read along with my 7y/o who would like to add that they enjoyed it because it was "very nature-y". It was interesting to see all the different types of owls living in the Woody Forest, though it was difficult to pronounce some of them without looking the words up. Nevertheless we both enjoyed the story and look forward to any future Young Tawny adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley, publisher, author and illustrator for providing an eARC for me to review

[Theediscerning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm… Some penguins gain an egg from a cargo ship that passes their block of ice, which proves to hatch a Young Tawny Owl. Struggling to fit into penguin society, with all the icy swimming and fish and suchlike, she has a wonderful 'sister' and best friend, but has to leave, and finds a community of all the other owls. Will she fit in better here – or will there be something perhaps too fishy about her penguin-influenced ways?

This was a rum affair. The penguins communicate by 'krok', but when it comes to the verb for it you have no idea if it is supposed to be read as "croaking" or "crocking" – the spelling doesn't confirm the more logical latter is the right one. I read about new characters for several pages before being told they were female – far be it for me to get it right, but it could have been clearer right away. The society of the owls, with everyone named after their species, is really weird – and at one time, as there is a socialist kind of tinge to it and a central place called Nest Depot for all the owls to get their bedding and nesting material, the high drama revolves around shelf stacking. Luckily there is a Happy Feet-styled musical society for Young Tawny to join.

I certainly saw flashes of what I expected and wanted from this – a look at the 'found family', about how you can fit in anywhere and our differences are our merits, and suchlike. But this laboured to a full-length version of that when it could have been – and has been, elsewhere – condensed to much nearer picture book size. The fish-out-of-water nature of Young Tawny was done rather well, as was the behaviour of the baddy, even if nothing was done to resolve that with any actual justice (the necklace comes and goes and then just gets forgotten).

But no, I'd give this a pass. Like an owlet trying to swim underwater it's only going to be a clumsy affair, with too much that's implausible and at best a sprat of joy as a result. Two stars.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Young Tawny: The Owl in Borrowed Feathers" by Kevin McEvoy Herlithy tells the story of Young Tawny, an owlet, who as an egg fell off a ship and was brought up by penguins. The young Tawny grew up believing she was a penguin. Young Tawny discovers that she isn't quite like her penguin friends. A hoot is then discovered, which is what it is to be an owl. An ominous encounter leads Young Tawny to finally find its HOOT at the end of the story. Young Tawny was initially confused and overwhelmed by the revelation of her true identity. However, as she began to embrace her uniqueness, a sense of liberation and excitement filled her heart. Discovering her ability to hoot brought her a profound sense of belonging and purpose. Despite realizing she was different, Young Tawny held a deep affection and gratitude for her penguin family. They had cared for her and taught her valuable lessons about life, love, and community. She cherished the bond they shared, knowing that their love had shaped her into the owl she was meant to be. Young Tawny faced the challenge of reconciling her dual identity as both an owl and a member of the penguin family. She struggled with feelings of isolation, as her instinctual behaviors often set her apart from her penguin siblings. Additionally, learning to fly was a daunting task, especially when her beloved penguin family could not guide her in this endeavor. As Young Tawny soared into the sky for the first time, a rush of exhilaration and freedom enveloped her. The wind beneath her wings felt like a long-lost friend, guiding and lifting her with each flap. In that moment, she realized she was not alone; her owl spirit was finally free, and with it came a newfound confidence and joy.

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is a middle grade book of Young Tawny, an owlet, who as an egg fell off a ship and Young Tawny was brought up by penguins. Young Tawny grew up believing that she was a penguin.
The story can be divided into three parts and the first part is where Young Tawny discovers that she is not like the other penguins. And here it must be mentioned that her pengtwin Isabel's love for Young Tawny shines out.
Then comes the second part where Young Tawny discovers what it is to be an owl and here the book is cramped with different experiences of a young owl who has not yet discovered her hoot. These experiences include working at the Nest Store and joining HOOT and trying to learn to sing and dance and finally discovering different kinds of owls like Anajouen.
The last part of the book is a very sinister event that could finally lead Young Tawny to discover her hoot.
The story is unique in the sense, it brings in the idea of a different kind of an owl that does not have the experiences of a normal owl and then the story moves on as the young owl tries to find her place in her society and also discover her talents.
Unique world building from the point of view of Young Tawny as the Woody Forest and the icy place of the penguins are both brought out and explained and are in contrast to each other.
The illustrations are hand drawn pencil illustrations, just to give a hint to children about how Young Tawny’s world looks like.
Overall, an interesting middle grade, read explaining to children about the differences in oneself and accepting it for what it is.
Thank you for the ARC Netgalley.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming story about found family and finding yourself, told through the experiences of a young bird that does not belong biologically to the flock it lives with.

Nicely illustrated, this story will appeal to young readers and delivers some important messages. Worth checking out.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Daveann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars
This was a cute and humorous “tail” about a little lost owlet that is initially thought to be a penguin.
The names of the characters were quite difficult to read out loud. The illustrations throughout the book are so cute and well done. I’ve been allowed an advanced copy for my opinion.

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story about a tawny owlet that doesn't know she is an owl and is raised by penguins.

I love how all of the birds come together to avert disaster and that Tawny gets to finally feel at home by the end of the book.