What we have here is a warm tale about self-confidence, the importance of friendship, and the idea that being different and being yourself is far more interesting and cool than being like everyone else. That's a great message for kids in today's society. There have always been bullies. I was bullied. Some of my friends were bullied. I now know why my bullies were bullies. I understand the psychology behind a bully, but that didn't make it any easier growing up. Luckily for me, I grew up before the internet and before online gaming which meant that my bullying stopped when I got in my mom's car to go home after school. Today, kids can be reached by anyone at anytime. Bullying isn't just confined to school or perhaps in the neighborhood. I think kids have to fend off attacks on their self-esteem from an overwhelming number of places. It's scary for me to send my two boys out into this world when I know what a huge problem this is.
The message of the book is not anything new. Being confident in yourself is a theme that runs through many children's novels. Jennings takes this and brings something outrageous and new to it in the form of the character Toulouse Hulot.
Woody is the kid who gets picked on. The classroom bullies, Garrett and Hubcap torment him everyday. This changes when Mr. Logwood welcomes a new student to their class. Toulouse Hulot is a student who apparently hails from Quebec and who speaks only French. Woody is conflicted at first. Here is a new student who dresses up in fancy suits, hats, and glasses. A student who carries quill pens and inkwells in a briefcase. This student is also short, as Woody says "Like--Kindergarten short". Woody is sure that Toulouse will take some of the attention away from him and be the main target for Garrett and Hubcap. It would be so easy to join in on the bullying that Toulouse is sure to receive, but Woody takes a brave stance and befriends Toulouse. They find that they have many interests in common and even though it brings the bullying back on him, Woody befriends Toulouse. The remainder of the story shows Woody's development into a more confident young man because of his friendship with Toulouse.
Hanging over the entire story is the outrageous premise. If you consider the following a spoiler, I'm sorry, but it's so blatantly obvious, it's really funny. The nitpicker in me has to ask "HOW DOES NO ONE SEE THAT HE'S AN OWL!?" When Woody discovers this at the very end of the story, he gives an explanation about how if you accept something impossible to be true, it can alter your very perception of reality. If you accept that Toulouse, the owl, can paint, play volleyball, talk, write, read, and play accordion, you need to question other facts that you take for granted. To admit that Toulouse is an owl is to admit that the impossible is possible. Despite these questions and long reaching explanations, the book is written so well, you look past it.
This book is a very manageable 149 pages. It moves along quickly. The prose dances around as if set to music. The realistic setting is so expertly written, the students will feel right at home in the classroom with Toulouse and Woody. This comes highly recommended.
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