The Journey by Kathyrn Lasky (Guardians of Ga'Hoole, #2)

"Hope is never a foolish thing -although others will tell you it is. But I don't need to tell you that, Soren- look at yourself. You were snatched and you taught yourself to fly and you escaped from that awful St. Aggie's. You flew straight out of those deep stone canyons and right into the Yonder. Anyone who flies out of a stone hole into the Yonder knows about hope."

Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger are a band of owls (joined by Mrs. P, a snake and Soren's old nursemaid) who are traveling together in search of the Great Ga'Hoole tree. Each of the young owls have been deeply affected by the goings on at an institution called St. Aggie's and each is determined to do what they can to put an end to the evil within its borders. In order to do this, the band must find the Great Ga'Hoole tree and warn them of what they've seen at St. Aggie's. Only those owls of mythos who are said to fight evil and protect owls everywhere  can possibly save them from the pervasive evil.

Yet even their journey to find the Ga'Hoole tree is fraught with many dangers and plenty of doubt. After all, few have ever laid eyes on the Great Ga'Hoole tree and many believe it is just legend, an old tale passed around for years. And once they reach the Great Ga'Hoole tree, if ever, will that be the end of their journey? Or will it simply be the next step in a tale they never dreamed of stepping into?

I am loving everything about this series so far. I have all but fallen in love with Soren and Gylfie and the other members of their band of owls. Each has their own unique personality and gifts to bring to the table and, even though they fight often enough, they always have each other's backs.

The story itself continues to be breathtaking and keeps the reader hooked from page one. Walking alongside the group through each and every trial can be both hilarious and heartbreaking. You just can't help being addicted to the page. I have to admit, the fact that it is also a pretty clear World War II analogy also adds to the appeal and keeps me that much more interested.

This is a wonderful children's series of which I cannot wait to read more. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly suggest you do.

Rating: ★★★★☆

"No! No! This can't be!" Soren wailed. He felt his legs collapse under him and he crumpled beside her. "Eglantine! Eglantine!"
"Get Mrs. Plithiver, quick!" Gylfie rasped.