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Book Review By Jenny
Guardians of Gahoole: The Outcast by Kathryn Lasky

Nyroc is an outcast. Owls fear him because he bears a striking resemblance of Nyra. He goes to the Forest of Ambala, where he meets the flying snakes and Mist, a white feathered owl. Slynella and the other flying snakes teach him his letters and Nyroc learns to read. When he finally learns to read, he decides to go to the Beyond the Beyond, a barren wasteland where hireclaws and volcanoes exist. He calls himself Coryn, which is his former name spelled backwards. On his way, he helps a family of Burrowing Owls, by getting back their egg. The family, once suspicious of him, is overjoyed. They name the hatchling that hatches from the saved egg Coryn, after the owl who had saved him.
Nyroc proceeds to the Beyond the Beyond. It is a dangerous place. Nyra, his mother, sends scrooms to assault him in a desperate attempt to drive him back to the Pure Ones. But Nyroc has made up his mind. He will find the Ember of Hoole. He meets a dire wolf named Fengo, who helps him. Otulissa, a Spotted Owl from the Tree also goes to the Beyond the Beyond to assist Nyroc.
It will take Nyroc everything he has to find the Ember of Hoole. And even if he survives, he must fly to the Tree with the ember in beak and hope that the Guardians and his relatives, Uncle Soren and Aunt Eglantine, will accept him.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - sensitive (sigh....)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 10 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30 %
Animal Story Yes
Kind of animal - bird

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - a kid
If magical mental powers: - can see into the future

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
Terrain
Earth setting: - general past
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
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