How We Met: a reading guide

Before you read

• Look at the cover together. Who can you see? Where do you think the little owl lives?
• Tell children there's a line to join in with: "Wait! Wait for me!" Each time it comes, they can say it with you. Listen for how it changes at the very end.

Questions to talk about

1. Pages 6 and 7Niko loved Willowbrook, but "something was missing." What do you think was missing? Have you ever felt like that?
2. Pages 8 to 11Niko hears a little voice, but when he looks left and right, nobody is there. Before you turn the page, ask: where do you think the voice is coming from?
3. Pages 12 and 13Luna has just moved to Willowbrook. How do you think it feels to be new somewhere? What could you do to help someone who is new?
4. Pages 12 to 15Luna tries spinning like Niko and lands Flump! in the leaves. Then they laugh until their tummies hurt. Were they laughing at each other or together? How can you tell?
5. Pages 16 to 19Luna thinks her tufts are her ears. Niko says they're feathers. Who do you think is right? (The "Did you know?" page at the back has the answer.)
6. Pages 20 and 21Shelly's acorn bounces off Niko's nose, and she calls "Oops! Sorry!" What did Shelly do when something went wrong by accident?
7. Pages 22 and 23Shelly wants to join Niko and Luna "because you are kind" and "very, very funny." What makes someone a good friend?
8. Pages 24 and 25Niko calls them "the Three Paws," but Luna says "I have feet, not paws!" Why is that funny? Is it still a good name for the friends?
9. Pages 28 and 29"Friends come in all shapes and sizes." How are Niko, Luna and Shelly different from each other? How are they the same?

Three words to talk about

The story has three new words, each explained by the pictures or the words around it. Point to it, say it together, and ask your child to use it in a sentence of their own.

hollow

A hole inside a tree, a bit like a little room. Luna peeks out of a hollow in the old oak tree. (Pages 10 and 11)

tufts

Small bunches of feathers, hair or grass that stick up close together. Luna has two feathery tufts on top of her head. (Pages 16 to 19)

brook

A small stream of water. The friends splash across "the babbling brook": babbling is the bubbly, chattery sound the water makes. Can your child hear the brook hiding in the name Willowbrook? (Pages 26 and 27)

Activities after reading

Draw yourself as the fourth friend

The free Three Paws coloring book has a page called "Draw yourself as the fourth friend," where children draw themselves joining Niko, Luna and Shelly. Ask them what they would bring to the group: floppy ears, a fluffy tail, or something all their own? Let them tell you about their drawing.

Get the free 12-page coloring book

Make a welcome card

Luna was new in Willowbrook and looking for a friend. Make a card or a picture for someone new: a classmate, a neighbor or a new baby in the family. Talk about what Niko did to make Luna feel welcome. He laughed with her, told her his name, and said, "Then you came to the right place."

Listen like an owl

Cup your hands behind your ears and listen to a quiet sound, like a ticking clock or rain outside. Then take your hands away. Does it sound different? The ring of feathers around many owls' faces helps gather sound for their hidden ears. Read more in Do owls have ears? Owl facts to share with kids.

All shapes and sizes

Draw a simple chart with four columns: Niko, Luna, Shelly and your child. Fill in a row for ears, a row for tails, and a row for paws or feet. Then add a row for "good at": Niko sniffs out trails, Luna sees well in the dark, and Shelly can climb anything. What is your child good at? Talk about how friends who are good at different things make a good team.

More for grown-ups

• Meet the Three Paws: who Niko, Luna and Shelly are, and what each of them loves.
• Owl facts to share with kids: hidden ears, silent wings and feet, not paws.
• About the book: format, what's inside, and a look at three spreads.