School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Set in a small logging town in northern California, George's book focuses on the conflict between loggers and environmentalists over the northern spotted owl. Young Borden Watson plunges into the woods, planning to kill one of the creatures, believing they are directly responsible for his father losing his job as a logger. He returns, however, with an owlet that has fallen from its nest. Caring for it is no easy task; other family members are drawn into the situation, especially the out-of-work father, who has lots of free time. (Because young spotted owls have no spots, the family thinks their pet is a barred owl.) Though she is clearly on the side of the endangered birds, George's writing skill and knowledge of animal behavior turn what could have been nothing but message into an absorbing story that shows both sides of the controversy, leaving readers with a clear understanding of the issues involved. Perhaps the conflict is too neatly resolved, but the story ends on a somber note. The owlet is returned to its nest, but when the male owl calls for his mate, there is no answer. Merrill's drawings perfectly capture the engaging bird and the family's affection for it.-Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

An out-of-work logger amazes his family by caring for a rare spotted owl chick in this informative, agenda-laden story. Forbidden to log public lands in the spotted owl's Pacific Coast territory, the loggers around the Trinity National Forest have fallen on hard times. When Borden Watson brings home a starving baby owl, his angry father Leon wants to wring its neck at first, but holds off, thinking it might belong to a more common species. Soon Leon is feeding it chopped mice, getting up at 1 a.m. to cuddle and watch TV with it, and even giving it flying lessons. George displays her usual profound knowledge of animal behavior, but allows her characters to stop at the drop of a hat to lecture one another on environmental issues or rehearse arguments for and against logging. Solidly in the conservationist camp, George (Everglades, p. 557, etc.) gives Leon some points; he asserts that destructive timbering practices actually conformed to government regulations in the past, and shows himself to be no ignorant villain, but a caring, knowledgeable forester. The book is edifying, if not particularly engrossing; David Klass's California Blue (1994) is aimed at older readers, but wraps similar themes in a stronger story. (Fiction. 9-12)"

ALA Booklist (Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2001)

All the titles in this group use fine narrators. Two titles by nature writer George begin with Frightful's Mountain, a title from the popular My Side of the Mountain series. Reader Woodman infuses the human characters as well as a peregrine falcon with distinct personalities. Because much of the plot centers on the falcon, dialogue is sometimes sparse; yet, through change in vocal pacing and tension, Woodman keeps the narrative moving, and his interpretation of bird sounds is a treat. There's an Owl in the Shower balances family struggles with an ecology lesson. Through slight vocal shifts, Sala defines the characters and retains the book's humor and suspense. Fans of the Sammy Keyes mystery series will not be disappointed with Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man. Sands superbly captures Sammy as well as the other characters, including one who has had a tracheotomy. The novel quickly ricochets between the young detective's efforts to solve a mystery and her school problems. See also Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief BKL My 15 01. Although Slake's Limbo was published in 1974, the novel remains popular and relevant. Harris sympathetically tells the story of a troubled teen who lives in a New York City subway for 120 days. All titles are recommended for both school and public libraries.

Horn Book

Borden Watson tries to shoot a spotted owl but instead ends up saving a starving owlet. As the owlet becomes part of the family, both Borden and his out-of-work logger father are changed. The family draw closer when Borden and his sister see their father in a new light, and the future becomes secure with a new job in the offing. The ending is a bit too pat for believability.