The Shattering (2004) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

show spoilers

Characters/People edit see section history

• Eglantine: Barn Owl (Tyto alba), Soren's younger sister; brought to the Great Ga'Hoole Tree after being rescued in the Great Downing
• Primrose: Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium gnorma), Eglantine's best friend
• Soren: Barn Owl (Tyto alba), from the kingdom of the Forest of Tyto; snatched when he was three weeks old by St. Aegolius patrols, but escaped with Gylfie and now resides at the Great Tree of Ga'Hoole learning to be a Guardian; leader of the Chaw of Chaws
• Otulissa: Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis), a student of prestigious lineage at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree
• Ginger: Barn owl (Tyto alba), formerly of the Pure Ones, now reformed and sharing Eglantine's sleeping hollow at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree
• Gylfie: Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi), from the desert kingdom of Kuneer; snatched when she was three weeks old by St. Aegolius patrols, but escaped with Soren and now resides at the Great Tree of Ga'Hoole learning to be a Guardian
• Digger: Burrowing Owl (Speotyto cunicularius), from the desert kingdom of Kuneer; lost in desert after attack in which his brother, Flick, was killed and eaten by owls from St. Aegolius; now joined with Soren and Gylfie and their quest to be Guardians
• Ezylryb: Whiskered Screech Owl (Otus trichopsis), the wise weather-interpretation ryb (teacher) at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree; Soren's mentor (also known as Lyze of Kiel)
• Mrs. Plithiver: Blind snake, was the nest maid for Soren's family, now a member of the harp guild at the Great Tree of Ga'Hoole
• Martin: Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus), in Ezylryb's chaw with Soren
• Barran: Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca) the queen of Hoole
• Ruby: Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), in Ezylryb's chaw with Soren
• Kludd: Barn Owl (Tyto alba), Soren and Eglantine's older brother; leader of the Pure Ones (also known as Metal Beak and High Tyto)
• Nyra: Barn Owl (Tyto alba), Kludd's mate
• Uglamore: Barn Owl (Tyto alba), a Pure Guard sublieutenant under Nyra
• Bubo: Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), the blacksmith of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree
• Boron: Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca) the king of Hoole
• Octavia: Kielian snake, nest-maid for Madame Plonk and Ezylryb

Quotes edit see section history

• “Until that moment, Eglantine had only thought about death as depriving her of something she loved--her mother, her father, the place she had once called home. But now Primrose knew that Eglantine realized that you could die for something. You could die for something you loved. You could die fighting against something you hated. You could die for freedom, the freedom of the owl kingdoms.”

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• You could die for something you loved. You could die fighting against something you hated. You could die for freedom,

  Highlighted by 78 Kindle customers

• The heart grows numb, An owl shatters. But these six owls are strong and bold, And their story has not yet been told.

  Highlighted by 77 Kindle customers

• The time has come, The claws are passed. An old owl rests, A die’s been cast. It is a war for heart, gizzard, and mind. The weapons they wield, more deadly than mine. A blade draws blood, A fire burns. But with the flecks, A mind unlearns,

  Highlighted by 72 Kindle customers

• Some things shared are good, but others are not. Some secrets that are shared strengthen one, but others can sap one’s strength in insidious ways.

  Highlighted by 62 Kindle customers

• You smokin’ now, You moonfaced owl. These flames gonna make you howl. You gonna skitter Back to where you from. And now you think you ain’t so dumb? Well, just let me tell you this— You dumb as a fish, Dumb as a snail, Dumb as a rock, And I shall prevail!

  Highlighted by 55 Kindle customers

• How fragile life is, thought Primrose, how fragile everything is, including friendship.

  Highlighted by 51 Kindle customers

• We have been fighting a war that has been instigated by this vile notion that declares that some breeds of owls are better than others, more pure. Not one of us shall, I suppose, ever again say the word “pure” or “purity” without thinking of the bloodshed these words have caused. How unfortunate that a good word has been ruined by the evilness of one group.

  Highlighted by 45 Kindle customers

• “There are many kinds of knowing, Soren. Otulissa has one kind and you have another.

  Highlighted by 45 Kindle customers

• We thank thee for our nights ’Neath the moon and stars so bright We are home in our tree We are owls, we are free As we go, this we know, Glaux is nigh.

  Highlighted by 39 Kindle customers

• What gives a wriggle And makes you giggle When you eat’em? Whose weensy little feet Make my heart really beat? Why, it’s those little creepy crawlies That make me feel so jolly For the darling centipede— My favorite buggy feed. I always want some more, That’s the insect I adore. More than beetles, more than crickets, Which at times give me the hiccups, I crave only to feed On a juicy centipede And I shall be happy forevermore.

  Highlighted by 29 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Great Ga'hoole Tree: Homebase for the knights of Ga'Hoole, located on the Island of Hoole in the Sea of Hoolemere
• The Beaks: A treacherous area known to look peaceful, but is hypnotizing, including the Mirror Lakes
• Retreat of the Glauxian Sisters: On the Isle of Elsemere in the Northern Kingdoms

Organizations edit see section history

• Chaw of Chaws: Includes Soren, Glyfie, Twilight, Digger, along with Otulissa, Ruby, and Martin
• Pure Ones: A group of evil owls led by Kludd
• Nyra's Annihilators: Nyra's squadron

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• sprink: The most foul of swear words known to owls. It is not said in jest
• spronk: Quite literally "Forbidden" - something may be described as Spronk if it is off-limits
• glaumora: Heaven for owls
• chaw: A group of similarly talented owls
• yeep: When an owl freezes in fear and stops flying
• ryb: Teacher
• scrooms: Owl ghosts
• hagsmire: Owl hell
• wilf: To shrink in fear

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by The Siege, and followed by The Burning.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Kathryn Lasky (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: CPB Box no. 2266 vol. 2
• Dewey: Add the Dewey Classification.

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Needless to say, the characters in this series are growing up, and with that growing comes a great and terrible responsibility. This leads to a darkening of themes not unlike all of our experiences as we grow and change. While there is nothing so far in this series that is excessive, there are realities such as death and brainwashing that do occur. I would encourage parents to read the series and examine the events in context before reading a potentially frightening excerpt from dismissive or derogatory reviews.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › Mythology › Children's Books
• Books › Children's Books › Literature › Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror › Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
• Books › Children's Books › Authors & Illustrators, A-Z › ( L ) › Lasky, Kathryn
• Books › Children's Books › Series › Fantasy & Adventure › Guardians of Ga'Hoole
• Books › Children's Books › Literature › Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
• Books › Children's Books › Ages 9-12