Grade 1-4 This deceptively simple tale is a wise little book with a relevant message for contemporary children. Folks laughed at old Jake, who lived alone in the far north woods of Canada, for all he could talk about was owls. Then one day Jake is needed, for \"Every shop and home in the village is full of owls.\" In a dramatic scene filled with churning wind, flying feathers, and wild hoots, Jake scatters hundreds of owls from the town hall. Bozzie, the mayor"s son, carries the town"s thanks and apologies to Jake and asks Jake to teach him to be an owl-scatterer. More than just a good tale, this story is about the special relationship between the very young and the very old, about mutual respect among different species of life, and about how skills that are lost may at sometime become vital to survival. The tale itself is simply written, and while neither the writing nor the plot is distinguished, together they possess a quality that raises this book above average. McCurdy"s wood engravings capture the essence of the story, fit well with the type of tale and its setting, and help to bring the characters and the town of Big Footprint Lake alive. Constance A. Mellon, Department of Library & Information Studies, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.