I Know How to Draw an Owl

I Know How to Draw an Owl begins in an elementary school classroom as the teacher is showing the children how to draw an owl using simple shapes: “A round head and oval body; talon feet and a small, hooked beak; folded wings and two big eyes.” When the children finish their drawings, Belle’s artwork is praised for being so detailed and lifelike: “How did Belle make his eyes so wise? Belle’s owl almost looked alive!” Belle just shrugs and shakes her head, not wanting to explain how she is able to draw such a realistic bird.

However, the reasons quickly become clear as we follow Belle home from school. While her classmates ride the school bus to houses and apartment buildings, Belle and her mother are unhoused, living in a car in a shady and forested park. Once they lived in a cozy house, “But now we live in our old blue car. One day we packed it high with clothes, Grandma’s cups and pots and soap, and drove and drove…”. Belle remembers how she and her mother found shelter in this woodsy setting: “‘The perfect place,’ Mom said, ‘when it gets dark.’” The first night, Belle finds it hard to sleep, but suddenly she and her mother hear the sound of a hoot owl from a nearby tree. Every night he serenades Belle with his hooty lullaby and watches over her. One night he is so nearby that Belle can see him clearly; he is so near that Belle feels that she can almost touch his wings, and they stare into each other’s eyes.

A few days later, Belle watches a new boy arrive at school, dropped off by his mother who drives an old blue car that looks like the one Belle and her mother live in. Belle knows the new boy is lost and afraid in this strange new place, and she has learned an important lesson from the owl in the woods. She introduces herself, takes the new boy’s hand, and shows him where to hang his coat. Like the owl, she is saying “I’m here. I understand. I’ll keep an eye on you.”

I Know How to Draw an Owl addresses important themes of empathy and understanding and tackles a social issue seldom featured in picture books, that of housing insecurity. The reasons why Belle and her mother are unhoused are not explained, leaving children free to come up with their own ideas about how this situation could arise. The lyrical free verse text makes it an excellent choice for reading aloud, and the large illustrations, many depicting the forest at night, vividly capture Belle’s feelings and experiences. Several wordless, double-page spreads advance the narrative while inviting children to interpret the action and identify key details.

This thoughtful picture book might not be an ideal choice for an energetic large group storytime but could be an excellent selection for individual sharing and discussion with a child or small group of children. I Know How to Draw an Owl would be particularly reassuring for children whose families are undergoing any major change in circumstances (not just housing insecurity, but also moving, separation, or divorce) as it reinforces the stability of the bonds between children and the community, regardless of the family structure or living arrangements. While Belle initially feels fearful and uneasy, she soon feels safe and protected and able to extend a caring hand to another child.