40 Owl Books for Kids in Preschool and Elementary Grades

Discover the best owl books for kids in preschool and elementary classrooms! From Owl Babies to other cute owl stories, create a magical owl theme for young readers. As an elementary school librarian, I’m thrilled to introduce a collection of owl books for kids that will ignite a child’s curiosity about these interesting nocturnal hunters! These engaging books about owls are packed with fascinating facts and colorful illustrations that make exploring the world of owls fun and accessible for young learners. There are also charming fiction books for preschool through upper elementary grades. Whether your child or pupil is a budding bird watcher or simply loves to learn about wildlife, these books about owls are perfect for preschool and elementary students eager to discover the wonders of owls. Let’s embark on a owl-seeking adventure together!

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My Owl Books for Kids Backstory

I am fortunate to live near some woods where great horned owls live. Listening to them call to each other in the early morning, I was inspired to compile a collection of books about owls to share with you and to share with the students I work with. Some of the books on this list are already in the school library collections where I work, others I would like to add. After investigating, here are my findings, listed for you and conveniently divided between younger and older students. Have fun perusing the list!

Toddler, Preschool and Lower Elementary Nonfiction Owl Books for Kids

Baby Owls (Blastoff! Readers Level 1: Super Cute!) by Christina Leaf – Discover the adorable world of baby owls, learning how they grow and thrive in this engaging beginner reader.

Barn Owls (Creatures of the Night) by Quinn M. Arnold – Explore the mysterious habits and unique features of barn owls, masters of the night sky.

Barn Owls (Twilight Animals) by Elizabeth Andrews – Dive into the nocturnal life of barn owls and learn what makes them incredible hunters in this informative guide.

Barn Owls (Pebble Plus: Owls) by Melissa Hill – Learn all about barn owls and their fascinating behaviors with vivid photos and easy-to-read facts.

Barn Owls (Blastoff! Readers Level 2: Who’s Hoo? Owls!) by Elizabeth Neuenfeldt – Uncover amazing facts about barn owls, from their silent flight to their hunting skills, in this captivating reader.

Barn Owls: Nocturnal Hunters (Night Safari) by Rebecca Rissman – Follow barn owls on their nightly hunts and discover their extraordinary adaptations for hunting in the dark.

A Little Owl by Rosalee Wren – Learn about baby owls, called owlets, in this charmingly-illustrated board book filled with interesting facts.

Barred Owls (Blastoff! Readers Level 2: Who’s Hoo? Owls!) by Rachael Barnes – Meet the barred owl and learn about its life, habitat, and behaviors in this exciting, fact-filled reader for young learners.

Toddlers, Preschool and Lower Elementary Fiction Owl Books for Kids

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell – Follow the tender story of three baby owls waiting for their mother to return in this comforting classic. This book is available in a board book format and was a favorite of my kids when they were toddlers.

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise – Meet Knight Owl, a brave little owl who dreams of becoming a knight and defending his kingdom.

Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise – Join Knight Owl and his new friend Early Bird on whimsical adventures that test their bravery and friendship.

The Happy Owls by Celestino Piatti – Discover the story of two wise owls who teach a kingdom the secret to happiness.

Little Owl’s Love by Divya Srinivasan – A heartwarming tale of Little Owl discovering the many things he loves about his forest friends.

Little Owl’s Snow by Divya Srinivasan – Join Little Owl as he experiences the magic of his first snowfall and discovers the wonders of winter.

The Christmas Owl: Based on the True Story of a Little Owl Named Rockefeller by Gideon Sterer – When a special Christmas tree is cut down and taken to New York, Little Owl lost her home. Taken in by a kindly lady, will Little Owl ever be happy again?

Little Owl’s Bedtime by Debi Gliori – Follow Little Owl’s bedtime journey through the forest as he says goodnight to all his friends.

Little Owl’s Egg by Debi Gliori – Follow Little Owl as he learns about becoming a big sibling and discovering the joy of family.

Knight Owls by Eric Seltzer – Dive into the lively world of the Knight Owls, a brave team ready for nighttime adventures.

Mr. Owl’s Bakery: Counting in Groups by Ji-Hyeon Kim – Learn counting skills as Mr. Owl bakes and organizes delicious treats in his bakery.

Baby Owl’s Rescue by Jennifer Keats Curtis – A young girl helps rescue a baby owl, learning about the importance of protecting wildlife.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen – A poetic story of a young child and their father going “owling” on a magical winter night. This book won the 1988 Caldecott Medal for its illustrations.

Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel – Join Owl in a series of gentle, quirky tales as he navigates life at home with warmth and humor.

Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor – Meet Hoot Owl, a crafty character who uses clever disguises to hunt for food.

Little Hoot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal – Little Hoot, who loves bedtime, humorously negotiates with his parents about staying up late.

The Barn Owls by Tony Johnston – A beautifully illustrated tale that follows a barn owl family through the rhythms of life told in poetic form.

Good-night, Owl! by Pat Hutchins – Watch Owl try to sleep while other animals noisily gather around, turning his night upside down. A classic!

Little Owl’s Orange Scarf by Tatyana Feeney – Little Owl loses his bright orange scarf and finds a way to get one he truly loves.

I’m Not Scared! by Jonathan Allen – Baby Owl insists he’s not scared, even as he encounters shadows and surprises in the forest.

Wallace and Grace Take the Case by Heather Alexander – Owl detectives Wallace and Grace solve mysteries together in this charming series for young readers.

Eva’s Treetop Festival (Owl Diaries, Book 1) by Rebecca Elliott – Join Eva, an adventurous young owl, as she plans her first big festival in this popular series.

Upper Elementary Nonfiction Owl Books for Kids

Baby Owls (Bolt: Adorable Animals) by Deanna Caswell – Discover the endearing lives of baby owls as they learn to grow, hunt, and survive in this adorable animal series.

Burrowing Owls by Melissa Hill – Learn all about the unique burrowing owl and how it lives underground in this engaging and informative read.

Great Horned Owls by Doug Wechsler – Explore the fascinating world of great horned owls, including their habitats, behaviors, and hunting techniques.

The Nature Kid’s Guide to Owls by Renata Marie – Compare different characteristics of various owl species while learning fascinating facts about each.

Great Horned Owls: Striking from Above (Deadly Animal Hunters) by Charlotte Taylor – Uncover the hunting prowess of the great horned owl, a fierce predator that strikes from the sky.

On the Hunt with Owls (Ultimate Predators) by Sandra Markle – Join the ultimate predator, the owl, on its nocturnal hunts and learn about its amazing adaptations.

Owls by Nicki Clausen-Grace – Dive into the incredible lives of owls with stunning photographs and interesting facts about their behaviors and habitats.

Owls (Raptors!) by Ethan Danielson – Discover the world of owls and their incredible hunting abilities in this thrilling look at raptor life.

Owls (Birds of Prey) by Janet Davis-Castro – Explore the unique characteristics and powerful hunting skills of owls, one of nature’s most skilled birds of prey.

Upper Elementary Fiction Owl Books for Kids

The Capture by Kathryn Lasky – In the first book of the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series, young barn owl Soren embarks on a journey of courage and friendship as he uncovers a secret owl society.

Play Owl Bingo

Help students learn owl species names and vocabulary terms by playing owl bingo. This free virtual bingo template may be played using Google Slides. Make your own copy, then replace the free images and words with owl images and vocabulary, then reuse the template as many times as you like.

It’s fully customizable when you make your own copy and includes a teacher page, too!

Get my free virtual bingo board!

More Resources for Readers

The best way to encourage a love of reading is to provide kids with many opportunities to engage with a wide variety of books that are of interest to them. At Book and Tech Tips I want to make it easy for you to find great books kids will love. Over the years I’ve also discovered some helpful tools for connecting kids and books.

Online digital libraries are one very handy way to do this. Epic! is one of our favorite online libraries. It’s full of over 25,000 books, learning videos, quizzes and more for kids 12 and under…and it’s free for educators. Click here to learn more and sign up.

Another great free digital library is ReadingIQ. It’s also free for educators and has a wide selection of titles.

If you download the free Libby app, you can access many digital audiobooks from your public library. Audiobooks are perfect for car trips!

Looking for a book that is out of print? Try searching Thriftbooks online. There are over 13 million titles available.

Looking for More Book Ideas?

If you enjoyed this list of owl books for kids, you might like these book lists as well:

Have a wonderful week, and enjoy reading books for kids about baby owls, cute owls, all kinds of owls!

 

 

Lisa Mitchell is a former classroom teacher, now a school librarian, who likes to use her job as an excuse to stay up far too late reading books and noodling around with tech tools. To learn more about what this website has to offer, click on over to the About page.