Talon, On the Wing - Gigi Sedlmayer, Author

Crayn narrowed his eyes. ‘What is it, Mat?’

‘I just remembered something form yesterday.  It was so funny, you know, when Talon stood by the door and banged his wings on the side of the door?’

‘Yes?’

‘He folded his wings to go through the door.  Remember?  But he probably wasn’t thinking about it.  Neither did I.  But since I was lying on him, his wings went over me, covering me.  Not completely, because he stopped doing it when he felt me under them, I guess.  So, I was, for a short time, buried under his wings.  It felt so, so … it felt so warm, so secure, so safe and protected.  Just lovely.  Yes, it really was.’  A bright grin parted her face when she looked at her father.

‘Oh yeah, I can imagine it.  When he folds his wings … yes, he does that.’  Crayn suddenly doubled up in laughter.  “I actually saw it, but didn’t think about that.’  When they finally stopped laughing, they heard a crowd yelling.

Matica actually flys on the back of a Condor but not just any Condor, one she actually raised from an egg.  She, her Mum, Dad and brother Aikon live in a remote village of Pucara in Peru.  Her whole family was accepted by the Indians but not her.  They shunned and avoided her because she was different.  Matica has a growth problem.  At the age of 5 she looked as though she was only 2.  This to the Indians was a ‘bad’ sign so they kept their distance and refused to befriend her.  But that all changed when she accidently ended up on the back of her Condor that she had named Talon.  She then became someone special, not to just the Indians in her village but as word spread, to villages all around.  People came from all over to hear her talk about her experience while soaring through the sky on Talon.  Everyone loved her, that is except one.  His name was Alexander and he would walk away from her when she tried to speak to him and become his friend.  Puzzled, as well as hurt by his rejection, Matica became determined to learn why he hated her so much.  Was he jealous or did he not believe that she actually flew?  When Matica finally did learn his secret she was dumbfounded.  She learned that he had a brother that was like her – little.  But his brother had died and what bothered him most was how and why his brother died.  But it went deeper because Alex blamed himself for his brother’s death.  He should have prevented it from happening.  So can Matica open Alex up and help him? 

This is the 2^nd volume in the Talon series and I have had the pleasure of reading both.  The lessons taught within both books are priceless and very much needed in today’s world.  The story teaches trust, which we all need more of.   It teaches judgment, not just in what you say or do but also in how you actually judge others.  It teaches patience, which is something I lack.  It teaches love and forgiveness which everyone could use more of.  This is a wonderful book to start reading as a bedtime story for young kids as well as a great story for older children to read on their own.  Yes, we adults can learn from it too so I recommend it to all ages.  And I must add that the story itself is one that I totally enjoyed too.  A young girl that has befriended not only Talon who she raised but also his parent Condors who stick by her side as well as hers and show their appreciation for what she did for them.