Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl
Wesley the Owl The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl
Author: Stacey O'Brien
On Valentine's Day 1985, biologist Stacey O'Brien first met a four-day-old baby barn owl -- a fateful encounter that would turn into an astonishing 19-year saga. With nerve damage in one wing, the owlet's ability to fly was forever compromised, and he had no hope of surviving on his own in the wild. O'Brien, a young assistant in ...  more »
Info icon
The Market's bargain prices are even better for Paperbackswap club members!
Retail Price: $16.00
Buy New (Paperback): $12.79 (save 20%) or
Become a PBS member and pay $8.89+1 PBS book credit Help icon(save 44%)
ISBN-13: 9781416551775
ISBN-10: 1416551778
Publication Date: 7/7/2009
Pages: 240
Rating:
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 64

4.3 stars, based on 64 ratings
Publisher: Free Press
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

berries674 avatar reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 92 more book reviews
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!!!
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.
k9kutter64 avatar 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.
madeleine avatar 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.
reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on
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!
Read All 33 Book Reviews of "Wesley the Owl The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 32 more book reviews
I just finished reading Wesley the Owl and I just loved this story and was heartbroken with the inevitable ending of this book. But what a great life Wesley had not to mention what seems to be an extraordinarily long life. I can not say enough about this book and the many wondrous experiences that Stacey and Wesley had together.

If you are considering reading this book I am sure you won't be sorry! Enjoy.
thecutemom avatar reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 5 more book reviews
I absolutely loved this book. Not only is it an incredible love story between owl and human, it's an education in not just owl behavior, but general animal behavior and provides tremendous insights into the world of biologists. Stacey O'Brien has done a wonderful job of making her keen scientific observations of owls and people reading that keeps you turning the page. As an animal lover, a veterinary technician and a volunteer with a wildlife sanctuary I found this book fascinating and informative. I frequently read portions to my veterinarian husband who learned about owls right along with me. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in animals, but especially to anyone working with wild animals.
CraftyTJ avatar reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 381 more book reviews
I loved this book. It was a wonderful and heart-warming story about the bond between, Wesley and Stacey. Their love and bond was amazing. Since reading this book, I have come to respect and look at owls in a very brillant light. The trust that Wesley gave to Stacey was phenomenal. It was such an insightful book about the behavior of owls. To have an owl trust a human is very rare. It's a beautiful read. I will be reading it again and again. It is a top favorite book of mine. I think you should make it one of yours. You will be amazed and humbled.
reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 191 more book reviews
This is a really sweet story. The author, who was a biolgist that worked with monkeys and barn owls took this four day old owl to raise. He had something wrong with one of his wings so could never be released into the wild. She devoted 19 years of her life to this little owl, who lived with her. Many pictures of him and told of her day to day struggles raising him. A nice book and I enjoyed it.
reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 14 more book reviews
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. Amazing story of what she gave up for many years in order to care for and love Wesley. If you love animals like me, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. It's an easy read, well written.
reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 11 more book reviews
This was fascinating. And true. The author was a scientist working within Caltech's aviary, where she was given a 4 day old hatchling to take home to parent and learn about barn owls in a very intimate way. Thus began a 19 year relationship that required more sacrifices than most humans will ever have to make for their children. I will think about this book for the rest of my life.
reviewed Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl on + 14 more book reviews
I would recommend this book, it is a very touching story and I am in awe at how much devotion caring for an owl would be!


Genres: