With a baking tray belted to his small, feathery body, a saucepan for a helmet, and a wooden spoon brandished in wing, young Owl's desire to become a knight is clear from the first spread. His is a medieval owl family; his mother, wearing a white wimple, eyes his armor while holding a tray of dead mice. Eager Owl's chance comes when knights start to go missing in the kingdom and applications are solicited. Though his size makes training challenging (adorable vignettes show Owl struggling with a sword, then flattened under "even the smallest shield"), the bird's biological clock is perfectly suited to night watch responsibilities, and he soon encounters the dragon that seems responsible for the shrinking knight population. "You look like a midnight snack," the dragon tells Owl, menacingly, but Owl foils the dragon's violence with a surprising charm offensive that proves more effective than skilled swordplay. Through delicately conveyed firelight, deep shadows, and even an imagined tapestry, Denise (Sleepytime Me) provides this cracking tale with illustrations that feel like fully fleshed animated classics as Owl's actions subvert a traditional conflict story line. Ages 4--8. Agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management. (Mar.)

Although young Owl is quite small, he has great dreams of becoming a knight. So, when he sees a parchment advertising Knight School, he knows he has to apply. To the surprise of all, he is accepted, and his journey begins. Painting-like digital illustrations conjure the medieval setting and expertly utilize scale, emphasizing Owl's diminutive size to adorable effect. Though an excellent student, Owl struggles with certain parts of training--handling a shield and a sword, staying awake during the day. Nevertheless, he graduates with honor and is placed on the castle's Knight Night Watch, a job at which he excels. Late one night, a hulking, hungry dragon descends upon the ramparts with plans of having Owl for a midnight snack. Denise dials up the suspense in his illustrations, as the enormous dragon leans out of the shadows and over a glowing fire toward Owl. It takes some quick thinking, but Owl proves himself both clever and brave in the solution he devises, which saves not only his life but the other members of the Knight Night Watch, as well. In his first solo picture book, Denise gives youngsters an old-fashioned story with an amusing twist and a cute-as-a-button protagonist that charms on every level. This will satisfy a wide range of readers, from Dragons Love Tacos fans to wannabe knights.

A young owl achieves his grand ambition. Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has "a habit of nodding off during the day." Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one's size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon's fodder, leaving readers to question Owl's decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters' facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise's accomplished digital illustrations--many of which are full bleeds--often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama. A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.