Horacek, Petr. Tiny Owl’s Scary Day. Petr Horacek, Illus. Candlewick, 08/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-3587-6. GRADES Preschool–Kindergarten. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Tiny Owl asks Mama Owl to stay awake, in order to experience the daytime that they always sleep through. Mama says no, but Tiny Owl stays up and sneaks out anyway. Naturally the daytime world is scary to Tiny Owl, with various things nearly catching her. Becoming thoroughly frightened, she finally makes it home. The mixed-media illustrations are similar to Horacek’s previous work, and provide a bit of foreshadowing before Tiny is attacked as well as how she avoids her attackers each time. Observant readers may figure out what is happening before the end, while others will want to go back to figure it out, reading it again and again.
Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library