Flaco the Owl Spreads His Wings

From award-winning author Jacqueline Simon Gunn comes a novel inspired by the extraordinary true story of Flaco the Owl.

On February 2, 2023, after living his entire thirteen years of life in a tiny enclosure where he was unable to fly, Flaco the Owl escaped Central Park Zoo, sparking an adventure no one could have predicted. Finding himself on the busy streets of New York City, Flaco needed to adjust to his new life if he wanted to remain free and alive.

Despite the myriad hazards of urban life and his lack of experience in the wild, Flaco thrived, determined to live as a free bird in New York City. He had to teach himself how to live on the streets and in the skies among the skyscrapers. He led by example, showing that his new love of the wind in his feathers and liberty among the concrete canyons was proof that within each of us remains a primal nature unchanged by circumstances, inspiring hope in his newfound fans to shed what holds them back.

This is the inspiring story of one courageous bird who, by revealing the resiliency and endurance of his true self, inspired people all over the world to stop living in fear-of the unknown, of failure, of success, of a broken heart-and have the courage to take a chance on an existence brimming with adventure. His journey captivated people, reminding them what it means to live.