The Owl Who Never Said I Don’t Know: discussion sheet

Part Two: The Muddles · about 6 minutes to read aloud · Theme: honest uncertainty

A clockwork owl in the library answers every question in a warm, sure voice. It would rather invent a book than say “I don’t know”, until it learns to show its sources.

Choose a question to talk over, or try the activity with words and pictures.

Start here

Why does the Owl invent a book instead of saying it does not know?

Go further

The Owl says sorry, and Marta does not say that everything is all right. What does the Owl still owe her after the apology?

Make something

Write the Owl’s first reply to Marta again, this time without inventing a book. Give it one useful question to ask her and one place to look.

Read The Owl Who Never Said I Don’t Know online: youngmachines.org/read/fables/the-owl-who-never-said-i-don-t-know/