A Great Book about the Great Tree
Rudyard Kipling might have seen a solitary tree in Taungthaman Lake during his visit to Mandalay. It happened on a humid October, when the sky was pale and the sun seemed dull. It was an otherworldly sight, and the Briton may have wished he had something to remember the moment. Kathryn Lasky have thought of a similar image, of a huge tree standing in the middle of the Sea of Hoolemere. A flock of owls lived there. There weren't ordinary birds, as they flew out of their nests when they felt something in their gizzard. Evil was about to threaten their world.
Some readers might have thought too hard and figured out that the Northern and Southern kingdoms were similar to the Garden of Eden. A solitary tree was the bastion of courageous owls, who were willing to risk their lives to save the neighboring realms from another group of owls. They lived within the St. Aegolius Canyons. They lost any desire to soar. The ones in charge flew from the deserts of Kuneer to the forests in Tyto, snatching hatching along the way. These young captives were subjected to marching during the full moon, the only way to make them forget about the nests where they came from. They were also groomed for combat, but no one knew whom they would fight.
Beginning of an amazing journey
Lasky did a thorough research on the owls, who were the main characters in "Guardians of Ga'hoole". The series were targeted to young readers, who have little knowledge of these birds. Adults who have read many books on different myths of the world would know that the owl was considered a sacred creature. And this was how they were depicted in the books.
"The Capture", the first book in the series, introduced the good guys and the bad guys. The good ones were orphaned at a young age, and this was the very reason why they would form the band of (good) brothers. They only heard about Hoolemere from their elders, but they didn't wonder if the stories were real or not. The heroics of the owls of Ga'hoole inspired them to fly far and away, and it was enough for them. This was Lasky's captivating account of good over evil, but inquisitive minds would keep on asking. Who was the first owl to oversee the St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls? How did a snake ended up as the wisest creature? What was the hierarchy in this realm? There were fifteen books in the series, which were enough to answer any possible question. But some would remain unanswered.
Maybe readers must plan a camping trip during a weekend, hoping to spot an owl during a moonlit night. No one can tell why it's a solitary creature, and if it's truly vulnerable to sunlight. This bird can be a sight to behold, those penetrating eyes have lots of stories to tell. This is Lasky's Eureka moment.
