The White Raven
Text & illustrations copyright © 2026 Kathryn Otoshi
Published in 2026 by Red Comet Press, LLC, Brooklyn, NY
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2025935236
ISBN (HB): 978-1-63655-194-4
ISBN (EBOOK): 978-1-63655-195-1
COMET PRESS • BROOKLYN
If a raven is born different,
what could happen?
Will its mother PROTECT it . . .
or REJECT it?
Will its brothers ACCEPT it . . .
or PECK it?
If it’s chased by other ravens . . .
is that FAIR?
Or cast out by its flock . . .
will it CARE?
If a raven feels lonely, will it cry?
If a child finds the raven,
what could happen?
Will she KEEP it . . .
or LEAVE it?
Will she HELP it . . .
or TEASE it?
Can a heart that’s been hurt . . .
MEND?
Or a spirit that’s been broken . . .
trust AGAIN?
Will this raven stretch its wings and fly?
If this raven flies free,
what could happen?
Will it find a ROOST . . .
or ROAM?
or live ALONE?
Can fears be overcome . . .
Will this raven find the strength .
. .
to rise ABOVE?
If this raven flies from darkness and into the light . . .
what could happen?
AUTHOR’S NOTE
In real life, ravens are sometimes born white.
This can be caused by leucism, a condition where the raven’s eyes will be dark or a startling blue and its feathers mottled or even all white. A bird born different can be ostracized by its flock, which can lead to that bird living its entire life alone.
Since the collective noun for a group of ravens is called an unkindness, it seemed to me that a raven born with leucism would most certainly be rejected by its own. Instead, I discovered that there are thriving families of white ravens spotted in both Alaska and Canada.
I wondered why some birds with this condition might be able to find a mate and start a family, while others could not. The questions raised in The White Raven aim to foster critical thinking and encourage open discussions. How do we treat those we deem different from ourselves? Can wounds be healed when touched with compassion? Our spirits are lifted when self-acceptance is embraced.
This is a story about a raven who soars.
Dedicated to my mom, Haruko Shirley Otoshi, who passed on to me her love of books and reading.
~K.O.
—Katherine Applegate Newbery Award–winning author of The One and Only Ivan
“Th impossibly beau l book celebrates the joy and freed of self-acceptance. A universal and deeply m ing st y that adul and children alike will cher h.”
