Krista (berries674) -
Helpful Score: 12
What a great book!!!!! I love animals, have always been fascinated by owls, and have read quite a few books including Marley and Dewey and this book is right up there with them!!! What's unique to this book is that we generally don't know much about an un-domesticated wild animal. This book was so educational and informative about the life and "Way of the Owl" that i had to stop reading sometimes and say "wow" and tell my boyfriend about what i'd just read. What a beautiful, stunning, intelligent, emotional and intuitive creature they are!!! I wish i were a biologist of some sort after reading this book!!! What a great life Stacey had with her boy Wesley and all of the other animal's lives she was able to be a part of! 5 STARS!!!
Carol R. (hansmrs) - reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 132 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
This is an amazing story. You will be entertained & educated & you'll laugh, cry & be amazed at the life of an owl. It's right up there with Marley & Me. Don't miss this book. A must read. Extremely well written.
Missy B. (k9kutter64) reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 167 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
I have owned this book for quite awhile. I let it sit on my shelves, every once in awhile picking it up, then putting it back, knowing that I would cry when I read it. Earlier this week I felt strong enough to give it a try, and I am so glad that I did. This is such a remarkable story! I learned so much about owls and their habitats. Over and over while reading, I kept thinking how lucky that Stacey was to have experienced what she did; having an owl as a pet, but not only a pet - a kindred spirit, a life-long friend. Stacey raised Wesley from the time he was five days old. She learned all there was to know about barn owls from him. He also did things that were totally uncharacteristic for owls, like playing in the water. Wesley loved to take baths in the bathtub! With each passing chapter, my love for Wesley grew stronger, and my heart felt a little heavier, because I knew what was coming. The Dreaded End. However, Stacey hones right in on it and says:
~"The one thing I hate about animal stories is that after you've almost read the entire book and you really care about the animal, they go and tell you all about how the animal died. In fact, I often read the end of these books first so I can at least brace myself for the inevitable. So you should stop reading now if you don't want to hear about Wesley dying. But I need to tell you."~pg. 215
After I read that excerpt it bolstered me up for what was to come. Wesley lived 19 years! An exceptionally long time for a barn owl. The longest known lifespan of a barn owl in the wild is eight years. What a long full life Wesley had! The love between Stacey and Wesley was real. Wesley thought of Stacey as his mother when he was young, and his mate when he grew older. He had different sounds that he made when he was excited, hungry, sleepy, scared; Stacey knew every one of those sounds. He even made sounds that had never been heard before. Wesley continued to amaze Stacey and her colleagues at Caltech with the things that he did. I was especially moved by this moment between Stacey and Wesley:
"One evening, however, as I was lying down and rubbing him under his wings, Wesley pushed with his feet so that he was lying on my chest with his head up under my chin, his beak sleepily nibbling my throat. Then he rustled a bit and slowly began to open both delicate golden wings, stretching them as far as they would go, and laying them across my shoulders. He slept that way for a long time and I stayed awake in awe. It was an owl hug. I hoped he would do it again. He did, and this vulnerable position became his new way of cuddling. I never got over the wonder of it and I often felt tears stinging my eyes. This complicated wild soul had stretched his golden wings over me in complete trust. I wouldn't trade those moments for anything in the world." page 205
If you love animal stories, you need to read Wesley the Owl. Even if you don't, it is a book worth reading, just to learn about this exceptional relationship between a woman and an owl. The photos of Stacey and Wesley are so special...it is a nice touch having the pictures along with the story. Wesley the Owl is informative, funny, thought-provoking and heartbreaking. I will never forget it.
~"The one thing I hate about animal stories is that after you've almost read the entire book and you really care about the animal, they go and tell you all about how the animal died. In fact, I often read the end of these books first so I can at least brace myself for the inevitable. So you should stop reading now if you don't want to hear about Wesley dying. But I need to tell you."~pg. 215
After I read that excerpt it bolstered me up for what was to come. Wesley lived 19 years! An exceptionally long time for a barn owl. The longest known lifespan of a barn owl in the wild is eight years. What a long full life Wesley had! The love between Stacey and Wesley was real. Wesley thought of Stacey as his mother when he was young, and his mate when he grew older. He had different sounds that he made when he was excited, hungry, sleepy, scared; Stacey knew every one of those sounds. He even made sounds that had never been heard before. Wesley continued to amaze Stacey and her colleagues at Caltech with the things that he did. I was especially moved by this moment between Stacey and Wesley:
"One evening, however, as I was lying down and rubbing him under his wings, Wesley pushed with his feet so that he was lying on my chest with his head up under my chin, his beak sleepily nibbling my throat. Then he rustled a bit and slowly began to open both delicate golden wings, stretching them as far as they would go, and laying them across my shoulders. He slept that way for a long time and I stayed awake in awe. It was an owl hug. I hoped he would do it again. He did, and this vulnerable position became his new way of cuddling. I never got over the wonder of it and I often felt tears stinging my eyes. This complicated wild soul had stretched his golden wings over me in complete trust. I wouldn't trade those moments for anything in the world." page 205
If you love animal stories, you need to read Wesley the Owl. Even if you don't, it is a book worth reading, just to learn about this exceptional relationship between a woman and an owl. The photos of Stacey and Wesley are so special...it is a nice touch having the pictures along with the story. Wesley the Owl is informative, funny, thought-provoking and heartbreaking. I will never forget it.
Elizabeth K. (madeleine) reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Fabulous book. Any animal lover will appreciate the special bond the author and Wesley share. Gives a good non-romanticized glimpse into caring for an owl.
Helpful Score: 3
I loved this book. Very sweet and insightful. Anyone who has had a bond with an animal will totally connect with this author. And, she writes well!
