White Owl, Barn Owl: Read and Wonder

She helped Grandpa build a large wooden box, but when she asked him what it was for she had to wait. He got a ladder and put the box way up high in an old oak tree then he showed her some special things and talked to her about barn owls. He had seen one and this was hoping the barn owl would make it into a home. Perhaps there would even be babies! He began to tell her all sorts of interesting facts about them and showed her a barn owl pellet. Inside there were some very odd things like fur and bones, but it was very interesting to learn new things. They kept a watch to see if the owl would climb into the box. They were going to have to be very patient because even though Grandpa knew there were owls nearby you could never tell what a wild animal will do. Along with this lovely narrative, there is factual information about the barn owl on the opposite page such as "Under their feathers, owls are slim. Their bones are hollow, which keeps their bodies light and makes flying easy." There is even a "real size" drawing of a barn owl pellet. The art work is enchanting and is no surprise this is a nominee for a Vermont Red Clover Award for children in Kindergarten through the fourth grade.