The Animal Family

Alison, her stepfather, and his son Roger are staying at her mother's. Also staying there is the housekeeper, Nancy, her son Gwyn, and the stable hand Huw. Alison comes upon a set of dishes and sees owls in the decoration. She draws them only to have them disappear as well as the design on the plates. Only Huw knows what's going on. Something about flowers and owls, and an old legend that the kids learn about. And the only one that can do anything about it is Gwyn. Why it's on the list The Owl Service is a fantasy read but not like the fantasies of today. This book is carefully written, beautifully entwining ancient Celtic legends with everyday teenagers and creating an aura of mystery around it. Definitely something for hard-core mythology fans, as well as a good book for teenagers. It's a fabulous, lightly written and well-paced read accentuated with an eerie, creepy atmosphere that could potentially put you off family holidays in Wales forever. Garner takes ideas and compresses them so tightly, the book reads like poetry. There isn't a single wasted word here; there's no "filler", no unnecessary stage directions. The dialogue is outstanding. Read if you like Memorable imagery. Celtic mythology.