Owls: Our Most Charming Bird by Matt Sewell "Audubon with a sense of humor"

My thoughts: In Owls Our Most Charming Bird by Matt Sewell there is a charming array of these nocturnal birds of prey. The book is a sort-of spot-on treatise on the individual owls with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor. The illustrations are quirky and factual. Folks, let’s think “Audubon with a sense of humor.”

Frankly, I really like the book and learned quite a bit about these birds both large and small. I had no way of knowing prior to this little book that there was such a variety of these birds.

The sizes of owls range from the Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) on page 70 which is huge to the tiniest Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) on page 100. There are some interesting facts about where in the world the owls live, their how the look (size, feathers, eyes, etc.) and how they  pursue their prey - they are hunters, you know.

As I said earlier, the author and illustrator, Matt Sewell, brings his sense of humor to the book as he deftly illustrates each of these owls bringing them to life with his watercolors. Then he describes them with quirky bits of information that will sometimes tickle your funny bone!

Who is this little book for? Well, I can see my grandchildren (preteens and older) enjoying it. I can also see anyone who is a birder enjoying it since it brings the light side of birding to them. I can also see it placed on a coffee table for folks to just sit and read a page or two here and there. If you’re not already an owl lover, you just might get converted.

At the back is a “Spotting and Jotting” section where each owl is again pictured with a checkbox; so as you find the owls, you can check them off and maybe even make a short note about the owl.

I love it and I recommend it. This will make a great little gift for a birder or anyone who just likes owls.

I captured this owl image from Matt Sewell's Twitter post. Aren't they cute.

About the book: An enchanting illustrated guide to owl species of the world.

In this beautiful and highly giftable art book, artist and ornithologist Matt Sewell captures 50 species of the world's most evocative bird: the owl. Using pop-art watercolors and accompanied by witty and irreverent descriptions, Sewell expresses the individual characters of owls as never before. From tiny elf owls to huge Eurasian eagle owls, from the haunting barn owl to the elegant great horned owl, these wise, magical birds are otherworldly in their striking colors and stature. It's not just birdwatchers who are obsessed: Owls are a perennial favorite in pop culture, decorating, and among children as well as nature lovers and serious birders. From David Sedaris's Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls to Harry Potter's pet Hedwig, and throwback interest in Twin Peaks (which is returning to TV in 2016) and its trademark spooky owls, these birds are here to stay.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the Blogging for Books program to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.