In an impressive picture book debut, Jean Jullien uses the wide eyes of the Hoot Owl hero to feign innocence, show determination and register surprise.
"Watch out! I am Hoot Owl! I am hungry. And here I come!" proclaims Sean Taylor's (The World Champion of Staying Awake) protagonist. Hoot Owl pokes his head up from the lower right-hand corner, his eyes like two fried eggs with black pupils in place of yolks. His burnt-orange feathers stand out against the jet-black skies. Words and pictures play against each other for maximum humor. Hoot Owl claims to fly "as quick as a shooting star," yet the art shows a curlicue trail that betrays a bumpy takeoff. A single owl eye peeks out from behind a tree and spies "a tasty rabbit." The resourceful feathered fellow sews his camouflage: "As well as/ being wise,/ I am a master/ of disguise" ("a delicious carrot"). But the bunny high-tails it out of there. Taylor tucks in jokes for the older crowd ("The night has/ a thousand eyes,/ and two of them/ are mine") and Jullien makes them literal. Pairs of eyes in different shapes and shades look out of the dark wood. The hero poses as an owl in sheep's clothing (his potential woolly prey sports spectacles), a bird bath (for a pigeon), and finally finds success as a waiter.
Jullien's thick black outlines and saturated colors make the night come alive, and Taylor's wordplay is as satisfying as a pepperoni pizza. The finale opens the door for a sequel... please. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness