This is a mopoke.

A small owl native to Australia, Philip Bunting’s imagined mopoke is a sardonic little character who’d like to be left alone, but unfortunately, no matter how high your branch, you can’t always get what you want.

Mopoke is an absolute hoot. In its earthy palette and visual humour it is Klassen-esque (a description I do not use lightly). It is perfectly paced for sharing with children of any age and as you turn the pages the inventive wordplay builds to a satisfying, crashing crescendo.

Mopoke, by Philip Bunting, published by Scholastic, is available in September.