Owen

Written & Illustrated by Kevin Henkes

Children’s Picture Book: K-2

Stars: 5 (out of 5)

Summary: Owen, a young boy who is about to start school, is absolutely attached to his blanket. His parents try everything to get him to part with the blanket, until finally, they have a brilliant idea that solves the “blanket issue.”

            This was by far one of my favorite children’s books when I was a child. What I particularly like about this book now, is that the message is one that I feel many children might be able to relate to. The main character, Owen, has a comfort object, his blanket, and is nervous about going to school without it. Many children have favorite stuffed animals, pillows, blankets, etcetera that they bring everywhere they go. This story could help teach children that they are not alone in this desire, for many others, including Owen, feel just the same.

            While I really enjoy this story, it probably wouldn’t be a great book to use in the classroom with students older than kindergarten. It’s a fun read, and I think many children would enjoy reading it or looking through the pictures on their own. Kevin Henkes does a great job incorporating his illustrations and using them to help tell the story. Even beginning readers could tackle Owen and likely enjoy the story. Therefore, I feel as though it would be an appropriate book to have in a classroom library for kids to read on their own, but I would shy away from using it with the whole class. There is not much that could be done with this book, other than simply listening to it and enjoying the story. Owen is a very relatable character that the reader can easily connect with on an emotional level.