First Came the Owl — Judith Benet Richardson

When Nita's mother becomes depressed after a trip to her native Thailand, shy ten-year-old Nita feels lost. But one day a snowy owl appears in the dunes near their home, and from then on, Nita finds herself doing things she never would have done before. She even wins the lead in the school play, entering a world where her shyness seems to disappear.

Incorporating images of a majestic snowy owl, the serenity of Snow White, and the quiet beauty of Thai orchids, this is a moving and vividly realistic story of one girl's personal triumph.