A narrative comprised of haiku follows a great horned owl family, beginning with their repurposing of an abandoned squirrel nest high in a pine tree. "Mama lays an egg / In the starlight it glistens / A moon of its own." That egg is joined by two others, although one later falls from the nest during a crow attack and is lost to a raccoon. Eventually two owlets hatch, and are fed and protected by their parents, until the fledglings fly off to establish homes of their own. Avian daily life and natural world drama are captured in the poetic text and gorgeous ink and watercolor illustrations. Additional information about great horned owls and suggested resources are offered in an endnote. (Ages 4-8)

Stunning illustrations and gorgeous haikus lead young readers through the dramatic life cycle of one of America's most beloved wild animals.

Pip. Pip. Pip. Poking
A hole. Cracking. Cracking. Out
Pecks the white owlet.

Watch as a pair of great horned owlets peep and squeak in their feathered nest. Mama and Papa hunt for food and fend off predators while the chicks grow strong enough to hop and flap between the branches of their tree, then leap and fly away, ready to explore the wild world around them.

In this thrilling nonfiction picture book, a combination of haiku and dazzling illustration shows readers the fierce majesty of one of North America's most ubiquitous wild animals.