Hoot & Olive: Brave Enough For Two

Hoot & Olive

by Jonathan D. Voss

In the spirit of Goodnight Moon and The Night Gardener comes a heartwarming picture book about friendship that is sure to become a classic from debut author-illustrator Jonathan Voss.

Olive is a little girl who likes the types of adventures that exist in books. Her best friend Hoot, a stuffed-animal owl, prefers the ones that take place in the real world. Today, Hoot gets to pick the adventures. On a day that includes flying a makeshift hot-air balloon and navigating raging rivers, theses friends will stick together no matter what and keep each other safe.

Told with whimsical text and filled with bold, captivating illustrations, Hoot and Olive is the story of a little girl, her stuffed-animal owl, and their caring, loving friendship.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens, Adventure, Fiction, Animals, Fantasy

40 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 2018

About the author

I love art, music, and beautiful things. I’ve always been hugely inspired by others who bring this beauty to the world around us. Whether it’s well crafted words in a book or a painting in a gallery, there is something stirring about it all.
I love the work of early illustrators like Arther Rackham, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Frank Schoonover. When I tell a story with pictures I want something to be felt. If an image falls flat, I haven’t done my job well. When I illustrate a book, I approach it as though I’m moving a camera around the action. I get to decide where to freeze the frame. It’s a big responsibility to tell a story well. I haven’t figured it all out yet, but I’m loving the journey. Maybe one day, when I grow up, I’ll be good at it. But, no matter where I end up, as I go, I hope that joy and pleasure are found in the words I write and the pictures I make.
If you'd like to know more about me and the work I do, visit me at www.jonathandvoss.com.

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know that I'd compare this one to Goodnight Moon. It actually reminds me more of Winnie-the-Pooh.

Olive (a human girl) and Hoot (a stuffed toy owl) are best friends. While Olive prefers her adventures to be those she reads in books, Hoot's preferences are a little more... real. One day, he takes her out on a great adventure. They get into a balloon-lifted basket that flies them high over the countryside. After they land, Hoot pushes the basket into a river and they ride the rapids. These dangerous activities are faced with some trepidation on Olive's part, but when Hoot gets scared after a mishap, it's up to Olive to reassure her friend that she's there for him.

The story is simple, but the illustrations are really lovely. There's a combination of full-colour pictures (like what you see on the cover), along with more simple sepia-toned drawings. Together, along with the poetic writing, they create a gentle story that has the feeling of some of the old classic children's books.

This is a sweet book about friendship and kindness that shows the reader that, even though we might have our differences, there are some feelings that we all share.

Quotable moment:

[Jessica Furtado · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorably illustrated book about courage and friendship. The strong influence from Winnie-the-Pooh is quite obvious. The pencil illustrations of Hoot & Olive walking hand-in-hand could almost be mistaken for Pooh and Christopher Robin. The writing even has an A. A. Milne vibe. This is not a bad thing, but I would say that the writer certainly borrowed a bit from Pooh.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love.
Love.
Love.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Help, friends! Our book today is Brave Enough For Two by Jonathan D. Voss, a tale of friendship between a girl and her stuffed owl.

Olive and Hoot have been best of friends forever, even if their interests occasionally differ. For instance, Olive prefers the adventures found in books, while Hoot yearns for something more. One day, Hoot encourages her to join him on an adventure and, while she has some safety concerns, Olive agrees. First they fly high in the air in a balloon-powered basket, then a boat trip down a fast-moving current, both making Olive nervous. Each time, Hoot guarantees their safety and promises that, as long as they are together, they will be okay. But as the day winds to an end, the pair realize they are lost and far from home, and Hoot has torn a hole and lost some stuffing. Suddenly, Hoot doesn’t feel so brave. Seeing her friend’s fear, Olive realizes that courage isn’t just being fearless…

This is a soft and gentle friendship story with a nice lesson in courage. While I feel like Hoot could have been more considerate of Olive’s fears and concerns, I did like the lesson that bravery and recklessness are not the same thing – Hoot is quite bold, and good to encourage his friend to be brave as well, but he is also quite foolhardy. Olive, however, finds her bravery when others need her, showing a level head and a comforting presence when crisis strikes. It’s a subtle way of showing little ones the different types of bravery, and I liked it. The art is simply gorgeous, weaving charming windswept characters into open-skied rural landscapes that evoke a nostalgic sense of childhood wanderings. The length is fine, and JJ enjoyed Olive and her little owl friend. A quiet tale of courage and friendship, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautifully and uniquely illustrated books I’ve read, each colorful page pulls you into the world of these two inseparable friends. When the last page turned, I felt the warmth of being surrounded by loved ones as if wrapped in a gentle hug. Hoot and Olive have the kind of friendship we’re all looking for: one filled with patience, challenge, and grace. Go on an adventure with these two lovable characters and immerse yourself in their beautiful world!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness is this ever delightful! Literary fiction has a storied tradition of children and their beloved stuffed animals. Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh and Calvin and Hobbes are two such examples. Welcome yet another dynamic duo into your heart - Hoot and Olive! Olive is the type of girl who prefers the kind of adventure found in books. Hoot, her aptly named stuffed owl, is the intrepid sort, ready to venture out into the wide world. With his patient reassurance the pair set out to explore. Through the praise-worthy illustrations of Jonathan D. Voss, we, the privileged readers, are able to join them on their escapades. Hoot is indeed brave enough for the both of them and endearing enough to win over the hearts of readers young and old alike.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in a thrift store in the middle of a town in Florida. I was not very successful with clothes, so i went to the childrens books instead. I know this is helping me reach my goal of 15/15 books, but im gonna finish Portnoys Complaint so it can come out on top

This book is brilliant. Made me cry. Couldnt believe the little owl’s name was Hoot. The theme of this story is to surround yourself with people who keep you safe

Safety is important and on their crazy adventure, they ended up having to be brave enough for each other :)

Also the last picture of the book is of Olive and Hoot sleeping together in bed, all tucked in and snug. It reminded me of how i sleep with Kitkit. Kitkit has to live forever

Cutie pie story. I love cutie pie stories

[Brenynn J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. The characters and EVERYTHING!!! I felt like I could relate to this book with some of my friends and family. The book made me feel all kind of emotions. (Happy, Sad,) I enjoyed this book and would fully recommend.

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story of friendship between a girl and her stuffed animal/owl named Hoot. So sweet and reminiscent of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh. And such sweet and touching illustrations.

[Melanie Debord · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my 3rd Grade class the week before they took the STAAR test because testing can cause some children to have nervous feelings. All the children loved the story and they ask for me to read it often! We had the sweetest talk as a class about the story and about the importance of friendship and bravery. The children take turns borrowing it from me to read during our quiet reading time. I’m going to need to purchase a few more copies for my classroom! It is a great story about friendship and being able to lean on a friend when you need to “borrow” some bravery and I loved the beautiful illustrations!

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful watercolor illustrations, especially the panel with the bluebird in flight, are unevenly matched with a predictable, hackneyed adventure story.

[Craig Leinoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had this for about 3-4 weeks from the library, and I'll start by saying my child referred to it as the "Winnie the Pooh" book from the first time we read it, and then never stopped. It actually never went requested again, although I forced it upon the kid a few more times.

The artwork is really beautiful, I'll say that. Maybe one of the most beautiful children's books we've read. But I don't think my 3 year old notices it that much, and it's certainly less important than the other stuff. Hoot looks just like an off-brand Pooh with an eerily vacant face. No one can escape this fact. I guess that doesn't inherently bother me, but it's kind of a weird decision to have made.

This book falls victim to a problem many children's books have: it's written like a book for dumb adults. It's relies heavily on narrative, and the narrative is utterly devoid of soul. As a fallback, it has to explicitly state its saccharine, overwrought emotional point.

As well, for a book that is so clearly trying to charm us with its lovingly-rendered imagery and hamfisted sentimentality, the characters just seem to barely exist. That is, they talk directly to each other more than other picture book characters, but they just SAY how much they love each other. It's never really SHOWN.

I actually think Hoot is kind of unpleasant throughout. The story begins (after the author simply tells (but does not show) us they're best friends, although they don't like the same things), with Hoot apparently having constructed a hot-air balloon of sorts in ... his spare time, I guess?

Contrast this with Winnie the Pooh, who actually doesn't do much of anything except live life quietly when Christopher Robin's not around. Hoot goes out and builds giant contraptions that he knows his best friend will not like. Then, when she politely expresses reservations, he basically handwaves away her fears and literally climbs on her back to get into the basket.

Then they suddenly get caught in a storm, which seems like it might be bad for them, but they obtusely share some cloying words with each other, and then the storm goes away after 1 page of threat.

They decide to land, and the basket basically crashes. Olive seems vaguely upset, but Hoot's basically like, "Good stuff, good stuff, hey let's throw the basket into the river and get in, now," to which Olive is sort of like, "OK, well I'm a little scared," and he's all, "It's fine. Get in the boat."

So they go down some rapids, and then sort of crash on the shore, and Hoot finds that he's injured and his stuffing has fallen out, at which point he gets sullen and stops talking; probably because he realized he's been acting a bit like a boorish jerk the whole story.

Olive's like, all right, don't worry, we're friends so let me lead the way and we'll walk home like normal people. They have a role reversal, I guess, because Hoot finally experienced some repercussions for his actions, and they recommit to their friendship. The end.

There's so much nonsense packed into this one book, and it just keeps pausing so the characters can verbally reaffirm their dedication to each other.

The best children's books are remarkably simple affairs, where, if there is a "threat" of some sort, it's the defining element of the story, and implies growth. "Brave Enough for Two's" is a picaresque of minor issues, none of which seem necessary or meaningful, but which are all tied together by loud, unbelievable, verbal protestations of love and friendship.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do your kids have a special stuffed animal or blanket? Both of our girls do (while they loved the stuffed animals pictured above, their very special “loveys” are napping blankets from @angeldearinc— the giraffe and hippo!). So, when our youngest received the book Brave Enough for Two for her 3rd birthday, it touched a special place in my heart.
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Brave Enough for Two, by Jonathan D. Voss (@jonathandvoss) is the first book in the Hoot and Olive series (looks like the 2nd book is set to publish next summer!). A sweet story of friendship, Brave Enough for Two tells the story of how a little girl and her special stuffed animal keep each other safe when they feel scared. But it goes so much farther beyond that, beyond how we typically view the relationship between child and stuffed animal or blanket… Because Olive and Hoot also push each other. They challenge each other. They support each other to try new things. They give each other the courage they need to explore outside of their comfort zones and continue when they’re uncomfortable.
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You may know some of Voss’s work as an illustrator, but this is his first work as an author as well. The story reads naturally, as if we are privy to a conversation between these two sweet friends. Through his sentence structures and word choices, Voss’s language takes us through the ups and downs that Hoot and Olive experience together. The watercolor and pen illustrations are soft and sweet, and give us interesting perspective on Hoot’s and Olive’s world.
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Most touching are the repeated refrains, “We can never be lost, so long as I’m here and you’re there, and here and there aren’t very far apart,” and “Don’t worry, I will be brave enough for both of us.”
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Publishers recommend Brave Enough for Two for ages 3-6.
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If you liked this, you might also like:
Strictly No Elephants
A Sick Day for Amos McGee
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 for this one. As most of us come to realize, even though we may be drawn to our friends by the things we have in common, often even the very best of friends are different. And yes, some of us are braver than others and seek out adventures while some folks are a bit anxious about anything new. Olive and Hoot are best friends, and although Olive isn't one for trying new things or having adventures, she trusts her friend enough to follow his lead. He, in turn, takes her on a ride through the sky, and then, using the same basket that helped them fly, along a river. Olive is understandably nervous, but at each step of the way, Hoot provides gentle reassurance that he is by her side and will make sure she's safe. (I'm not sure how it's possible to make such a claim since things that are beyond our control often happen, but nevertheless, she is calmed by the comments.) After a rocky ride through the water, the basket is damaged, and Hoot has lost a bit of stuffing. Suddenly, the roles are reversed, and Olive must be the brave one of the two friends as they make their way home. As others have pointed out, it's hard to miss the Winnie the Pooh influences in this sweet story. Surely, it will remind young readers that it's okay to admit one's fears since everyone has them but try not to let them paralyze you and keep you from savoring life. Created with watercolor and pen and ink , the illustrations are lovely and bear a second and third look for their detail and how well they depict the adventure of these two brave friends.

[Lea Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader's Edition of this beautiful book today, but I was not paid or incentivized in any way to leave a review. I have no affiliation or relationship with the author. The illustrations are detailed and breathtaking--Olive's hair, in particular, is amazing. I love the combination of sketched and watercolored elements throughout, and there is enough color to be visually interesting without the use of overbearing primary colors that scream "this is an illustrated children's book." The story is lovely, conveying across several scenarios the power of a trustworthy friendship, an inarguably important value to impart to children these days, where bullies lurk in school and online and friendships can be fickle and shallow. Voss does an excellent job using language children can relate to. Example: "...it could be a small bit scary and a slightly bigger bit adventurous." Love when authors write in real human language, and the wonderfully imperfect language of children is the best of all. I believe children will respond to both the illustrations and the story, and I would definitely recommend and/or buy the book for the "littles" in my world.

[Rachel Funez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan D. Voss's debut picture book is a treasure. I am in love with the story and the writing style. It has a sweet style reminiscent of the original Winnie-the-Pooh books, which left me with a feeling of happy nastalgia. The characters – cautious Olive and her brave stuffy Hoot – are lovable, and the magical friendship between them is both touching and believable. The illustrations are rich and beautiful, and it has side bar illustrations that are also reminiscent of the original Winnie-the-Pooh.

It is also child-approved. My six-year-old enjoyed it, and it has quickly become one of my three-year-old’s favorite books. She is sometimes difficult to keep captivated for an entire story but she wants to read this one over and over, stays engaged the whole time, and comments and asks questions about the story and the illustrations.

This one’s truly a gem. I can’t wait to read the next Hoot & Olive Story.

[Smoot M.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hoot loves adventures. Olive does not. But together one encourages the other. I was concerned with the type of adventures Hoot was leading her too. First they traveled far from their home. They they boarded a hot air balloon which they flew high in the sky where a thunder storm caught them by surprise. Yes, there were words of encouragement by a stuffed owl animal. Later they tumbled down and again the owl decides on another dangerous adventure in water. They finally hit the shore and the only reason they went home was because the owl was loosing its stuffing. The story does try to fashion it self after the story of Winnie the Pooh but I feel the story falls short. To me it promotes that it is ok to try dangerous adventures that with only saying I will keep you safe is enough to excuse the need to try something that can cause harm. I believe that the author could have sent Hoot and Olive on better and safer adventures.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an adorable story of a little girl and her best friend, who happens to be a stuffed owl. In this heartwarming tale we follow the adventures of these precious friends and learn the true meaning of friendship as they take care of each other along the way. The illustrations are breathtaking and timeless, reminding me of the adventures of Christopher Robin and Pooh. This story is certainly one to cuddle up with at bedtime and sure to become a new family favorite. As a teacher I couldn't help but share this book with my kindergartners as we talked about what it means to be a friend. The students loved it as each of them connected with the characters, the adventures, and the emotions of the story. After reading the book we had a great discussion on what it is like to be afraid and how we can help our friends when they are feeling scared.

[Molly Lund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for a new adventure to read? This is the story of Olive and her best friend Hoot, who just happens to be a stuffed owl. The first image of the story serves two purposes: to illustrate the strong connection between Olive and Hoot, shown as Olive leans on Hoot while reading a book and to foreshadow the coming adventure through a hot air balloon mobile and painting of a ship sailing through a storm at sea. When you explore the rest of the story, remember that first glimpse into the journey ahead. Hoot takes the lead. While Olive is timid and unsure and Hoot promises to keep Olive safe, because he can be “brave enough for two”. The story unfolds into an imaginative adventure as the trip becomes more dangerous and Olive has to be brave in her own way. The return home closes the circle of the story with Olive and Hoot finding bravery that even surprises themselves.

[Maria Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tender friendship story of a fearful, hesitant young girl who discovers how brave she actually is when her very best friend is injured. Jonathan Voss has created an endearing and enduring tale. Ingeniously written, and illustrated, this book reminded me of A. A. Milne's "Winnie the Pooh" stories. The friendship between Olive and Hoot felt a lot like what existed between Christopher Robin and Pooh orperhaps Pooh and Piglet.
In addition to the gorgeous watercolor illustrations, Jonathan used an occasional half-page sepia-toned pencil drawing to accompany the narrative, often as a pause between the action. With touching, echoing refrains, this is a delightful story of the give and take in a friendship between Olive and her very best friend, Hoot.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the spirit of Goodnight Moon and The Night Gardener comes a heartwarming picture book about friendship that is sure to become a classic from debut author-illustrator Jonathan Voss.

Olive is a little girl who likes the types of adventures that exist in books. Her best friend Hoot, a stuffed-animal owl, prefers the ones that take place in the real world. Today, Hoot gets to pick the adventures. On a day that includes flying a makeshift hot-air balloon and navigating raging rivers, theses friends will stick together no matter what and keep each other safe.

Told with whimsical text and filled with bold, captivating illustrations, Hoot and Olive is the story of a little girl, her stuffed-animal owl, and their caring, loving friendship.

[StoryTimeReadAloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet story of a girl and her stuffed owl. One likes adventures in books and one likes to go on them. They set off together and take turns being brave--along the way saying that "so long as I'm here and you're there, and here and there aren't very far apart, we can never be lost."
I love the stories it tells of friendship, of being strong when others need us to, in asking for help, in owning our feelings and how things can go differently than we expected.

The illustrations are soft and welcoming and beautiful. Their experience and the story is reflected in the stories so well (my favorite? the patch Hoot gets in fixing his stuffing but it is a badge). Delightful.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

With beautifully drawn and colored illustrations and heartwarming, whimsical text, this story takes readers on a journey of discovery, faith, and hope. Olive is reluctant to try new adventures, but her good friend, Hoot, reassures her that he will never let harm come to her. They fly above the clouds and sail down a rapidly flowing river together. But when Hoot needs her help, Olive steps up and lets Hoot know that she won't ever let harm come to him either. This would be a good book to share at bedtime or as a way to talk about friendship and overcoming fears.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a story of a good adventure. Olive lets her stuffed friend, Hoot, lead the way on several adventures that don't go quite as planned, then she finds her courage and leads them home. I loved the traditional illustration style of this (the plushie owl looked soft enough to hug!) and the idea of being brave for one another. The only thing I didn't warm up to was the "don't feel fear" message, since I'm of the opinion that fear has an important function to keep us safe and there are times it needs to be acknowledged and along for the ride.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

How sweet and lovely is this precious picture book! A story of friendship told through a darling little adventure with warming, beautiful illustrations, this is a perfect one-on-one, cuddled-up story time. The love just radiates from every page. I do hope to see more of Olive and Hoot. Too cute! I adore this one <3

I think this would work well for a stuffed animal program at the library, or maybe for a not-so-scary young Halloween-ish one (discussing fears, adventures, etc.)....

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet, lovely book about two best friends, Olive the girl and Hoot, her stuffed owl best friend. Hoot says he has planned a grand adventure for the two of them, but Olive is anxious about it. Hoot declares he will be brave enough for the two of them. What follows is a sweet story of friendship and bravery. I loved the rich illustrations. Best shared one on one because the pictures are begging to be poured over.

[Mary Uhles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations go along with a heartfelt story about friendship. Hoot watches out for Olive even after he talks her into a little more adventure than she cares for. But Olive is ready to be just as brave after Hoot loses some stuffing when one of their adventures ends in a bumpy landing. A sweet story about getting out of your comfort zone, especially when you have a best friend to be there with you.

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love the art!
I really like the colors, the perspectives, the detail, the warmth, and the simple essence.
I especially loved the little sketches.

The story is sweet too.... friendship, trust, togetherness, honesty and gentle care.
I loved the shared bravery and the title choice. I also enjoyed the little saying that ‘here and there aren’t very far apart’!

[Ashley Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching and emotional story between a young girl and her owl friend. Repetitive text allows young readers to really connect the dots regarding the purpose of the story. The illustrations are clean and clear and help to assist the text with the emotion that the characters are feeling. My boys and I really enjoyed this one!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was at the bookstore looking for a birthday present for my four year old niece and I almost ended up buying this for myself. A beautiful story about an adventurous stuffed owl and a timid little girl is combined with equally beautiful illustrations. By the end Hoot has learned not to be foolhardy and Olive is a little bit braver. It reminded me of my favorite picture books from my childhood.