Brave Enough for Two

Olive is a little girl who, when it comes to adventure, prefers “the kind found in books.” But her best friend, a stuffed owl named Hoot, promises her that he is “brave enough for both of us” and convinces her to come along on an escapade that starts with hot-air ballooning (powered by a multitude of birthday balloons) and ends on the high seas, with the balloon’s basket as the boat. In his author-illustrator debut, Voss (illustrator of Sally Walker’s Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh) tells a supportive story of friendship and taking chances, illustrated in burnished-toned compositions that take on a cinematic expansiveness. Hoot’s initial gallantry and protectiveness is sweet (“We can never be lost,” he says, “As long as I’m here and you’re there, and here and there aren’t very far apart”), but in the end, it’s Olive who proves to be the steadfastly brave one: “I was afraid today …But you were brave. And you kept me safe,” says Hoot. “Don’t ever be afraid,” Olive replies, “I’ll always keep you safe.” Ages 4–8. Agent: Catherine Drayton, InkWell Management. (June)