Buteo Book Club: June 2026 Discussion Questions
Join the Buteo Book Club—all are welcome and you can participate from anywhere! This month, we're reading The Company of Owls by Polly Atkin.
“Let me tell you about my neighbors, the owls,” writes Polly Atkin in this love letter to the clutch of tawny owlets residing near her home in the heart of England’s Lake District. Circumscribed by a chronic illness to her cottage and the surrounding area, she turns to the trees and the animals among them for companionship—especially the owl siblings who surprise and delight her. As Atkin watches them grow from curious fledglings into sleek raptors, she contemplates the act of survival and our place within it.
Please submit your responses to the discussion questions by July 9th to be included in the conversation that is shared with book club members.
Discussion Questions:
- Polly Atkin observes owls in the area surrounding her home. What kind of relationship do you have with your local patch? Is there a bird species you've observed closely or gotten to know intimately because of regular proximity?
- Atkin also writes about how human activity has changed the place where she and the tawny owls live. How does learning about the impacts of development on owls and other wildlife make you feel? Have you witnessed habitat changes where you live?
- In addition to her own observations, Atkin learns much about owls from reading - everything from Romantic poetry to scientific monographs. What is another book that has taught you something important about birds or nature? How have your own observations and experiences affirmed or challenged what you've read about birds in books?
- The back of the book poses several questions: When should a human intervene? When should nature take its course? What do the owls know that we do not? Tell us about the answers you found in the text.
- The author of this book is also a poet. Is there a lyrical description or particular sentence that stuck out to you? Share a favorite quote!
Please submit your responses to the discussion questions by July 9th to be included in the conversation that is shared with book club members. You can also share your thoughts in the comments section below. And make sure you've officially joined the Buteo Book Club (it's free!) to receive the conversation summary.