abigailbat's review against another edition
When Tanna's father brings home an abandoned owl chick, Tanna is not super excited to be in charge of it. She has to wake up every morning at 4am to feed it and clean up after it. If she doesn't feed it quickly enough, it stomps its feet and chomps its beak. But sometimes the chores we don't want to do result in something of great beauty, something like a beautiful snowy owl. This is a story that celebrates perseverance and the interconnectedness of human and animal life, written by an author of Inuit and Cree descent and based on experiences from her childhood.
sunflowerjess's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A cute story about a young Inuit girl and an orphaned baby owl.
elizabethlk's review against another edition
4.0
Tanna's Owl is a sweet story based on Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley's experiences of caring for an owl as a child. The story follows Tanna as she helps a motherless baby owl grow into adulthood. The story is sweet, features some Inuktitut words, has adorable illustrations, and teaches children to love and care for nature without a sense of ownership of it.
Recommended!
Recommended!
ce_read's review against another edition
4.0
Very cute and accessible story written with a few Inuktituk words sprinkled in. This is a really special realistic book about animal companions and living in harmony with the natural world.
erine's review against another edition
4.0
A story about caring. Tanna's father brings home an owl, and Tanna takes on the responsibility of caring for and feeding the creature before it can fly. Tanna is reliable and dedicated, respectful of her owl but not necessarily fond of it, and eventually the owl is released into the wild. There is no magical relationship between Tanna and the owl, although for just a brief moment, Tanna imagines that her owl has come back to visit. The illustrations are warm and welcoming.
A book that does not sound earthshattering or exciting, but one that reveals the beauty in duty and care. I really enjoyed this.
A book that does not sound earthshattering or exciting, but one that reveals the beauty in duty and care. I really enjoyed this.
elizabethlk's review
4.0
Tanna's Owl is a sweet story based on Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley's experiences of caring for an owl as a child. The story follows Tanna as she helps a motherless baby owl grow into adulthood. The story is sweet, features some Inuktitut words, has adorable illustrations, and teaches children to love and care for nature without a sense of ownership of it.
Recommended!
Recommended!
tashrow's review
4.0
Based on the story of the owl one of the author’s cared for as a child, this picture book offers a glimpse of life in the Arctic as an Inuit family. Tanna’s father came back from hunting with a baby owl. It was so ugly, it was somehow also cute. The owl had to be fed two or three times a day, so Tanna and her siblings caught lemmings to feed it. The owl, named Ukpik (or owl in Inuktut), lived in her father’s workshop. When the owl was hungry she would stomp her feet, sway back and forth, and chomp her beak. Soon Ukpik wanted even more to eat and everyone was tired of catching lemmings, so they started to feed her other types of meat, including caribou and fish. Her beak was very sharp, so now she had to be fed with gloves on. When summer ended, Tanna had to return to school in another community. She didn’t return home until the next summer. That’s when she found out that Ukpik had been set free. But maybe the large white owl that she saw around their home was Ukpik coming back to visit.
The authors clearly share both sides of caring for a wild animal. There is the initial joy of learning about the animal and starting to be able to understand their needs and ways of communication. Then there is the drudgery of the ongoing care. At the same time, there is a delight in being that close to a wild creature, of knowing it needs to learn to fly away someday, and knowing you are helping in some way. The book also shows modern Inuit life complete with an unusual way of attending school.
The art is large and bold with the images fully filling both of the pages. Readers will get to see the transformation of the owl from small and gray to a graceful white bird. They will also get glimpses of the Inuit home and the wide-open setting of the Arctic.
An inspiring picture book for kids who dream of caring for wild animals themselves. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
The authors clearly share both sides of caring for a wild animal. There is the initial joy of learning about the animal and starting to be able to understand their needs and ways of communication. Then there is the drudgery of the ongoing care. At the same time, there is a delight in being that close to a wild creature, of knowing it needs to learn to fly away someday, and knowing you are helping in some way. The book also shows modern Inuit life complete with an unusual way of attending school.
The art is large and bold with the images fully filling both of the pages. Readers will get to see the transformation of the owl from small and gray to a graceful white bird. They will also get glimpses of the Inuit home and the wide-open setting of the Arctic.
An inspiring picture book for kids who dream of caring for wild animals themselves. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
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