In book 8 of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series, Nyroc has left evil behind, but in order to be accepted at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, he must prove his worth by completing a dangerous quest.
The Pure Ones, a tribe of barn owls who believe that they alone are fit to rule, lost their king, the evil Kludd, during a great battle in The Burning. In this seventh book in the series, Kludd's sinister widow Nyra continues to plot to conquer all of the owl kingdoms, especially the heroic, egalitarian owls who dwell in the great tree of Ga'Hoole. She raises her hatchling son Nyroc to one day take his father's place and teaches him to believe in the power of hate.
When an evil group tries to take control of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, a fierce war breaks out in the owl kingdom.
Soren's beloved mentor, Ezylryb, is finally back at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. But all is not well. There's a war between good and evil in the owl kingdom. On one side is a group led by Soren's fearsome brother, Kludd, who wears a terrifying metal mask to cover his battle-scarred face. On the other side are the owls of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, who must fight to protect their legendary home from Kludd's attacks.
This is a very cute book about a lion and a snake whoa re competing to see who is the smartest and strongest of the kingdom. Horace the lion and Sylvester the snake Boast about all the ways they are better than the other. Until they get into trouble and they have to work together to get free. I would use this book for grades K-3. It would be a great introductory lesson on how we are all different but special in our own way.
Great American Artists for Kids: Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great American Masters
Fun and easy art-appreciation activities abound in this resource that features 75 American artists from colonial times to the present. A brief biography for each artist tells why his or her work is important, and a kid-tested art activity tries out the artist’s approach. For Georgia O’Keeffe, the activity is a desert painting; for Frederic Remington, a face cast; for Leroy Nieman, a sketch of athletes; and for James Whistler, a clay engraving. Projects stress the creative process and encourage kids to try unusual techniques such as block printing, soak-stain, and stone carving as they learn about architecture, drawing, painting, photography, and sculpture.
