Operation Owl

The fourth story in an illustrated magical adventure series from the bestselling author of the Unicorn Academy, brimming with drama and an environmental theme. The Keepers are a secretive tribe of little people who live in the middle of Whispering Woods, caring for the countryside and rewilding it when humans (or Ruffins as they know them) are careless with it. On their very first venture into the Big Outside as fully trained Keepers, Cora and Jax come across a barn owl caught in a tree by a discarded fishing line . Determined to help free it, Jax climbs on to the owl's back to loosen the line but the owl takes to the air - with Jax on board. Will Cora ever see him again? This breathtakingly exciting story is a superb addition to this magical series, perfect for 6-8 year olds combining animal rescue, nature conservation and exciting adventure.

As a child, Julie Sykes was always telling tales. Not the 'she ate all the cake not me' kind but wildly exaggerated tales of everyday events. Julie still loves telling stories and is now the bestselling author of more than 100 books for children of all ages and is published around the world. She has recently moved to Cornwall with her family and a white wolf - cunningly disguised as a dog. When she's not writing she likes eating cake, reading and walking, often at the same time.

Katy Riddell grew up in Brighton and was obsessed with drawing from a young age, spending many hours writing and illustrating her own stories, which her father (award-winning illustrator Chris Riddell) collected. Katy rediscovered her love for illustrating children's books after graduating with a BA Hons in Illustration and Animation from Manchester Metropolitan University. She has worked on a variety of commissions including Pongwiffy by Kaye Umansky (Simon & Schuster), Midnight Feasting by A.F. Harrold (Bloomsbury) and Ever After at the Oxford Story Museum. She lives and works in Brighton.