Joanna Orwin: Owl

By MARGIE THOMSON

This blending of Maori mythology with a modern-day tale of loss, difference, dreams and growing up captivates with its mythic sensibility and its juxtaposition of the wild, South Island high country with magic. Hamish is struggling to come to terms with his father's death and the difficulty of making his family's farm a financial success without him. But all he really wants is to be up in the hills where he has discovered some ancient Maori rock drawings.

Then, into the picture comes Tama, a city kid, and the two are thrown together, caught in an age-old pattern of events and circumstances, in a battle against Pouakai, a mythical, man-eating giant eagle. The stakes are high, and only by working together will they have the power to defeat this terrifying creature. A good reminder to take seriously those things we don't fully understand.

Publisher: Longacre $16.95