#887 of 1001 · January 4, 2023

Eve Bunting and Charles Mikolaycak’s The Man Who Could Call Down Owls offers a clear and irresistible hook in its title. What you may not expect, however, is the beauty, wildness, and danger you’ll encounter by the story’s conclusion. In a little village, a man is revered for his affinity with owls. Everyone gathers in the dark to watch as the majestic birds swoop down and perch on him, a young boy named Con the most eager among them. During the day, Con apprentices himself to the man, learning about a wide array of different species. One day, however, a mysterious stranger arrives who covets the man’s power. The next night, the man is gone, and it soon becomes clear that the stranger, now in possession of the man’s cloak, his feathered hat, and his willow wand, has committed a terrible crime. When the owls arrive this time, however, they attack the villain, ripping at his flesh with their talons and driving him away into the forest. Afterward, Con takes up the mantle of his late mentor, calling down the owls and treating them with gentleness and respect. Bunting’s dark story and Mikolaycak’s gripping monochromatic art combine for a quietly powerful experience. #man #owls #owl #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks