The Owl and the Two Rabbits

When two mischievous rabbits venture out into the beautiful summer landscape, they quickly forget about the forewarning they received from Mom and Dad to remain far from the view of nearby predators. The siblings run and play together, leaping gleefully over boulders, trying to outdo one another in their attempts to jump the highest. They soon find themselves, in the midst of their trials, startled by a gigantic white owl who would love nothing more than to eat them for supper. However, they are much too heavy for the precocious owl to carry safely while in flight. Instead of settling on just one of them, as his watchful wife encourages, his zealous greed takes over, and he loses grip of both of them as they try to escape his vicious wrath. In the end, the two hares cleverly outsmart the hungry owl, and he is left lifeless in defeat. They learn a very valuable, lifesaving lesson, as well – to stay out of sight of predators, just as their loving parents advised them to do!

Sammurtok does an excellent job of telling this precious story through the eyes of an Inuit writer. The Owl and the Two Rabbits follows a common theme of greed ultimately leading to loss. It also follows that of carelessness resulting in devastation. Illustrator Marcus Cutler weaves colorful, vibrant illustrations all throughout the inviting text of this story. The style of the artist is original and embracing and is likely to appeal to young children between the ages of five and nine. The reading level is approximately third grade. This meaningful picture book is perfect to add to any school library or early elementary school classroom. It’s a safe pick and one that may outlast many others because of its strong binding and high-quality design!