Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise

Taylor (The World Champion of Staying Awake) sends up old-fashioned suspense fiction by contrasting his hero's puffed-up ego with his inept plans to capture things to eat. Newcomer Jullien paints Hoot Owl as a dumpy egg-cup of a bird--not the sort you'd expect to deliver this pitch-perfect purple prose: "The terrible silence of the night spreads everywhere. But I cut through it like a knife." Hoot Owl spots his prey and lets readers in on his nefarious plans: "I am a master of disguise. I devise a costume." The animals he's after--a rabbit, lamb, and pigeon--all look remarkably composed when they spot Hoot Owl in disguise. "I disguise myself as an ornamental birdbath," he says importantly. "I wait." The pigeon perches on the edge of the birdbath, then flies off, a small curlicue above its head signaling mild puzzlement. Fortunately, the hungry Hoot Owl is finally able to deceive and capture something--a pizza. Smart pacing, easy-to-read spreads, and complete confidence that no animals will be hurt in the reading of this book make it a winner. Ages 3-7. (Feb.)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 2--Hoot Owl explains that he is hungry and proud of his creative disguises employed to capture prey. He assembles a carrot costume in pursuit of rabbit and becomes an ornamental birdbath to nab a pigeon. He is totally unsuccessful until he dons waiter's attire and devours....a pizza! The owl's braggadocio and camouflage amuse throughout. Jullien's spreads feature primary colors and mostly black backgrounds that feature playfully rounded cartoon characters. Use this read-aloud for levity during a study of nocturnal animals or when discussing different ways to approach a problem.--Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Smart pacing, easy-to-read spreads, and complete confidence that no animals will be hurt in the reading of this book make it a winner.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Jullien's bold, black outlines, expressive animal eyes and positioning (Hoot Owl is frequently sideways) hilariously complement Taylor's text, which reveals the predator as both melodramatic ("The shadowy night stretches away forever, as black as burnt toast") and unflustered. Rich, matte colors and a flattish, zoomed-in perspective of the nighttime scenes keep the vibe immediate and nonthreatening. Never fear: Hoot Owl's "deadly-dangerous beak" eventually chomps on something that even squeamish readers will approve of. A rib-tickling pleaser.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The owl's braggadocio and camouflage amuse throughout. Jullien's spreads feature primary colors and mostly black backgrounds that feature playfully rounded cartoon characters.
—School Library Journal

The colors are bold; the shapes are simple; and outlines are thick.... This one's a winner, the humor dry and perfectly understated and Hoot Owl, a very funny character I hope we readers see again. It's, quite simply, a hoot.
—Kirkus Reviews Children's Book blog

This simple story packs plenty of punch. Hoot Owl is a comic, suspenseful tale that will no doubt be a hit night after night.
—BookPage

An airborne predator of dubious cleverness swoops through the inky pages of "Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise," a hilarious picture book for 3- to 8-year-olds written by Sean Taylor. This bedtime read is an object lesson in charming contrasts.
—The Wall Street Journal

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.
—Shelf Awareness

Hoot Owl's grandiloquent narration ("I swoop through the bleak blackness like a wolf in the air") will make for comic reading aloud ... Fans of DaCosta's Nighttime Ninja will appreciate Hoot Owl's melodramatic pursuit, and they may be inspired to emulate his hunt of a helpless pizza.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Featured/recommended
—Midwest Book Review