Tiny Owl’s Scary Day
by Petr Horáček; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary    Candlewick    32 pp.
7/25    9781536235876    $17.99
e-book ed.  9781536249385    $17.99

As dawn breaks, sleepy Mama Owl urges her not-tired, curious Tiny Owl to rest, warning, “Days can be scary for a small owl.” Unfazed, Tiny Owl tiptoes out to explore a sunlit morning. The owlet, who is still covered in fluffy white down and has yet to develop predator skills, meets other birds, explores meadows and riverbeds, and soaks up the beauty of daytime. Dangers, too, emerge: a cat and a fox lurk and creep nearby. She escapes them just in time, but readers will note Mama pursuing each threat to her oblivious offspring’s safety. Finally, Tiny Owl, weary of all the scary daytime sounds, returns home—where she hears one more: “WHOOSH!” But it’s just her equally tuckered-out mama. “Being out during the day is scary for owls…I’m glad to be home,” Tiny Owl admits. “Nighttime is owl time,” Mama replies as they snuggle together for their day’s rest. Then, as the moon rises, they fly through the quiet, star-filled night, just as owls are meant to do. Lush, textured mixed-media illustrations contain details to be discovered on subsequent reads, such as the reactions of the birds Tiny Owl attempts to befriend. This lovely, quietly humorous picture book is likely to be equally successful at bedtime and storytime.

From the September/October 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.