World Famous Comics: The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer (Owly (Graphic Novels)) (v. 1)
The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer (Owly (Graphic Novels)) (v. 1)
By: Andy Runton Publisher: Top Shelf Productions Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 160 Publication Date: September 29, 2004 Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Studio: Top Shelf Productions
Product Description: Owly is a kind, yet lonely, little owl who's always on the lookout for new friends and adventure. The first graphic novel in the series contains two enchanting novellas, "The Way Home" & "The Bittersweet Summer," wherein Owly discovers the meaning of friendship, and that saying goodbye doesn't always mean forever.
Runton's simple brush-and-ink art belies the sophistication of his stories ^ The Owly comics are deceptively simple tales of a sweet little owl and his forest friends, told without words but with plenty of emotion and gesture. This volume, which comprises two fairly long stories, is the first book in the series.
In the first story, Owly rescues a worm who nearly drowns in a sudden rainstorm. He picks up the unconscious worm with a leaf, brings him home, and sits up all night with him. The next day, they journey to the worm's home, where he has a joyful reunion with his parents. Then Owly takes his leave, tears in his eyes over the loss of his new friend--but a few minutes later, the little worm joins him, having decided to make Owly's home his home as well.
The second story is a really charming tale of friendship mingled with a bit of environmental education. Some hummingbirds move into the neighborhood, and Owly and Wormy plant flowers so they can have food. When one of the hummingbirds is captured and put in a cage, Owly and Wormy rescue it. As the seasons turn, though, the birds get cold and the flowers start to die. Owly tries to move everyone inside and even makes little scarves for the birds, but eventually Wormy points out that his house is just becoming another cage for them. After a tearful goodbye, the hummingbirds fly south, but Owly is cheered by the news that they will be back the following spring--as indeed they are.
Both stories have simple morals. In the first, the worms (and the other birds) are scared of Owly (presumably because he is a bird of prey), but those who take the time to get to know him come to like him. In the second, Owly learns that true friendship means letting the hummingbirds go, even though that makes him sad. Runton's creatures are cute, but his depictions of their emotions can be quite powerful.
Runton's simple brush-and-ink art belies the sophistication of his stories. Each has a few simple arcs--making new friends, helping a friend in danger--yet there is quite a bit of information and subtlety in each one, and the drawings are filled with charming details. Owly and his friends speak in rebuses, so even the smallest child can "read" the stories (except for some encyclopedia information about plants and birds in the second story). Yet the richness of these stories makes them entertaining for grownups as well, and the format allows an adult to engage the child rather than simply reading the story aloud.
-- Brigid Alverson
Simply lovely ^ My husband and I are fans of such graphic novels as Preacher, Sin City, Watchmen and The Walking Dead. Imagine our surprise that we would find the Owly series as enchanting as we do. We are cynical comic book readers! But I dare you to read these comics and not become charmed and engrossed with them. Wonderful for readers young and old.
I don't want to meet someone who doesn't like Owly.
Wordless Owly Books Are Good Reads ^ wly is a cute puffball of a bird and is almost all eyes. The other creatures that populate the stories, including a worm, smaller birds and lightning bugs, are also cute and expressive. There is nothing to actually read in these books other than a few sentences from the books Owly reads. Dialogue takes place through pictographs symbolizing concepts like home and ideas. It is great to take my geeklet through the process of understanding the images as we turn the pages.
I received a copy of the the first book in the series, The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer from the publisher.
My five year old has quickly become a big fan of these graphic novels. I like them just as much as he does. The stories tell the power of friendship, trying your hardest and caring for others. All great traits that I try to teach my kids.
The first book, The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer, contains two stories. The first story tells how Owly rescues a worm from drowning during a rainstorm. After recovery the two set out to reunite Wormy with his parents. All of this includes overcoming Wormy's natural apprehension of birds. In the second story Owly and Wormy plant a garden to attract hummingbirds. Eventually, they are confronted with the changing seasons and the need to let the hummingbirds leave.
For being wordless, the pages are full of expression. Reading them demands attention, first to figure out what's being shown and then to enjoy all the details.
If you are looking for something new to read to your geeklets, pick up one of the Owly books.
Without words or age limit. ^ Our schools --still -- work primarily with words and numbers, while our kids and we ourselves may be far more deeply engaged by images (or music, or touch). My grandson (age 5) loved "Robot Dreams" so much that he was motivated and ready for the far more complex "Owly". So we can curl up and I tell him the story, or we talk about the images, or maybe he even tells me a bit of the narrative.
But here's the interesting thing: The dialog between my grandson and I is not too different from what goes on between an engaged adult reader and the author. If the cover appeals to you and you like a good but not neatly wrapped-up story, then this book is yours: to read with kids or to curl up by the window with.
Cutest series ever. ^ Andy Runton, Owly: The Way Home and The Bittersweet Summer (Top Shelf, 2004)
The first book in Runton's widely (and justly) praised Owly series, this wonderful little book contains two stories: "The Way Home," in which Owly meets Wormy, who gets lost in a storm and wants Owly to help him find his way home, and "The Bittersweet Summer," where Owly and Wormy become friends with some hummingbirds. Owly is, for the most part, wordless; everything is conveyed with expressions and thought bubbles. It's clever and funny and heartwarming, a definite change of pace from most of the graphic novels that have been appearing for the past few years. Definitely recommended for when you need a pick-me-up. ****
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