OWL May/June 2026

Hey Readers, It’s our birthday! OWL has been around for 50 years, and we have YOU to thank for it! That’s why we’re dedicating this special birthday issue to our awesome readers. Get ready to blow out the candles—here’s what’s inside! Learn about all things OWL with a smorgasbord of facts. We’re also sharing staff and reader favourites from past issues! Flip to page 12 for the full scoop. Then check out page 18 for a look at trends from today compared to when OWL started in 1976. Groovy! Next, splash over to page 16 for narwhal facts. Did you know this creature was the first animal ever featured in OWL? Learn what experts know about the narwhal today compared to the year OWL launched. And don’t forget to check…

Dear OWL, My grandma has been sending Chirp, Chickadee, and OWL to my sister and me as birthday presents since I was in kindergarten. We love the magazines, especially the jokes and the cool facts we learn from them. Happy birthday! —Arlo Dear Arlo, I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the cool facts in the magazines! We’ve learned a lot from working on OWL! You can check out our faves on page 13. Happy reading! —Melissa, editor Dear OWL, I love reading OWL. I am very excited for OWL’s fiftieth birthday! —Sebastian Dear Sebastian, We’re so excited to celebrate our birthday with our amazing readers! Thanks for writing in. —Melissa, editor…

May 22, 1980 The PAC-MAN video game is released in select arcades in Tokyo, Japan. After a successful launch, the game hits North America later that year and becomes one of the most popular video games in the world! June 26, 1498: Chinese Emperor Hongzhi invents the first bristle toothbrush using hog hair and bamboo.  May 11, 1927: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is formed in Los Angeles, US, to recognize movies. The Academy hosts its first awards ceremony, the Oscars, two years later. June 21, 1996: The first official National Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated in Canada. The day is chosen for its significance to Indigenous culture and heritage.…

YOU GET A CARD AND YOU GET A CARD AND… YOU’VE GOT MAIL Birthday cards for all! Last year, an art corresponded to the visitor’s own birthday. gallery in Australia set up a birthday-themed exhibit created by artist Hikoko Ito. The exhibition had 366 mailboxes—one for each day of the year, including February 29 (which is leap day!). Visitors were asked to get creative and make birthday cards. Each card was placed in the mailbox that When other visitors stopped by the museum, they were encouraged to take a card from the mailbox that matched their birthday. With that, they received a birthday card from a stranger! That visitor then designed a new card to place back in the mailbox for a future guest to find. Make a card, take a card.…

MOVIES Toy Story 5 The toys are back! Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the rest of the gang face a brand-new challenge to the world of toys: technology! When a tablet named Lilypad arrives in the mail, the group must work together to face their fear of the unknown. Catch the electric action in theatres June 19! GAMES Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Suit up to help protect Gotham City in this open-world adventure game. Join young Bruce Wayne on his journey to become Batman as he trains, makes allies, and battles notorious villains like the Joker and Bane. Available on Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation May 29! APPS Top Picks Make and learn with these apps. Night Sky Use your phone to identify stars, planets, and…

Way Back When OWL was founded in 1976 by Annabel Slaight and Mary-Anne Brinkmann of the Young Naturalist Foundation. We asked Annabel about their mission for creating the magazine. Here’s what she said! “We started OWL to help kids feel a real, deep connection to nature and the amazing world around them. That spark grew into a family of magazines, including Chirp and Chickadee, helping kids to explore their would with curiocity.” Check out the very FIRST OWL cover! OWL looks different 50 years later! But our 1976 mission to create a fun and inspiring magazine remains the same. I READ IT IN OWL! OWL staffers share some weird, wild, and downright fascinating things they’ve learned while working on the magazine. When spadefoot toads feel threatened, a chemical oozes out of their…