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.

The Capture by Kathryn Lasky (Guardians of Ga'Hoole, #1)

"A legend, Kludd, is a story that you begin to feel in your gizzard and then over time it becomes true in your heart. And perhaps makes you a better owl."

I saw the movie adaptation of Kathryn Lasky's Guardians of Ga'Hoole series back while it was still in theaters and fell in love with it. It was created in the same manner of Inkheart, where they changed quite a great deal about the story so they could fit it into a single movie instead of a series of movies; so that it becomes it's own entity, almost something separate from its origins.

I've been wanting to read the books for some time, mostly because I kept having middle grade readers coming into my video store and telling me why the movie was nothing compared to the book. Few things make me want to read a book more than when a child goes into raptures over it. They always know a good story when they see one. So I finally got my hands on a copy and cracked it open.

When Soren, a Snowy Barn Owl, falls out of his nest, he expects the very fate his parents warned him about. An owl that can't fly isn't far from being the next meal of whatever predator happens to be nearby. However, Soren manages to avoid this fate when he is taken by another owl, a type he's never seen before, and carried away to St. Aggie's Academy for Orphaned Owls. The thing is, none of these owls were "orphaned" before they were taken from the nests, usually while their parents were off hunting for their food.

But something even more sinister is going down at St. Aggie's. Soren makes a friend, Gylfie, an Elf Owl, and the two stick close to each other, each keeping up the other's spirits as they plan to make their escape and warn other owls of the threat that lays in the canyon where St. Aggie's is hidden.

Like I mentioned, I was fairly certain I would enjoy this book, and I most definitely have. Soren and Gylfie are lovely as the main hero and heroine. They're young, scared, and reluctant; yet both have this unwavering desire to help the owlets they see around them, as well as the ones they are fully aware rest in unknowing danger simply because of the presence of a place like St. Aggie's.

I cannot wait to see what happens in the second book and the volumes following. I can tell Soren's journey will be one filled with love, sacrifice, and bravery: key elements for all the best kinds of adventures.

Rating: ★★★★☆

"I hated the idea of being the pathetic dependent owl, the one the owlets were always forced to visit. I decided that it was contrary to my nature to lead such a life and that if I could not live like a normal owl, I would in fact, use my disability for some noble purpose."