Review by Booklist Review
Everyone knows owls say "who" and wolves say "how," but when an owlet asks "why?" and a wolf pup asks "when?" they're both teased for going against the status quo. Determined to find a place where they can freely ask whatever they want, they travel through the night to an unfamiliar region. When they start missing their families and want to return home, it's their wide variety of questions--"Why don't we retrace our steps?" "What now?"--that helps them find their way. And, once their families recognize the value of the pair's broad-reaching inquisitiveness, the forest soon resounds with new questions. Rubio's inviting illustrations make great use of nighttime colors and bring the forest and its creatures dynamically to life in page spreads ideal for group storytimes. The ultimate message--that there's value in both the familiarity of home and the adventure of being true to your heart--will reassure and empower little ones, and the animal facts threaded through the story are an appealing bonus.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ridiculed by their peers, a young owl and a young wolf run away. When Little Owl asks her mother, "WHY don't all animals stay awake at night," Mama Owl tells her, "Owls don't ask WHY….Owls ask WHO." Little Owl persistently asks, "WHY" until the other owls laugh at her. Meanwhile, Little Wolf asks his father, "WHEN will I be able to explore on my own," and Papa Wolf cautions him, "Wolves don't ask WHEN….Wolves ask HOW." Undeterred, Little Wolf keeps asking, "WHEN" until he's mocked by the other wolves. Convinced no one understands them, Little Owl and Little Wolf flee together, seeking freedom to ask whatever they want. All night long, Little Owl leads the way with Little Wolf following until they realize they're lost and ready to go home. If only they had "asked the same questions as everyone else," Little Wolf says ruefully. Now the only way they will get home is by asking more questions. Repetitive use of who, what, why, when, where, and how, printed in bold capital letters, reinforces the interrogatory theme. With their simple shapes and expressive faces, Little Owl and Little Wolf stand out against the moonlit woodland backgrounds on their dramatic home-away-home adventure. It unfolds in small cameos as well as single- and double-page spreads, with close-up, aerial, and wide-angle views adding varied perspectives. An amusing lesson in the importance of asking the right questions. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
