The Capture

Introducing the newest heroes to children's fiction; the owls of Ga'Hoole. Meet Soren and his friends, the owls charged with keeping owldom safe. Based on Katherine Lasky's work with owls, this adventures series is bound to be a hit with kids. Join the heroic owls in the first of a series of mythic adventures.

Out of the darkness a hero will rise…
Soren the enthusiastic and young owl is busy learning the rituals of being a barn owl– First Meat Ceremony, how to fly and of course, about the legendary Guardians of Ga'Hoole. However, his life is quickly transformed when he abruptly falls from his parent's cosy nest to the bare and dangerous forest floor.
Helpless, he is captured by evil chick snatching owls that bring him to St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls, where his identify disappears as he receives a number instead of a name.
Soren quickly befriends another young owl Gylfie, with whom he works to withstand "moon blinking" (brainwashing), and instead develops plans to escape.
But before long, Soren realizes that he in fact has already embarked on an extraordinary adventure with much more excitement in the future.

Reviews

"The fantastical elements are well integrated with the natural history and the result is a convincing and suspenseful fantasy… A compulsive read." School Librarian

“With all the right elements – a hero that's destined for greatness and the struggle between light and darkness – Lasky's Guardians debut is a high-flying hoot. Soren's tale is suspenseful and riveting, and by the book's end, readers will even be impressed with how much they've learned about owls. Reminiscent of Brian Jacques's Redwall and Robin Jarvis's Deptford Mice, The Capture is bound to catch fantasy fans in its talons.” Barnes and Noble Reviews

“The story's fast pace, menacing bad guys, and flashes of humor make this a good choice for reluctant readers, while the underlying message about the power of legends provides a unifying element and gives strong appeal for fantasy fans.” School Library Journal

About the author

Kathryn Lasky has long had a fascination with owls. This led her to research their life and behaviour, thinking that she would write a non-fiction book about owls to be illustrated with her husband’s photographs. She soon realised, though, that this would be rather difficult since owls are shy and nocturnal creatures – so she wrote a fantasy series about them instead.