A delightful book of curious, little-known "facts" about animals--one for each letter of the alphabet!
Did you know that chipmunks love to stay up past their bedtime? Or that dragons cry at happy endings? I bet you'd never have guessed that iguanas sometimes get homesick at sleepovers.
Sara O'Leary pulls back the curtain on the animal world and gives us an absolutely charming little one-line "fact" about one animal for each letter of the alphabet. Kids will love to see their own quirks reflected in these adorably rendered creatures, and perhaps will be comforted to know that--just like them--narwhals can be perfectly happy all on their own and quail also get tired of being told to be quiet.
This is more than just an alphabet book. It's a charming, hilarious, and touching look at the diversity of personalities in the world--worth many, many rereads.
AWARD
| 2019 OLA Best Bets for Children's Fiction
PRAISE FOR Owls are Good at Keeping Secrets:
“Animals, who are hiding behind each letter of the alphabet, are revealed as we explore the book. They, the key characters and true focus of the journey, have attributes that most children will recognize.”--starred review Booklist
“The light sprinkle of visual and verbal humor keeps the book's truisms from feeling stale… Don't let the owls keep this unusual book secret. It deserves to be shared.” --Kirkus
“Sara O’Leary imbues animals with human characteristics in her new abecedarian . . . Jacob Grant excels at stirring up genuine feeling.” --Quill & Quire " "[A] whimsical alphabet book featuring animals with a message of self-acceptance.” --CBC Montreal
“[A] refreshing bit of imagination to our observations on the animal kingdom. Children will be able to see themselves in one or more of the animals and find validation for their own quirky personalities.” --CM Magazine
“O’Leary’s ‘facts’ teeter slyly between fantasy, fact and joke. . . . Nicely surprising.” --Toronto Star
“[A] sweet and silly alphabet book. . . . [Readers] will happily play along with O’Leary’s funny fibs.” --Publishers Weekly
"This book is a fun addition to the growing selection of alphabet books with animals not normally used, all the while doing activities that you may not have known they did." --Resource Links
SARA O'LEARY is the author of many beloved picture books for children, including This Is Sadie, which was adapted by the New York City Children's Theatre, and its follow-up, This Is Ruby. Among her most recent books for children are Gemma and the Giant Girl, the recipient of several honors in Canada, and Maud and Grand-Maud, which received three starred reviews. Sara is also the author of the adult novel A Ghost in the House. A graduate of the UBC Creative Writing Program, she has taught screenwriting and writing for children at Concordia University in Montreal.
View titles by Sara O'Leary
A delightful book of curious, little-known "facts" about animals--one for each letter of the alphabet!
Did you know that chipmunks love to stay up past their bedtime? Or that dragons cry at happy endings? I bet you'd never have guessed that iguanas sometimes get homesick at sleepovers.
Sara O'Leary pulls back the curtain on the animal world and gives us an absolutely charming little one-line "fact" about one animal for each letter of the alphabet. Kids will love to see their own quirks reflected in these adorably rendered creatures, and perhaps will be comforted to know that--just like them--narwhals can be perfectly happy all on their own and quail also get tired of being told to be quiet.
This is more than just an alphabet book. It's a charming, hilarious, and touching look at the diversity of personalities in the world--worth many, many rereads.
Awards
AWARD
| 2019 OLA Best Bets for Children's Fiction
Reviews
PRAISE FOR Owls are Good at Keeping Secrets:
“Animals, who are hiding behind each letter of the alphabet, are revealed as we explore the book. They, the key characters and true focus of the journey, have attributes that most children will recognize.”--starred review Booklist
“The light sprinkle of visual and verbal humor keeps the book's truisms from feeling stale… Don't let the owls keep this unusual book secret. It deserves to be shared.” --Kirkus
“Sara O’Leary imbues animals with human characteristics in her new abecedarian . . . Jacob Grant excels at stirring up genuine feeling.” --Quill & Quire " "[A] whimsical alphabet book featuring animals with a message of self-acceptance.” --CBC Montreal
“[A] refreshing bit of imagination to our observations on the animal kingdom. Children will be able to see themselves in one or more of the animals and find validation for their own quirky personalities.” --CM Magazine
“O’Leary’s ‘facts’ teeter slyly between fantasy, fact and joke. . . . Nicely surprising.” --Toronto Star
“[A] sweet and silly alphabet book. . . . [Readers] will happily play along with O’Leary’s funny fibs.” --Publishers Weekly
"This book is a fun addition to the growing selection of alphabet books with animals not normally used, all the while doing activities that you may not have known they did." --Resource Links
Author
SARA O'LEARY is the author of many beloved picture books for children, including This Is Sadie, which was adapted by the New York City Children's Theatre, and its follow-up, This Is Ruby. Among her most recent books for children are Gemma and the Giant Girl, the recipient of several honors in Canada, and Maud and Grand-Maud, which received three starred reviews. Sara is also the author of the adult novel A Ghost in the House. A graduate of the UBC Creative Writing Program, she has taught screenwriting and writing for children at Concordia University in Montreal.
View titles by Sara O'Leary
