Owls!: Strange and Wonderful

Strange and Wonderful

by Laurence Pringle, Meryl Learnihan Henderson (Illustrator)

This latest installment in the popular Strange and Wonderful series by Laurence Pringle is an easy-to-read and comprehensive introduction to owl species from all over the world. Stuffed with scintillating science facts and large, colored illustrations from Meryl Henderson, this great educational book is sure to resonate with young animal lovers seeking to learn more about these elusive ghost birds.

From the tiny elf owl that weighs less than two ounces to the Eurasian eagle owl that can have a wing span of over five feet, each individual species is described and masterfully pictured in vivid detail through clear, informative text with accompanying artwork. Various facets of the owls' lives are discussed, including their habitats, diet, mating habits, vision, physiology, digestion, and parenting. This miniature encyclopedia, complete with a glossary, index, and further resources, offers a wealth of knowledge to aspiring avian enthusiasts and contains enough factoids to allow even fledgling readers to soar to new heights.

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Nature, Animals, Birds

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 8, 2016

Reviews

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like other books in the series, good, accessible information appealingly presented.

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book does a really great job of being informational, but walking the reader through a story. Many of the pages have smaller text paragraphs for those on a higher reading level, but those who may just want to read the simpler text can continue without reading all the other informational paragraphs. The main text still provides an overall informative lesson on the topic and is easy to understand. This book was a great read and really taught me a lot about owls.
The illustrations and life-like, but beautiful representations of all the different types of owls. They even show how owls see differently then other animals and show what the skeletons of owls look like. The illustrator makes sure to include the type of habitats one may see an owl in.
Review written by Karlie Burnham

[Lindsey Greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very awesome book. I love how it was written & illustrated. It is informative & has a great flow. It explains so much for as short as it is. I really liked it.

[🌒JFosbookboss🌒 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owls are
Beautiful creatures. But they still freak me out! This is great book on the owl species, I think it’s important to add non fiction into story time!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

AR. 5.6; 1.0pts

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last week our school had the Birds of Prey Rescue come do a presentation. They brought in a red-tailed hawk, a kestrel, a screech owl, and a barn owl. It was an amazing learning experience for all of us. So imagine my surprise when I found a copy of this book and saw so many of the same facts in it that I had just learned! Things like - there are owls on every continent but Antarctica and there are around 240 species of owls. He also describes how they make good nocturnal hunters because of their silent flight and keen hearing. The various sizes of owls and the different colorings they have evolved to help them survive in habitats around the world are incredible.

There is plenty of detail in the main text, but the captions for the illustrations add even more. And let me just say, the illustrations are excellent. You can see the feather tufts on the great horned owl, the protective coloration that lets a screech owl blend into the branch it is sitting on, and even the scorpion hanging out of the elf owl's beak. Special physical features such as the talons on an owl's feet that help them grip their prey or the facial disks that direct sound to their ears to make their hearing more acute are all shown and explained.

I also like the way Pringle talks about how owls have been viewed throughout history. Some people, like the Athenians, revered the owl and linked it with their goddess Athena. Other groups like the Mayans considered owls an omen of death. The author even mentions Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig. And in the back matter there are lists of books and websites where you can learn more. There are also a glossary and an index - very helpful for doing research.

If you enjoy this title, you may want to check out the rest of his Strange and Wonderful series, which includes Octopuses, Sharks, and Bats (to name just a few).

[Rebecca]

This book is filled with an incredible amount of detailed information about owls, including the different species of owl, their impact on history and culture, their environment, diet, physiology, and more. It goes above and beyond, answering questions readers didn't know they had: How are owl feet different than chicken feet (p. 21)? What makes owls look "more human" than other birds (p.16)? How much do an owl's eyes weigh (p. 18)?

Two small issues I had with the book: While the illustrations are realistic and detailed drawings, I think the inclusion of photos would make this the definitive children's guide to owls. Also, the author wrote with an odd tone at times, almost like he felt he needed to defend owls to the reader. However, these are minor issues and really come down to personal taste.

Because of the sheer amount of information and the small text, this book would be overwhelming for younger readers. It's best for grades 3-6, but would still be educational for most adults.

[Boyds Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very happy to share a piece of good news with readers from goodreads, that is, the series Strange and wonderful enjoys a big sales volumn with over 56,000 copies on a paticular animal topic each month from the beginning of this year. We feel honored to introduce a new book Owls of this series to you.

I like the way Pringle talks about how owls have been viewed throughout history. Some people, like the Athenians, revered the owl and linked it with their goddess Athena. Other groups like the Mayans considered owls an omen of death. The author even mentions Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig. And in the back matter there are lists of books and websites where you can learn more. There are also a glossary and an index - very helpful for doing research.

If you enjoy this title, you may want to check out the rest of his Strange and Wonderful series, which includes Octopuses, Sharks, and Bats (to name just a few).

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laurence Pringle provides some basic information about owls in this introduction to this group of predatory birds. The narrative is easy to follow and engaging, but some of the pages are a little text-heavy. New vocabulary is highlighted within the text and while context generally gives enough clues for readers to figure it out on their own, a glossary is also provided. Although it's not organized in any particular way, it does get readers excited and interested in learning more about owls. Meryl Henderson's water color illustrations - especially the cover - are beautiful, but photographs might also have been useful in attracting new budding ornithologists to these mysterious birds.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laurence Pringle writes about owls in an engaging way---yes, facts abound, but his tone is warm, conversational, not at all dry. With over 100 books in the non-fiction genre, Pringle is a master of his craft--this series, his calling card. Meryl Henderson's illustrations are information-rich yet delicate, peppered with surprise details. I am a wild bird rescue volunteer, and I learned lots from this book. You will too.

[Pam Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very detailed book on owls that includes different types of owls, physical characteristics, predator ways, family life. A glossary, suggested books and websites, and an index all appear in the back of the book. Very text heavy so a good book for children to use for research.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compares owls to regular birds with visual diagrams - very helpful!

Includes a glossary and sources, websites and list to learn more.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting facts about owls..minus the full-color photographs that grab kids' attention. (Illustrations are beautiful)

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

NF with lots of information about owls. Includes index. Illustrations are drawings, not photos.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE the cover and liked learning about the various kinds of owls. Good illustrations.