The Charm of Owly for the Pre-Reader

If you are are interested in the comic format for the youngest pre-reader, ages 4-6, take at look at Owly by Andy Runton. On his website you can see limited previews of some of the books. The first Owly book came out in about 2004. The Owly series is almost wordless, but can be used to introduce visual literacy, oral language, and directionality to the youngest of readers.
Use shared reading between a parent, older sibling, or preschool teacher and the child. The Owly series are snuggle up and read together books. Share your thoughts aloud with the child and have the child do the same as you go through each panel. Shared reading helps develop phonology, fluency, content, and comprehension. Shared reading is also great for learners with diverse backgrounds. Owly was the winner of the 2006 Eisner Award for "Best Publication For A Younger Audience".

The characters could be described as "sweet" with human characteristics. The theme is often friendship, love, or overcoming obstacles. The series is published by Top Shelf and is available in hardbound or paperback but not library bound. The books are in black and white and usually have about 160 pages which is a lot for a pre-reader. For those youngsters with a limited attention span, it would be best to read the series in stages. The fifth book in the series was published in 2009 and is Owly Tiny Tales.