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Owly #4
A Time to Be Brave
Owly is a kind, yet lonely little owl who knows what it means to be human.
The fourth graphic novel in the award-winning, all-ages series tells the story of a new visitor to the forest. He may be misunderstood because of how he looks, but things aren't always what they seem, and everyone soon finds out that the power of friendship can fix just about anything.
Relying on a mixture of symbols, icons and expressions, Andy Runton's animated and heartwarming style makes it a perfect read.
The fourth graphic novel in the award-winning, all-ages series tells the story of a new visitor to the forest. He may be misunderstood because of how he looks, but things aren't always what they seem, and everyone soon finds out that the power of friendship can fix just about anything.
Relying on a mixture of symbols, icons and expressions, Andy Runton's animated and heartwarming style makes it a perfect read.
129 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
37 people are currently reading
705 people want to read
About the author
Andy Runton
48 books147 followersAndy is the creator of the breakout all-ages series of graphic novels, Owly, featuring a kind-hearted little owl who's always searching for new friends and adventure. Relying on a mixture of symbols and expressions to tell his silent stories, Andy?s work showcases both his gift for characterization and his love of birds, animals, and the outdoors. His animated and heartwarming style has made him a favorite of both fans and critics alike.
The Owly series has earned him multiple awards in the comics and graphic novel community, including the Howard E. Day Memorial Prize, the Harvey Award, two Ignatz Awards, and the 2006 Eisner Award for "Best Publication for a Younger Audience". He lives in the greater Atlanta area, where he works full-time on Owly comics, books, and graphic novels.
The Owly series has earned him multiple awards in the comics and graphic novel community, including the Howard E. Day Memorial Prize, the Harvey Award, two Ignatz Awards, and the 2006 Eisner Award for "Best Publication for a Younger Audience". He lives in the greater Atlanta area, where he works full-time on Owly comics, books, and graphic novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
October 28, 2024
The little opossum may look different...but that does not mean he is bad. Great lesson for small children. Owly book are wonderful to help you teach small children important lessons that center around friendship and kindness. A heartwarming series that makes for great bedtime story reading. Very cute illustrations!
May 13, 2022
Picked by my 7-year-old grandson for our mother-daughters-grandson book club for May, 2022. It's a very sweet story about being brave and helping others. Colorfully illustrated.
August 14, 2011
This was the first Owly book I've read. I love the fact that it uses very few words and allows for your imagination to fill in the rest. The message of acceptance is amazing and I wish everyone could be as giving and accepting as Owly. Definitely a new favourite series and one that I will be passing on!
September 25, 2011
Owly: A Time to be Brave, is a visually simplistic, yet whimsical, graphic novel about a cute owl and his friends overcoming their visceral reaction to a new creature living in their forest. The author's approach to conveying heavy themes, such as acceptance, through only visual media is a nice change from heavily text-based didactic tales. Young readers will delight in the expressive drawings that convey the thoughts of the characters so effectively. This novel is a great way of starting conversations with children about acceptance and understanding of people ( or cultures) that are different. Older readers will be able to think more critically about how the topic is presented in only visually, and how that makes it a more approachable topic. All school libraries should have at least one copy of an Owly novel. This thought-provoking, yet entirely adorable, artwork appeals to readers of all ages. Highly Recommended for ages 4-10.
June 19, 2009
This was the first graphic novel I had ever read. I was able to follow the plot and understand why students of all grades like them. I feel that this and other graphic novels will be an asset to my bookshelves. I believe it will be especially beneficial to my new ESOL students. The message of not fearing what we don't understand is something my students will be able to understand by reading the pictures. I gave this book a 5
May 10, 2012
This wordless graphic novel is so cute you might just die. I mean it, Owly and his little friends are so ADORABLE you just want to SQUEEZE THEM! My seven year old loved it as well, and now he wants to get the others!
June 29, 2013
A sad opossum is all alone and wants someone to play with! I could have cried for days! Luckily Owly and his pal Wormy realise Opossum isn't a big scary dragon and wind up making friends with him. Adorable art and very eloquent wordless storytelling about the importance of friendship.
March 8, 2021
Reading the Owly series has helped soften my heart toward the wild animals in my neighborhood. It always piques my interest when Mrs. Raccoon gets out her encyclopedia set, and I enjoyed learning about the playful opossum. This volume shares a great story about overcoming fear to make new friends.
August 5, 2024
5 stars
I love the message of being brave in scary moments, always trying to be helpful and that you have to get to know someone before making decisions about them. Owly is such a sweet soul and it was wonderful how we got to see him live his life with friends. It’s also nice how Mrs. Raccoon played a more upfront role in this book too.
I love the message of being brave in scary moments, always trying to be helpful and that you have to get to know someone before making decisions about them. Owly is such a sweet soul and it was wonderful how we got to see him live his life with friends. It’s also nice how Mrs. Raccoon played a more upfront role in this book too.
January 21, 2021
Volume four deals with different kinds of fear: imaginary monsters, new experiences, worry that things might hurt, and unfamiliar faces. It is all overcome with kindness and understanding.
Adorably heart-rending.
Adorably heart-rending.
February 23, 2014
In volume 4 of Andy Runton’s charming wordless graphic novel series, Owly, Vol 4: A Time to Be Brave, we continue to follow the adventures of Owly and his best friend Wormy as they learn an important life lesson: accepting others despite their differences.
In this book, we meet Opossum- a new creature to the forest who is very shy and often misunderstood because of the way he looks. Owly and Wormy try to reach out to him, but again, the animal is scared of Owly. Through acts of kindness, Owly and Wormy convince the opossum that they are good and new friendships are made.
The illustrations follow Runton’s whimsical, animated style that perfectly capture the characters’ emotions and bring the story to life. Through his framed images, a few sound words, and dialogue-like representations, the reader is instantly drawn in. He has a true gift for characterization!
I fell in love with Owly and his series the first time I saw him. He is an innocently sweet owl who has a heart of gold. His interactions with his best friend Wormy and the many other forest creatures they encounter are sure to melt the heart of its readers. This story follows the themes of friendship and acceptance as Owly and Wormy must be brave in accepting a new forest friend who is very different. It is perfect for all age levels as even the youngest of readers can easily understand what is going on. As a teacher, this book is perfect for introducing young children to skills such as “reading the pictures” and for teaching older children skills like inferencing. This award-winning series is not one to be missed!
In this book, we meet Opossum- a new creature to the forest who is very shy and often misunderstood because of the way he looks. Owly and Wormy try to reach out to him, but again, the animal is scared of Owly. Through acts of kindness, Owly and Wormy convince the opossum that they are good and new friendships are made.
The illustrations follow Runton’s whimsical, animated style that perfectly capture the characters’ emotions and bring the story to life. Through his framed images, a few sound words, and dialogue-like representations, the reader is instantly drawn in. He has a true gift for characterization!
I fell in love with Owly and his series the first time I saw him. He is an innocently sweet owl who has a heart of gold. His interactions with his best friend Wormy and the many other forest creatures they encounter are sure to melt the heart of its readers. This story follows the themes of friendship and acceptance as Owly and Wormy must be brave in accepting a new forest friend who is very different. It is perfect for all age levels as even the youngest of readers can easily understand what is going on. As a teacher, this book is perfect for introducing young children to skills such as “reading the pictures” and for teaching older children skills like inferencing. This award-winning series is not one to be missed!
December 19, 2011
Andy Runton's Owly Volume 4: A Time to Be Brave by Andy Runton is a popular book for ALL AGES. This book talks about the kindness of this kind owl named Owly and his pal Wormy who had just finished reading a fairy tale book about a knight defeating a dragon. Wormy is scared of the dragon but Owly reminds him that there's no such thing as a dragon. But the problem is, when they see a possum, Wormy thinks he's a dragona and the possum is scared of Owly. Will Owly be friends with the possum and will Wormy be not afraid of the possum?
I picked up this book because I wanted to continue the Owly series.
I finished this book because I can't let go of the book. It was too awesome!
I think I would recommend this to Kelly because I don't know why but for some reason, she relates to Owly.
I picked up this book because I wanted to continue the Owly series.
I finished this book because I can't let go of the book. It was too awesome!
I think I would recommend this to Kelly because I don't know why but for some reason, she relates to Owly.
March 25, 2014
I thought this was the first book in the series when my librarian handed me this delightful graphic novel. A Time to Be Brave is the story of Owly (an owl) Wormy (a worm) and their other animal friends as they confront their fear and prejudices. I make it sound way more heavy than it is.
I'm a huge fan of comics and graphic novels and I think Owly is deservedly recognized as some of the best in the genre. It is aimed squarely at elementary school age children but it is unique in that it is equally accessible to both younger and older students.
I also like how it emphasizes every reading skill but literacy. By telling the story w/ barely any words it forces the reader to dig deeper into the context of the story and the images to derive meaning.
I think this is a great book for anyone who is in school and I'm going to pester my librarian for the rest of them.
I'm a huge fan of comics and graphic novels and I think Owly is deservedly recognized as some of the best in the genre. It is aimed squarely at elementary school age children but it is unique in that it is equally accessible to both younger and older students.
I also like how it emphasizes every reading skill but literacy. By telling the story w/ barely any words it forces the reader to dig deeper into the context of the story and the images to derive meaning.
I think this is a great book for anyone who is in school and I'm going to pester my librarian for the rest of them.
October 13, 2014
As a child, I would have absolutely loved this. As a teenager, I still love it! Each and every volume of Owly has been amazing and joyful. It tells of the lengths one would go to obtain and maintain a friendship with someone using cute characters!
My favourite character is Owly (of course, but I've been an owl fan for years), but I also really like Wormy. Wormy's very kind. Even when he had to give up a few things to make someone else happy, he smiled and wiped away his tears for a better cause. Awesome characters!
Aside from all that, I don't know too much about panels and angles, etc. I'd recommend this (whole series) to everyone. Even if you're not a kid, it's still a cute and enjoyable read!
My favourite character is Owly (of course, but I've been an owl fan for years), but I also really like Wormy. Wormy's very kind. Even when he had to give up a few things to make someone else happy, he smiled and wiped away his tears for a better cause. Awesome characters!
Aside from all that, I don't know too much about panels and angles, etc. I'd recommend this (whole series) to everyone. Even if you're not a kid, it's still a cute and enjoyable read!
March 20, 2008
Owly's back, as adorable as ever. This volume is a little harder to follow than previous stories, if only because Runton is presenting more complicated ideas in his pictorial speech. It's hard to get across "You put up this cage and now I'm stuck and can't get what I want and I'm hurt so I'm mad at you" when you don't have any text to work with.
Even more than the friend-positive, help-others-even-if-they're-mean-to-you message, this book is about cute. Really, really cute. I mean it. Runton may as well give up on telling stories and just draw his forest animals over and over, and I'd still buy his books for the sheer joy of seeing Owly, Wormy, and the rest of the crew.
Even more than the friend-positive, help-others-even-if-they're-mean-to-you message, this book is about cute. Really, really cute. I mean it. Runton may as well give up on telling stories and just draw his forest animals over and over, and I'd still buy his books for the sheer joy of seeing Owly, Wormy, and the rest of the crew.
September 27, 2009
I found this book while I happened to be looking for a different one. Owly is wordless except for a few brief frames. It used questions marks to the characters' confusion and worry, and it used an exclamation mark for surprise and excitement. The stor focused on friendship and helping those in need. It showed how animals can be misunderstood like the oppossum who I wasn't even sure what it was until the story clarified it for me. As I read, I found myself becoming more aware of the strategies I was using for comprehension. I also noticed that I started to create the words to the story/plot as I went through the pages. This would be great to teach inferencing to students.
February 25, 2010
My first thought was to say the Owly tales illustrate the power of optimism, but that’s true only so much as Owly’s attitude motivates his actions. Really, this is a series of stories about unrelenting giving, compassion, and friendship. Very simple, wordless stories with adorable art (I say adorable as someone who doesn’t do saccharine or cloying). Following the sequence and understanding all the messages implied by the symbols that stand in for words when dialogue occurs can still be a sophisticated reading task, but with the right experience or older helper, these are great for kids of all ages.
February 1, 2013
31 January 2013
Owly, Vol. 4: A Time to Be Brave is probably my favorite book in the series thus far. With each volume, Andy Runton amazes me how his simplistic, adorable artwork can convey such thought-provoking lessons with nary a word.
In this volume, Owly and Wormy taught us about bravery and kindness. I want to know where this forest is because all of the creatures are so thoughtful and kind. I'd love to live in their world. I adored the possum so, so much. I love these stories and hope there will never be an end to these little treasures. Owly and friends fill me with an all-over warm and fuzzy feeling.
Owly, Vol. 4: A Time to Be Brave is probably my favorite book in the series thus far. With each volume, Andy Runton amazes me how his simplistic, adorable artwork can convey such thought-provoking lessons with nary a word.
In this volume, Owly and Wormy taught us about bravery and kindness. I want to know where this forest is because all of the creatures are so thoughtful and kind. I'd love to live in their world. I adored the possum so, so much. I love these stories and hope there will never be an end to these little treasures. Owly and friends fill me with an all-over warm and fuzzy feeling.
July 28, 2015
Amazing. Simply amazing that the author can do so much without words. I found myself speaking the dialogue as if every word bubble were filled with language instead of pictures. And it wasn't easy! I had to take my time on a few more cryptic frames.
My only complaint is a character is crying on just about every page. But I get it, and it doesn't deter from the meaning nor meaningfulness of the story. I will definitely be buying these.
I think it'd be great fun to have students write a script for the Owly books and share them with others. Or "read" them to a younger class. Can't wait to try these with my 5th/6th graders.
My only complaint is a character is crying on just about every page. But I get it, and it doesn't deter from the meaning nor meaningfulness of the story. I will definitely be buying these.
I think it'd be great fun to have students write a script for the Owly books and share them with others. Or "read" them to a younger class. Can't wait to try these with my 5th/6th graders.
March 11, 2016
The fourth graphic novel in the award-winning, all-ages series tells the story of new visitor to the forest. He may be misunderstood because of how he looks, but things aren't always what they seem, and everyone soon finds out that the power of friendship can fix just about anything. Relying on a mixture of symbols, icons and expressions to tell his silent stories, Andy Runton's clean, animated and heartwarming style makes it a perfect read for anyone who's a fan of Jeff Smith's Bone or Mike Kunkel's Herobear and the Kid. Already winning fans around the world, Owly is not to be missed.
March 24, 2008
Okay, I realize every Owly book is pretty much the exact same story with different animal friends, but that's what makes them so endearing. This time, it's a possum's turn to be scared of Owly. As usual, everything turns out lovely in the end. The sheer cuteness of this series makes me want to squeal, but the sad moments (mostly of Owly being misunderstood as a predator) make this more than a cutesy, mindless romp.
May 13, 2008
Wordless graphic novel-- and FUN. Owly and his worm friend read a book about dragons-- which makes them start to fear their own shadows! They play ball outside and end up hurting a tree, which they have to fix and put a fence around. When they go to bed, the hear the ball bouncing... but nobody is outside that they know of. Could it be a dragon?
I'm starting to get the hang of how to read these. It actually takes a lot of concentration to figure out what's going on.
I'm starting to get the hang of how to read these. It actually takes a lot of concentration to figure out what's going on.
April 24, 2009
More Owly! I grabbed this for my daughter's Easter basket and was not dissappointed. Having not yet read Volumes 1 & 2, I found that this volume gave us some more backstory and insight into Owly and Wormy's relationship.
This time the new comer to Owly's neck of the woods is a little less timid and mistaken as a dragon by over-imaginative Wormy.
I'm beginning to wonder if Wormy getting bonked on the head is a running theme however.
This time the new comer to Owly's neck of the woods is a little less timid and mistaken as a dragon by over-imaginative Wormy.
I'm beginning to wonder if Wormy getting bonked on the head is a running theme however.
July 23, 2012
There is a new animal living in the forest, but he is very misunderstood. After Owly and friends read a fairy tale about a Dragon, Wormy becomes afraid of Dragons. When Wormy sees the new animal, Possum, Wormy thinks he is a Dragon and becomes afraid. Owly, Wormy and friends later learn that you can't judge by appearances.
This is a really nice series. Owly is a kind and caring owl, wanting to befriend everyone he meets. I enjoyed this volume just as much as the others.
This is a really nice series. Owly is a kind and caring owl, wanting to befriend everyone he meets. I enjoyed this volume just as much as the others.
August 20, 2016
Wormy’s imagination gets the better of him, and after being read a story about dragons, he sees dragons everywhere. But with the help of his friends and some factual information, he soon realizes the danger is only in his own mind. In fact, he becomes so brave, that when another creature is trouble, he is the first to respond. This all-ages graphic novel does indeed have something that will appeal to all ages as well as a lesson to ponder.
March 8, 2024
One of my favorite childhood series. Such a sweet story.
December 3, 2019
After reading a spooky story to his little friend Wormy, Owly must assure his friend that there are no such things as monsters. After going outside later to take his mind off of monster thoughts, they discover there is something in the woods; something that is not human nor animal. It is in the hands of Owly to step up, be brave, and show his friend wormy what true friendship and heroism is all about!
As a new reader to graphic novels, this was a great way to dive into this genre. From the adorable characters to the surprisingly capturing story line, it was an enjoyable and easy-to-navigate graphic novel. I would recommend this book to readers who are just getting started on graphic novel series.
Other books I would connect this to would of course have to be the other books in the "Owly" series. Each Owly book is another adventure with new characters introduced throughout each. Another book would be the "Bad Kitty" graphic novels because of it's similar genre, humor, and animals as main characters.
I would use this book as a mentor text for students just beginning to read graphic novels. I would use text features such as dialogue, dialogue bubbles, print layout, and graphics as way to compare and contrast features of graphic novels to other novels we are more familiar with reading.
As a new reader to graphic novels, this was a great way to dive into this genre. From the adorable characters to the surprisingly capturing story line, it was an enjoyable and easy-to-navigate graphic novel. I would recommend this book to readers who are just getting started on graphic novel series.
Other books I would connect this to would of course have to be the other books in the "Owly" series. Each Owly book is another adventure with new characters introduced throughout each. Another book would be the "Bad Kitty" graphic novels because of it's similar genre, humor, and animals as main characters.
I would use this book as a mentor text for students just beginning to read graphic novels. I would use text features such as dialogue, dialogue bubbles, print layout, and graphics as way to compare and contrast features of graphic novels to other novels we are more familiar with reading.
August 13, 2022
Owly and her friends are reading a knight and dragon story, but they stop when they realize Wormy is scared of the dragon. They go outside to play ball. There, Wormy sees a new creature (an opossum) that looks like a dragon. Later that night, Owly and Wormy hear a strange noise outside. After investigating, they see the opossum has it's hand stuck in a fence. Wormy must be brave and help the opossum...and the next morning, they become friends!
A very sweet (almost wordless) graphic novel that is great for grades 2-4.
I believe the original graphic novel is in black and white and is wordless. The Graphix edition is in full color with some text (although Owly only speaks in pictographs).
A very sweet (almost wordless) graphic novel that is great for grades 2-4.
I believe the original graphic novel is in black and white and is wordless. The Graphix edition is in full color with some text (although Owly only speaks in pictographs).
April 28, 2024
We are so proud of you for reading "A Time to Be Brave" by Andy Runton! This wonderful story shows us that bravery isn't just for heroes in big situations, but it's also for everyday moments when we need to stand up for what's right or try something new. Like the characters who discover their courage, you too can be brave when facing new challenges, whether it's at school, during play, or even when meeting new friends. Remember, being brave means doing the right thing even when it's difficult, and we know you have a big heart and lots of courage to share!
Lots of hugs and encouragement,
Mom and Dad
Lots of hugs and encouragement,
Mom and Dad
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews