Perodia is threatened by Thorn, a powerful vulture who uses magic to spread a terrible darkness. When a young owl named Tag and his best friend, the squirrel Skyla, rescue a golden egg from Thorn's Tiger bats, they may have found the key to Perodia's salvation: the last firehawk, guardian of the ember stone. Illustrations.
Magic, fantasy, and adventure combine to create this fast-paced series perfect for young readers!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!A terrible darkness is spreading across Perodia. Thorn, a powerful vulture, is using dark magic (and his dark army of spies!) to destroy the magical land. A young owl named Tag may be the only one who can save it! Tag dreams of one day becoming a brave warrior, but he is small . . . In this first book, Tag and his best friend -- a squirrel named Skyla -- meet the last firehawk. Together, the three friends learn about a magical stone. Could this stone be powerful enough to defeat Thorn? This action-packed series makes a great introduction to fantasy and quest stories for newly independent readers. Realistic black-and-white artwork appears on every page!