by Maria Gianferrari; illus. by Jonathan Voss
32 pages; ages 4 - 8
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2020
theme: owls, haiku, animal families
A great horned owl pair
Finds squirrel’s nest of oak leaves
Perched high in a pine.
Pairing haiku with stunning ink and watercolor illustrations, Whoo-ku shows the life of a great horned owl.
What I like about this book: Just as haiku is the postcard of poetry, every whoo-ku in this book is a snapshot of that particular bit of a great horned owl’s life. The hard part, which author Maria Gianferrari does well, is linking them together to create a larger picture of the owls.
And there is Back Matter! Want to know more about owl feathers? Eggs? Owl pellets? It’s in the back matter, along with recommended books and websites for curious naturalists.
Last week I caught up with Maria long enough to ask One Question ~
Sally: How did you come to write this book in haiku?
Maria: Unlike most of my other books, this book began with the title, Whoo-Ku, so it’s the only book where the title actually dictated the form. When my daughter was in elementary school, we used to “write”/recite haikus on long car rides. She cleverly came up with that title and gifted me with her own written and illustrated Whoo-Ku book as a birthday present, a story of owls written in haiku. It’s one of my most treasured gifts! We had been reading haiku books like Wonton, by Lee Wardlaw, and Dogku, by the late Andrew Clements. Many years later I decided to try my hand at my own version of a haiku story, starring a Great horned owl family. And that’s how it all started!
Beyond the Books:
Learn how to identify great horned owls with this Audubon field guide.
What do great horned owls sound like? You can listen to their hoots and calls here.
Write some haiku about one of your favorite animals - or plants. Here's how. Grab some pencils or markers or paints and create some pictures. Whooo knows - maybe you'll end up with your own book!
Maria Gianferrari is a member of #STEAMTeam2020. You can find out more about her at her website.
Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.
Despite the time a mother owl swooped down on me for rescuing her baby after it fell from the nest into the street, I've been interested in this amazing bird. I'm looking forward to reading each and every Whoo-ku.
ReplyDeleteWow!! How cool is that?!
DeleteThis one rates two mentions on #PPBF this week. It's on my TBR list. Yes!
ReplyDeleteI hope you will like it, Jilanne :)!
DeleteGreat minds think alike. I enjoyed your one question of Maria. Thanks.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteThanks for the shout out, Sue!!!
ReplyDeleteI have to make sure this book is on my Goodreads. Love Maria's work.
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to track down a copy of this. It looks wonderful. Thanks for the heads up.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're able to, Rosi. Perhaps your library has an e-book version.
DeleteThis is the third review I've seen of this book and I've enjoyed how each of you have presented your thoughts. I love owls, so I find this story very appealing. The artwork is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteSame here!
DeleteMe three :). I hope that the two of you will enjoy it!
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