A bit lost by Chris Haughton

cover image

Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 978 1406333831.
Picture book. When the baby owl falls from the top of the tree where he is perusing the forest with his mum, he becomes lost. Not just a little lost, but lost. He must ask the other animals for help, and in describing his mother through a few words, augmented by actions, is taken to a variety of other animals in his search. Because he says she is big, he is taken to a bear, when he describes his mother's pointy ears, he is taken to a rabbit, and so on, until finally he is taken to the right mother, who is searching for him.
A warm book about family and the relationship between mother and child, this story will be told and retold in the early childhood units. Read aloud, the story will serve the purpose of reinforcing the relationship, of introducing animals and their offspring or of simply telling a tale, inviting the students to share their knowledge. The warmth of the mother and her baby both looking for each other, the positive tale of the animals helping each other with the owl inviting the animals to her perch as a thank you resulting in a twist in the tale, is charming. The bald, block colour illustrations hide things which children can search for, while the bold colour is refreshing in its simplicity.
Fran Knight

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