Three months ago, my son was born. In order to help ease the transition from a three person family to a four person family, we prepared little gifts that we would give my 2 year old daughter for when he first arrived so that she did not feel left out. The gift that I got her was Owly Vol 1 by Andy Runton, it was going to be a book that we could share and read together whenever she felt like she was not getting enough attention. It turned out to be one of her favorite books and she reads it constantly. I thought it would be great to continue to share the experiences my daughter and I enjoy while she grows and develops her love of reading; from board books to comics.
Writer: Andy Runton
Artist: Andy Runton
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Age: All Ages
This book contains two stories: The Way Home and The Bittersweet Summer. The Way Home is the story about how Owly meets and becomes friends with Wormy, saving the little worm from certain death and reuniting him with his parents. The Bittersweet Summer is about when Owly and Wormy befriend two hummingbirds, have their hearts broken when they must fly south for the winter, and are overjoyed when the return the following spring. Both stories are a little bit sad and Owly has a tear in his eye more often than not. They contain many life lessons that are presented in a way that will gently introduce them to children while not shocking them. On more than one occasion, my daughter has referenced this book in everyday situations, “Like Owly Daddy?” This book has had a tremendous influence on her communication skills.
The great thing about this series is the fact that they contain no dialogue. The story is told completely with the art, which makes it fun to read with children as the story can change slightly with each reading, or with each reader. This is something that my daughter has taken to quite nicely and loves being able to "read" the book herself. It is amazing to hear her read it to her three month old brother, retelling the story almost word-for-word how I tell it. My daughter has picked up on my intentions when I read and it is incredibly fascinating to watch. This is one book that she will go to her room to read on her own, even when it is not bed time.
Our copy is well worn and is going to be staple of our bedtime routine for a long time to come. She loves it so much that I plan on getting her Volume 2 and 5 in October at Librairie Crossover Comics' one year anniversary spectacular. I chose Volume 2 because it is one long story instead of two shorter stories, like in Volume 1; this will be great when we want to read for a little longer. And Volume 5 because it contains multiple shorter stories for when its really time for bed and we need "one more story"; instead of arbitrarily choosing an ending to the story, usually when Owly goes to bed.
I would definitely recommend this book, and this series, to anyone with young children. As an adult, I much prefer reading this story with my daughter than a typical children’s book. Andy Runton’s story's very well thought out and his art is amazingly simple while at the same time being incredibly detailed.