To Be a King (Guardians of Ga'Hoole Series # 11) » (Reprint)

In this final book of the Legends trilogy Hoole reclaims the thrown of his father and goes on to wage a war against the forces of chaos, greed and oppression led by the powerful warlord-tyrants. Grank, the first collier, uses his skills with fire and metals to forge weapons for battle. With great trepidation Hoole uses the power of the Ember in the final, decisive battle and wins. At the dawn of a new ear of peace, Hoole searches for the ideal place to establish not a kingdom but an order of free owls and finds the Great Tree. (continued)

Children's Literature

Hoole and his flock are back in the eleventh title of the "Guardians of Ga'hoole" series. Picking up after a tragic battle against Lord Arrin, the new king sets up a training facility for his crew in the belly of a tree sprung from his own tears. Rather than steal glory for himself as keeper of the ember, Hoole focuses his community on education, skill, and the open expression of ideas. Meanwhile Kreeth, the hagsfiend, has created a "changeling," a shape-shifting bird named Lutta who steals the form of Emerilla, a Spotted Owl, and one of Hoole's soldiers. One can only guess what evil Kreeth has planned for the poor orphan. Another imminent battle against Lord Arrin and his remaining hagsfiends requires Theo and others to request assistance from some unusual friends. Closer to the tree, Hoole worries that the ember might be having ill effects on his team. Seeing Hoole's doubts and questions magnified as his responsibilities grow will draw readers even closer to the young leader. The comparison between Lasky's perch warriors—who "[clack] their beaks about war" but will not get "off their perches and fly into battle" themselves but send the "young'uns" in—and our own leaders will not escape kids up on their current events. Friendship, loyalty, and the possibility of love abound in the last legend read to the new generation of Guardians.