Book Nook - Owl At Home

Last night, I actually fell asleep at the computer.  When I woke up, I dragged myself upstairs & into bed & as soon as I laid down, I thought....oh no!  Book Nook!  So, today, I bring you a special Tuesday edition of Book Nook!

When I wrote my posting last week about baking & thanking, I asked myself - are there any books that I'm thankful for?  A book (or books) that enhances and enriches the world.  A book that things just wouldn't be the same without.  That's a lot to ask out of a book, but I think there are many that fit that bill.  But for me, there is one book that really stands out, and mostly for the reason that it is from my childhood.

  I remember reading Owl At Home by Arnold Lobel as a child & loving it.  There are several stories in the book - the guest, strange bumps, tear-water tea, upstairs and downstairs and owl and the moon.  I think my favorite one has always been owl and the moon.  In this story, owl befriends the moon.  But when he says goodbye to the moon & leaves for home, the moon follows owl like a little lost puppy!  Reading the book to the Bachsters, they seem to request strange bumps the most.  In this story, owl is in bed & sees two strange bumps at the foot of his bed under the blankets.  Strangely, when he moves one foot, one of the bumps moves too.  This story cracks my kids up, and I remember reading it as a child & laughing about it too.

The illustrations are done in soft muted earth tones.  Owl's house is very adorable and cozy - you want to go inside and have a cup of tea with him.  Owl himself is very friendly and warm - I love that he is in his robe and slippers for most of the book.  The story and the illustrations pair up nicely - both are soft, sweet, warm and inviting.  No wonder I have always loved this book!

Interestingly, I asked my Mom about this book several months ago to see if she and my Dad still had it at their house.  If they did, I was going to "borrow" it.  But my Mom couldn't recall the book & I didn't see it on the bookshelves when I looked.  About a month later, the Bachsters and I were at a book sale at our local library, and there it was: Owl At Home.  The same hardback version I had as a child (a different book though, as it was inscribed with someone else's name).  It was fate - and only a buck!

Do yourself a favor: if you've never read Owl At Home, please do.  It is a wonderful book, one that I truly treasure.

Is there any special book that you treasure and are thankful for?

Cheryl