It's the story of the runt of an owl clutch who is last to hatch and may never catch up with his three other siblings. Dumpy, small, and downy white, he is left behind while his siblings learn to fly. No matter how hard he tries, he can't quite do it. "I will," he says. "Just you wait and see!" When a storm threatens the family's willow tree home, he is finally able to fly. It took him some extra time, but he did it. The story describes the owl's daily frustrations like being the last to find a worm. But, we never fear for him, because he never worries himself. The story has beautifully soft illustrations and is written in rhythmic prose. I'd read it to Lucas every night, but he doesn't like it nearly as much as I do.
I like it so much, because it reminds me of him. He is that littlest owl in more ways than one. He was late to walk, late to talk, and he's small for his age (1%). But he perseveres. He learned to talk, despite the odds being stacked against him, and he never stops (no complaints here). He learned to walk at 21 months, and although he's still behind, he makes strides every day. And despite his small size, he certainly makes up for it with his large presence. We put him in a mainstream preschool this year, and he took off and flew, up for the challenge. We may have questioned what his future would bring, with our hopes highs and our expectations low, but he never doubted himself. He always knew he would and he could.
I have a new love for little, white, fluffy owls. I look forward to many more opportunities to watch our little owl fly.
