Another great entry. Things are really getting more existing with some two great new additions joining the owl duo and with threats to them just getting worse. The adventure just keeps ramping up. ( )

‘Six strong, quick witted owls about to fulfill a destiny, they had indeed become a band of owls who would rise into the blackness …’ (page 168)

Dreaming of the past, ‘Once upon a very long time ago, in the time of Glaux there was an order of knightly owls, from a kingdom called Ga'Hoole, who would rise each night into the blackness and perform noble deeds.’ (page 18)

Today, Eglantine, Soren’s sister, is back, but at the same time Ezylryb has disappeared.

‘Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger could not imagine anything worse, anything more brutal than St. Aggie’s. But the Barred Owl had told them differently. There was something far worse.’ (page 51)
The band, Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, Digger, Octavia, and Eglantine, are ready to start the rescue of Ezylryb.
The first clue comes to the band from The Rogue Smith of Silverveil, a female snowy owl who works as blacksmith not attached to any kingdom in the owl world. The Rogue Smith reveals important information about the past of Ezylryb, and Metal Beak.
‘Metal Beak … thought any owl who was not a Tyto Alba was a little less than completely pure … before we could become true members of that Way of Purity, we had to sleep in stone crypts with the bones of the old Tytos that they called the Purest Ones. (pages 139-140)

Eglantine helps the other members of the band to find the castle where many questions about Ezylryb, Metal Beak, and the world of the owls would find some answers.

And the humans (the Others)?
- Oh, you know about the Others do you?
- Did you know that not only did they not have wings or feathers, but that they had two long sticks for legs that were just for walking.
- How did they get along?
- Not that well, apparently. (page 92)
( )

Summary: a book 3 of a series. This book is about an owl that is a no longer unexperienced owl young owl. He sets of wig some of his friends to train to become a guardian of the Ga' Hoole.
My reaction: also a kind of mystery book because he has to go get answers to some questions but yet very adventurous. I think owls are a very beautiful creature which made this book catch my eye also.
Classroom extensions: 1. Have students write if they ever went on a mission with or without someone, even just to do something small.
2. Have the kids tell you when they had to be trained to do some things.
3. Have the kids make up a story about their favorite animal getting trained to become a great guardian of some sort.

Great story ( )

Soren's mentor, Ezylryb, is missing and no-one is sure where to start looking for him. Soren feels something is wrong and is determined to try, he's sure that Eglantine's ordeal has something to do with all this, he meets with the ghosts of his parents and they warn him about Metal Beak. When he discovers who this is it's a shock.

Interesting instalment in the series. Looking forward to more. ( )