Book cover of Ask Wise Old Owlie: Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen? A watercolor illustration of a barn owl flying through lush green treetops against a blue sky.

A children's book

Ask Wise Old Owlie

Why Does GOD Allow Bad Things to Happen?

Written by Erika Seibert Iliev · Illustrated by Anna Woodson

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on Kindle Paperback
Coming Soon

A Story Born from Real Questions

When a little boy lost his daddy, he had questions—hard, honest questions that didn’t come with easy answers. His mother, a young widow, couldn’t explain away the pain. But she could point him to Someone higher.

Ask Wise Old Owlie is a parable told through the eyes of a child searching for understanding and an owl who answers with gentle, timeless wisdom. Born from real conversations between a grieving mother and her young son, this story offers children and their caregivers a way to talk about suffering, loss, and GOD’s faithfulness—even when life doesn’t make sense.

The book features beautiful watercolor illustrations by Anna Woodson, a talented artist at The Master’s University, whose art brings the lush forest world of Owlie to vivid, warm life on every page.

“Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” — James 1:2–3

Simple enough for young minds, deep enough for adults, Ask Wise Old Owlie is a resource for families walking through grief, uncertainty, or any season where a child looks up and asks, “Why?”

About Erika

Erika Seibert Iliev, the author, sitting at a table with copies of Ask Wise Old Owlie and a small owl nightlight.

Erika Seibert Iliev is a wife, homeschooling mother of four boys, and a graduate of The Master’s University with a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies. She is the author of On Loan from the LORD, A Memoir of the Life and Ministry of J.D. Seibert.

After the death of her first husband, Josh, from a rare genetic disease, Erika found herself navigating grief alongside her young sons. Out of those conversations—the raw, real ones where children ask the hardest questions—the story of Wise Old Owlie was born. Her son Nathan loved the tale so much, he asked her to make it into a book one day.

Today, Erika lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband Lance and their family. She writes about faith, family, and GOD’s faithfulness at This Thorny Rose.

Meet the Author

Erika will be at the following events with signed copies available.

A copy of Ask Wise Old Owlie displayed on a wooden stand beside a cute owl figurine, set on a railing with green foliage in the background.

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