Review by Booklist Review
Belle's teacher shows her students how to draw an owl and gives them time to make their own owl portraits. Afterwards, a classmate asks why Belle's drawing is so lifelike. Belle knows but doesn't want to talk about it. She remembers when she and her mother packed a few belongings, left their home, and drove away. Now they live in their car, driving each night to a forested park. During their first overnight in the car, a hooting owl kept Belle awake until her mother said that the owl was looking out for them. Belle has since been looking for the owl. One quiet night, she finally sees it nearby, makes eye contact, and feels a strong connection with the bird. When a new boy joins her class at school, she welcomes him, offering him a similar sense of safety and belonging in an unfamiliar place. James contributes a series of acrylic paintings illustrating Belle's experiences. Sometimes subtle but often striking, the scenes convey emotional undertones. Belle's first-person narrative tells her story in a straightforward way, without bemoaning her losses or explaining what she has gained, though clearly the experience of living in a car has made her more sensitive to others' troubles. A beautiful, moving picture book.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
One day, Ms. Rio offers a method for drawing an owl, and one student's rendering looks real. "How did Belle make his eyes so wise?" Ms. Rio asks. "Belle's owl looks almost alive!" Protagonist Belle says nothing, while first-person narration indicates, "I know,/ but I don't want to tell." Slowly, Horder Hippely (A Stormy Night on Tangleweed Island) offers context behind the drawing's creation. Though Belle and their mother once lived in a house like Leo's ("tall and white") and Annika's ("green"), they now inhabit their car. Belle's mother says the cry the two hear at night is a hoot owl, "keeping an eye/ on you and me." One night, at long last, the owl lets itself be seen, and lingers. "I like sharing my home with you," Belle feels the owl might be saying. This startling moment draws the child into intimacy with the wild creature, equipping the youth to welcome a new student at school whose circumstances seem similar to Belle's own: "I understand./ I'll keep my eye on you." Acrylic paintings by James (Tadpoles) convey measured calm throughout this nuanced work whose energy radiates from a transformative encounter. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator's agent: Jackie Kaiser, Westwood Creative Artists. (Nov.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An unhoused child feels less alone in the world. A racially diverse group of students draw owls for an art assignment. Belle's depiction is especially praised for its lifelike quality and the wise nature behind the owl's eyes. Little do Ms. Rio or the other students know that Belle has firsthand knowledge of owls. Belle and Mom are unhoused; Belle tells readers that one day the two of them drove far out of town to a park in their car, packed to the brim with their cherished belongings. Belle's feelings of uncertainty were magnified by the spooky setting. Each night, Belle and Mom heard the "hooty lullaby" of an owl; one night, Belle had a close encounter with the bird. The experience brought a sense of comfort as Belle realized that someone or something was looking out for the family, as if to say, "I'm glad you're here." The next day at school, Belle pays it forward upon seeing a new student in a similar situation, letting the boy know he's not alone. Hippely's lyrical, empathetic text complements James' mesmerizing, at times haunting acrylic illustrations depicting vast landscapes dotted with houses and secluded natural scenes rendered with thick brush strokes in comforting dark blues and greens. Wordless double-page spreads throughout allow readers to assume Belle's perspective and take in the child's day-to-day feelings of uncertainty, fostering empathy along the way. Belle and Mom are tan-skinned; Ms. Rio is dark-skinned. A visually compelling, compassionate look at an often-misunderstood situation.(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
