Owl Babies
Written by Martin Waddell
Illustrated by Patrick Benson
Candlewick Press, 1992
Once there were three baby owls:
Sarah and Percy and Bill.
They lived in a hole in the trunk of a tree
with their Owl Mother.
The hole had twigs and
leaves and owl feathers in it.
It was their house.
One night they woke up and
their Owl Mother was GONE.
"Where's Mommy?" asked Sarah.
"Oh my goodness!" said Percy.
"I want my mommy!" said Bill.
The baby owls thought
(all owls think a lot) ━
"I think she's gone hunting," said Sarah.
"To get us our food!" said Percy.
"I want my mommy!" said Bill.
But their Owl Mother didn't come.
The baby owls came out of
Their house, and they sat
On the tree and waited.
A big branch for Sarah,
A small branch for Percy,
and an old piece of ivy for Bill.
"She'll be back," said Sarah.
"Back soon!" said Percy.
"I want my mommy!" said Bill.
It was dark in the woods and
they had to be brave, for things
moved all around them.
"She'll bring us mice and
things that are nice," said Sarah.
"I suppose so!" said Percy.
"I want my mommy!" said Bill.
They sat and they thought
(all owls think a lot) ━
"I think we should all
sit on my branch," said Sarah.
And they did,
all three together.
"Suppose she got lost," said Sarah,
"Or a fox got her!" said Percy.
"I want my mommy!" said Bill.
And the baby owls closed
their owl eyes and wished their
Owl Mother would come.
AND SHE CAME.
Soft and silent, she swooped
through the trees
to Sarah and Percy
and Bill.
"Mommy!" they cried,
and they flapped and they danced,
and they bounced up and down
on their branch.
"WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?"
their Owl Mother asked.
"You knew I'd come back."
The baby owls thought
(all owls think a lot) ━
"I knew it," said Sarah.
"And I knew it" said Percy.
"I love my mommy!" said Bill.