 ISBN
1 873877 72 2 Reardon Publishing RRP £5.99
Our Price £3.50 + £1.00 P&P
Aimed
at primary school ages 5-9 years plus, but also enjoyable for parents to read to
younger children.
“Be-bop,
Alula and Bo” is a unique opportunity to follow the first year in the life of
a barn owl and the adventures that come with growing up in the wild. Beautifully
illustrated, it is educational yet remains entertaining with a variety of moods.
There are comic elements, dramatic moments and of course, a very happy ending.
The
story begins with a female barn owl helping her first baby (Be-bop) to hatch.
Be-bop, like all barn owl babies is rather ugly but of course, his mother
thinks he’s beautiful. We see Be-bop and his siblings develop and grow and Be-bop
becomes a handsome, confident little barn owl.
Learning
fast, the youngsters are soon providing for themselves and when it’s time for
them to find homes of their own, Be-bop is the first to leave. Life away from home isn’t as easy as expected. His first
encounter on a busy road is almost his last.
He meets a hedgehog and then a badger who both try to give him sound
advice but Be-bop, chooses to ignore them and settles to roost in a wood.
As morning comes, he is mobbed by angry crows and chased away.
After
an exhausting flight Be-bop takes refuge in a church tower.
When night comes, he explores the surrounding area and there is a comedy
moment as an old-timer staggers out of the pub and mistakes the hovering owl for
a ghost.
Be-bop
discovers an old barn and nest box and as there’s no other resident, he
settles in to roost for the day. He
is woken by the call of another owl in the meadow (Alula).
With a courtship flight and hunting demonstration, Be-bop persuades Alula
to stay with him and they spend the winter together, hunting, preening and pair
bonding.
Spring
arrives and there is a tense moment as Alula has an unfortunate mishap, but
luckily; Be-bop is there to help.
This brings the pair even closer together.
Just like his father before him, Be-bop becomes the provider as Alula
lays eggs. As the first hatches,
our story returns to its beginning and the cycle is complete.
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