Knight Owl Review

 Knight Owl




















Bibliography:

Denise, Christopher. (2022) Knight Owl. Little Brown and Company. ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8


Summary:
In this picture book, Owl has always dreamed of becoming a knight. When many knights mysteriously disappear, the knight school is recruiting new knights. Owl sees the advertisement and applies. After making it in, he works hard to graduate with honors even though he is small in stature. He is given the night watch shift since he stays awake all night. One night a dragon shows up ready to eat him but he is clever and convinces the dragon to eat pizza. Thus, saving the knights from becoming the dragon’s next meal. 

Critical Analysis:

Author uses simple sentences in this picture book which is great for lower elementary students. This book will remind readers of medieval tales of knights and dragons. The audience roots for the good guy and the overcoming of obstacles. 

Christopher Denise  used Adobe Photshop, a Wacom tablet, Procreate, and an iPad to create these wonderfuly detailed pictures. It seemed that the illustrations were painted, rather than created through technology. Because the text is short and simple, this book relies on the illustrations to tell the whole story. The darkness is enhanced by the color palette the illustrator chose. When first introduced to the dragon, the details and glow created by the fire enhances the frightening encounter. 


Professional Review:

Booklist starred (March 15, 2022 (Vol. 118, No. 14))

Preschool-Grade 2. Although young Owl is quite small, he has great dreams of becoming a knight. So, when he sees a parchment advertising Knight School, he knows he has to apply. To the surprise of all, he is accepted, and his journey begins. Painting-like digital illustrations conjure the medieval setting and expertly utilize scale, emphasizing Owl’s diminutive size to adorable effect. Though an excellent student, Owl struggles with certain parts of training—handling a shield and a sword, staying awake during the day. Nevertheless, he graduates with honor and is placed on the castle’s Knight Night Watch, a job at which he excels. Late one night, a hulking, hungry dragon descends upon the ramparts with plans of having Owl for a midnight snack. Denise dials up the suspense in his illustrations, as the enormous dragon leans out of the shadows and over a glowing fire toward Owl. It takes some quick thinking, but Owl proves himself both clever and brave in the solution he devises, which saves not only his life but the other members of the Knight Night Watch, as well. In his first solo picture book, Denise gives youngsters an old-fashioned story with an amusing twist and a cute-as-a-button protagonist that charms on every level. This will satisfy a wide range of readers, from Dragons Love Tacos fans to wannabe knights.


Connections:

Several activities in this packet I found on Teacher Pay Teachers include visualizing, cause and effect, story elements, and making connections.

Whole class discussions about bravery

Teachers can read this to the class at the beginning of the year or in January and make goals they would like to achieve.


Similar books:

Santat, Dan. After the Fall. ISBN: 1626726825

Piper, Watty. The Little Engine that Could. ISBN: 9780593094396

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