Orris and Timble: Lost and Found

K-Gr 3–In the second of a projected trilogy in DiCamillo’s “Orris and Timble” easy reader series, Orris, a rat, lives with his treasures in an abandoned barn, in a nest he built from the pages of discarded books. Every night, Orris’s young owl friend, Timble, comes to the barn. Sitting together, Orris shares a good story about a princess who promises her friend that by the light of the stars and the moon, she will always return. Touched by the story, Timble wonders if he and Orris can travel to the stars and the moon—but Orris says Timble’s probably stuck on earth with him. However, their funny, sweet friendship is tested when Timble doesn’t come for two nights. Feeling disappointed, lonely, and hurt, Orris declares he’s done with friendship. Then Timble returns with a story to share. DiCamillo’s short chapters and simple sentences, paired with Mok’s spare, sepia-toned, neatly drawn pictures of barnyard settings, will appeal to early elementary readers, and younger if shared as a read-aloud.