Michael Enright reads The Wise Owls, a children's book by and about the Senate

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Move over Harry Potter, there's a new children's book in town.

The Wise Owls uses fuzzy forest animals to explain the Senate's role in parliamentary democracy, and it's written by everyone's favourite new children's author — the Senate communication office in conjunction with a subcommittee. 

"This product uses a storytelling approach to capture kids' imagination and to provide an introduction to the important role senators play in Canada's parliamentary democracy," Mélisa Leclerc, the director of communications for the Senate, told CBC News.

Everyone in the Forest knew the Owls were wise. They had been in the Forest as long as anyone could remember. They had big eyes to see everything that was going on.- The Wise Owls

As It Happens invited Michael Enright, host of CBC Radio's The Sunday Edition, to lend his dulcet tones to the thrilling tale of the Wise Owls who protect The Forest of Canada (and never, ever get swept up in spending scandals).

The book describes a Council of Animals whose work grinds to a halt because of inter-species bickering — much to the annoyance of the "wise and fair" lion queen, who lives "on an island on the far side of the great ocean."

So the rowdy critters turn to the owls to settle their disputes.

"Everyone in the Forest knew the Owls were wise. They had been in the Forest as long as anyone could remember. They had big eyes to see everything that was going on," the story reads.

The book's release comes as the Upper Chamber faces blowback over Wise Owl/Senator Lynn Beyak's repeated defence of Canada's residential school system, in which sexual abuse was rampant, and some 6,000 Indigenous children died due to malnourishment or disease. 

Meanwhile, an ethics subcommittee's investigation into Senator Don Meredith's two-year sexual relationship with a teenage girl is due out Tuesday.