Silent Swoop: An Owl, and Egg, and a Warm Shirt Pocket

Written by Michelle Houts
Illustrated by Deb Hoeffner

Based on a true story, this is a wonderful outline for caring human beings. A great horned owl chooses to lay her two eggs beneath the conveyor belt at a coal mine yard. Rather than destroy the eggs, the miners call a local bird sanctuary. Walter, the man from the sanctuary, simply puts the eggs in his shirt pocket and takes them to the incubator at the shelter. One hatches! Careful to treat Coal, the owlet, like a bird rather than like an oddly shaped human, Walter helps raise the chick. Coal takes on the job of educating children and seniors. Soon, the miners find another egg. This one hatches too.

Beautifully and realistically illustrated, this is a wonderful place to start learning about owls and about wildlife rescue in general. The activities and information at the end make the next steps for learning easy to find.

  • Silent SwoopTitle: Silent Swoop: An Owl, and Egg, and a Warm Shirt Pocket
  • Author: Michelle Houts
  • Illustrator: Deb Hoeffner
  • Publisher: Dawn Publications, 2019
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Paperback, 32 pages
  • Grade Level: 1 to 2
  • Genre: Animals, Nature, Wildlife Rescue
  • ISBN: 978-1-58469-647-6
  • Extras: Explore More for Kids, Explore More for Teachers and Parents

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *