Focus Question

In The Owl Moon, the tension of the story pulls the reader along because children and adults alike really want to see the owl and experience owling through the perspective of the child in the story.  The tension is beautifully done by the author because it seems effortless and isn't right in the reader's face, but instead invites them to follow along on their own terms.  The author also recognizes that it is difficult to resist such a unique experience as seeing an owl at night with your father, so it is not a common occurrence for most people.
The place in the story is also vitally important because it is a common place hosting a truly uncommon moment.  Anyone can find woods covered in snow that is from the midwest, so it is a setting students can create mental images as the story is read.  The mental images really enhance the literary experience in the classroom.  The place is not some made-up far-away place that readers struggle to imagine.  It is a place that exists and readers can tailor it to fit their own experiences or preferences.
The point of view also is crucial to the story because it is a young girl, who is owling with her father and who has never seen an owl.  She is so anxious to finally see an owl and the moment of finally seeing one is so climatic that the reader is happy for her.  She seems so small within the huge woods and all the massive snow.  It is a small character to mirror a small, but perfect moment in time of seeing an owl.