In the world of Erdas, children of a certain age complete a ceremony to see if they have a spirit animal - a bond with an animal that gives both the child and the spirit animal special powers when they work together. Four children have summoned animals that were part of the founding of their world - and this seems to indicate that something major is going on in Erdas. The children will have to figure out who to trust as they journey together and try to discern what their role will be in the protection of their homes, their families, and their world.
This is the new series from Scholastic - like 39 Clues and Infinity Ring - where different authors tell a part of the larger story. There's an online component as well. I enjoyed the story. There's still a lot of story to tell - the adults that help the different groups of kids don't seem to be telling everything they know. And each of the kids brings some "baggage" from their families and their home village that will affect how they work together. As a Christian parent, and a Christian school teacher, I was hesitant about this series because of the whole "spirit animal" idea. I did not find anything in the first book that left me feeling like I shouldn't be reading the book, but I would caution Christian families to look into it, maybe read the first book together, and decide for themselves if they are comfortable with the spirit animal idea.
4 out of 5 stars
AR Reading Level of 4.9
