Owl Moon

In honour of the light dusting of snow on my front lawn, I’m inviting you to read the classic Owl Moon. Winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal, John Schoenherr painted the beauty of moonlight on snow in the woods. Jane Yolen’s narrative poem tells the wonder, secrecy and hope of owling late at night.

We went into the woods.
The shadows
were the blackest things
I had ever seen.
They stained the white snow.
My mouth felt furry,
for the scarf over it
was wet and warm.
I didn’t ask
what kinds of things
hide behind black trees
in the middle of the night.
When you go owling
you have to be brave.

The illustration on this page shows the snowy forest, much larger than the father holding his child’s hand. The quiet beauty of this book remains glorious today.