nice story - will look forward to book two eventually.

Grade level 3-7

This was really fun. It's clearly a big marketing thing, but all the same, I had a really good time reading it, and it's a great series to dive into for the summer. ( )

Solid kid's adventure story to start out the newest monster series from scholastic. Good concept and good line-up of authors. ( )

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Title: Spirit Animals: Wild Born
Author: Brandon Mull

Synopsis:
Four children separated by vast distances all undergo the same ritual, watched by cloaked strangers. Four flashes of light erupt, and from them emerge the unmistakable shapes of incredible beasts -- a wolf, a leopard, a panda, a falcon. Suddenly the paths of these children -- and the world -- have been changed forever.

Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both. A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers . . . and on you.

Part engrossing book series, part action role-playing game -- discover your spirit animal and join the adventure.

Initial thoughts:
One of the main reasons that I started this books series was because a student of mine recommended it to me. The more that I looked into it, I became very excited to see that each book was written by different authors and that some of my favorites had worked on creating the overall story. In a past review, I spoke about how it can get complicated for me when there are so many different points of views, but with the series completed I decided that I should start it and see where it goes.

Plot:
What I liked:
The plot of the story was rather interesting to me. It takes place during a time where great beasts live among humans in the form of different animals. Out of these great beasts, four of them are considered ‘fallen’ because they died in battle. Briggan the wolf, Uraza the Leopard, Essix the Falcon, and Jhi the Panda come back as Spirit Animals -- Animals that are bound to a person -- because the legendary Devourer has come back. Now, with this only being the first book, there was a lot that wasn’t touched on and was surely left for other books to clarify, but I personally found the progression of the story to be intriguing.
From what I have gathered, these animals have only bound themselves to the characters for a specific reason even if they don’t understand it themselves. I am excited to see where the writers continue with the development of the relationships the characters have with their spirit animals. Each of the characters have their own unique voice and personality and I really see myself liking them.

What I didn't like:
Occasionally, the writing style felt a little flat at times when it hit certain characters of the story. Meilin’s character for example was rather flat at certain points in the book. I am hoping that I will see her grow more throughout the series as this is just the first book. The pace of the book was also a little slow as well, but with how many books there are in the series I expect it to pick up now the the backbone has been laid.

Characters:
Conor (Wolf): Conor was a really cool character, but I felt as though there was little growth for him through his book. He has a very righteous way of thinking about things.
Meilin (Panda): She was pretty stubborn and pretty neat, but I wished that she hadn’t been written as flat as she had been.
Abeke (Leopard): I felt as though she had so much to offer, but I didn’t get to see a lot of her growth throughout the book and I wish I had.
Rollan (Falcon): He was my favorite. He was snarky and had an attitude, but he also was a pretty interesting character to follow and learn why he did what he did.
Shane (Wolverine): To be honest, I really liked this character and felt I could sympathise with him though he was working with who was supposedly the enemy within the book.
Tarik (Otter): He was much like a father figure to the characters and a mentor teaching them how to strengthen their bond between their spirit animals. I liked how unlike he was from his own spirit animal. I’m glad he didn’t push anyone to join a side when they weren’t ready.
Zerif (Coyote): He was painted as a well thought out villain in this book, but he was rather hasty in his actions. I am excited to learn more about him.

Overall:
The first book was a nice introduction into the series and I recommend it, but I wonder how I would have accepted this book had it been in a compilation or a combined book where the story simply flows from one author’s voice to the other. I am excited to continue reading the series and see what develops. ( )

My ten-year-old came downstairs all on fire about this book and insisted that I read it. Not seeing any good reason to refuse, I agreed.

It was fine? I mean, it used some lazy stereotyping to set up the characters, but there was a lot of world-building and characterization to set-up in a short space, so I guess I can see why it would be easy to use some shortcuts. (Set on a non-Earth planet with unique continents, but of the four main characters, one is clearly Chinese, one African, one British, one American). There was one incident with Native-Americans-who-werent-Native-Americans-but-clearly-were that was a little eye-rally, but mostly it was fine. But really the entire thing felt like a setup for the series more than a complete book on its own.

The central concept of being able to connect psychically to a magical animal is certainly most of what got my son interested in this book. There are interesting bits to the characters. I did like the emphasis that each of the kids has different strengths, but they all feel less-than and tend to focus on the things that they DON'T do as well. Plot seemed had-waved and rushed in places.

I know, this book isn't FOR ME. But even as a middle grade novel, I was underwhelmed. ( )

Didn't get a chance to read this before a grand-daughter (age 11) carried it off, but she appeared to find it interesting/

I love it. I love it. I love it. I wish I can get bonded also with my own very animal. I would prefer a white leopard . awesome ( )

This book is called Spirit Animals. This book series has many books and in each volume the characters go on a different adventure. in each chapter it’s a different main character’s point of view. In this book people have to drink a nectar which will rarely allow the drinker to get a spirit animal. Each month who ever turns a certain age will be allowed to drink the nectar. All of the main characters have very different life styles. If you don’t drink the nectar you most likely will go mad because if you get a spirit animal without drinking the nectar, then you go mad only a few don’t. The spirit animals are just a part of their life. Usually the green cloaks come and ask the kids who get spirit animals to join them to fight these people who are making fake nectar and trying to control everybody. 4 kids end up chosen to be green cloak they had special spirit animals that were supposed to be dead but came back.

Conor is my favorite character because he has a big wolf. I like how they have many different exotic animals. I also like that the main characters are all kids my age (12). In each adventure they put their lives in danger which gets me more into the story. I like how there are many different volumes so I can continue with the adventure that their on. You will like this book if you really likes animals and adventures. ( )

Short but good. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I didn't like the violence of the final chapters- the book seemed aimed at a younger audience and then the fight scene seemed too graphic for that age. ( )

I don't know how this series has bypassed my attention for almost two years. It is one of the greatest portrayals of adventure books I've ever come across. The characters, the plot, the world building were all spectacular. I was drawn in by Nicola Barber's voice and loved every second of my experience. This series is supremely underrated. I know that I've only read the first book, but I truly believe the rest of the books in the Spirit Animals series are going to be amazing. I do worry though because each of the seven books is written by a different author, however I am convinced I will enjoy them all.

(Longer review to come) ( )

Wild Born is the first of a middle-grade fantasy series where at 11, children drink nectar to see if they can call a spirit animal to be their companion. At the start of the story, however, children start calling The Great Beasts, who are more than just spirit animals. They were the original warriors in a battle that happened long ago to protect the world from evil. It looks as though that dark force is rising up and this group of children have to band together to stop it once again.

I was not expecting to like this book as much as it did. I thought it’d be a quick read, a nice palette cleanser before I went off to a more serious/interesting book. I was completely surprised by how much I enjoyed myself. While it was a quick read, Mull expertly set up the fantasy world; it is at once complex and easily understood. The magic system is interesting and I’m looking forward to learning more about it. I love the idea of a coming-of-age ritual that results in having an animal companion that boosts your skills. There is also an organization that takes in people with spirit animals commonly called “The Green Cloaks,” which supposedly helps to protect the balance of the world.

The characters are each so different, and I appreciated that we were able to get each of their perspectives. It was also interesting to have one character be recruited for the “other” side so that we got an inside look of that. Each character is so relatable and awesome; I only was irritated by one character, but I was still interested in her story, so it didn’t take me out of the story too much; I’m excited to see them work together more, so we can see how their strengths interact with each other.

What’s interesting about this series is that a different author writes each book, so Maggie Stiefvater wrote the second one. I’m a bit hesitant, because this one was so good, so I wonder how the style will differ, but I’m looking forward to returning to Erdas and reading more about the characters!

Also posted on Purple People Readers. ( )

Our story takes place in the world of Erdas with spirit animals and people being the most dominant species there. So, our story starts with our four main characters receiving the “Nectar Of Ninani” getting their spirit animals with Conor a wolf, Abeke a leopard, Meilin a panda, and Rollan a falcon plus Abeke getting captured by the enemies of the Greencloaks, or who the Nectar givers are. They then start training with their Spirit Animals and learn about a new thing called a Talisman which will help them win the war if it happens. The enemies convince Abeke to join them and hunt for the Talisman with both going for the “Granite Ram” which is protected by Arax the Ram either by spies for a vision. After a fight which Meilin won they meet Arax who denies them the Granite Ram with a massive fight ensuing between the Greencloaks and their enemies. After a bunch of fighting Abeke gets the Granite Ram with a man who saved her life from Arax getting killed by a member from her own party. She then turns on them with the enemies fleeing and Abeke deciding to join the Greencloaks.

Personally, I thought that this book was much better than I anticipated and look forward to reading the second book “Hunted”. I also thought that this book was greatly paced unlike some other books I’ve recently read. I’ve also gained a lot of respect for Brandon Mull because the first book I read by him wasn’t that good in my opinion. I also thought it was kind of ironic since Conor is a sheepherder originally and he got a wolf as his Spirit Animal. I’d say that the saddest part of the book is when Abeke is almost about to get knocked of a cliff but an enemy saves her, only to get stabbed in the back a minute or so later. Though overall, I’d say that there is a lot of promise for this series and hope the rest of the series is as good as the first one. ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-7

Plot Summary:

Setting: All over the made-up world, one from "Africa," one from "China," others from unknown areas

Characters:
Conor - servant to Devin
Abeke - outsider in her family, father isn't happy when she summons the leopard Uraza, her sister is skeptical, unites with her animal very quickly
Zerif - not a greencloak but comes to take Abeke
Shane - 12 y/o, working with Abeke to train her animal, not a greencloak, asks Shane to help them find the talisman
Rollan - 12 y/o, orphan since he was 5 y/o, lives on the streets, arrested and accused of stealing medicine to help a friend but didn't actually do it, has an attitude and doesn't care, pompous, summoned the falcon
Meilin - daughter of General Teng, one of five high commanders in the Zhongese military, trained in secret and is very strong in combat

Recurring Themes: good vs evil, animals

Controversial Issues: action scenes in which characters are killed or injured

Personal Thoughts: This book was just not my type. I enjoyed the first few chapters when the characters got their spirit animals because there was good character development, but then it felt more like an action movie where I couldn't follow what was happening and who was on each side (although they did switch at one point too). There were so many characters it was hard to keep track of them.

Genre: fantasy (new world, new characters, new rules)

Pacing: starts with character development then moves to action in the second half of the story, but also a lot of explanations
Characters: a lot, hard to keep track of which one is which and what side they're on
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity: ( )

I was not sure what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. Fun MG fantasy with excellent world-building. ( )

Fantasy is not my favorite genre. I could not become immersed in this book. The storylines of some characters were more interesting than others. I don't feel there was enough of a backstory to fully understand the storyline. This book could be used in the library as a book club novel.

Four children separated by vast distances all undergo the same ritual, watched by cloaked strangers. Four flashes of light erupt, and from them emerge the unmistakable shapes of incredible beasts - a wolf, a leopard, a panda, a falcon. Suddenly the paths of these children - and the world - have been changed forever.Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit anim al, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both. A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers . . . and on you.Part engrossing book series, part action role-playing game - discover your spirit animal and join the adventure in Fall 2013.

When I open a book that has a map on the first page, I tend to run screaming in the other direction, but kids who enjoy exploring mythical lands and referring to fake maps will probably get a kick out of this. This series, like 39 Clues, has a different author for each book, and there are some pretty impressive names attached (Maggie Stiefvater, Shannon Hale, Garth Nix). There is an online component, and readers are invited to log in and play the game on their computer using special codes found in the books. They do require an email address. There was a rather violent death scene at the end of book 1 (very descriptive...the words "blood" and "gurgling" were used in the same sentence), so sensitive kids might be overwhelmed by that. I almost teared up a little, and I didn't even LIKE the characters! Despite my personal dislike, I would still recommend this. Here's my review:

In the land of Erdas, all children who are turning 11 participate in a ceremony where they attempt to call their spirit animal. Not all children summon spirit animals, but those who do are invited to join the semi-secret society called The Greencloaks. Greencloaks get certain powers and enhanced abilities from their spirit animals, and they're just cooler than everyone else. During this particular year, evil is brewing in Erdas and a very scary sounding creature called The Devourer is on the loose again after having been defeated many years ago. When the Devourer was originally defeated, four of the most impressive spirit animals lost their lives. When four ordinary kids summon their spirit animals in Wild Born, they happen to summon those legendary fallen spirit animals, hurtling them into the middle of a frightening war, terrifying enemies, and the mysterious Greencloaks. These four brave kids must struggle to bond with their wild and very famous spirit animals, while deciding who they can trust and who is out to deceive them. Full of action and animals, Spirit Animals Wild Born is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat! (Recommended for grades 4-6. The action and war will definitely appeal to boys, but there are cute animals and lots of girl power to keep adventurous girls interested too.) -EC



( )

Probably a 3.5. Love the premise, and the fact that the writing is sophisticated for the age group. I would probably have ADORED this as a kid.

This has been a wonderful story to read out load to my children. They have been very engaged and interested in the characters. In this story animals and humans have a special bond that gives them special powers. It really engages the reader with their imagination. This book is part of a series and includes 7 more books. This story offerers terrific classroom connection to animal adaptations and ecosystems. The series takes place through ocean environments to deserts. Each of the main characters is from a drastically different culture. One of the main characters is from a something like an African tribe, another is from large city. This interaction between the characters from very different cultures allows for many multicultural examples. I would recommend this book to middle school students

I did not have high hopes upon picking up this book. However, I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. There are four teens who are paired with spirit animals which seems to be a rare gift in their world. Their animals are each a beast from legend. The beasts that they have called each played an important role in the last battle with the Devourer. And it seems as if there is a war coming that will determine the fate of Erdas. The four teens are unique as are their relationship with their spirit animals. ( )

This is another one of those books that I am reading because my son read it and wants me to read it too. It was a good start to a new middle grade fantasy series. My eight year old son loves this series and I also thought it was a good start to a new series. This is the first book in the Spirit Animals series; there are currently seven books in this series.

This book introduces us to four different kids. The first is Conor who ends up bonded to the wolf Briggan much to his surprise. We also meet Akebe who finds herself bonded with Uzara the leopard and quickly develops an excellent relationship with Uzara. Then we meet Meilin who is the daughter of a General and has trained to fight much of her life; she is bounded to a giant panda named Jhi and they have a rocky start to their relationship. Lastly we meet Rollan who is a thief who bonds with the Falcon Essix. The four of these kids must learn to work with their bond animals and with each other if they are going to prevent Erdas from falling into war and darkness.

This book pretty much just introduces the four main characters and sets up the story for continuation in the next book. Honestly the introduction of the four kids was a bit repetitive for me, but my son really enjoyed it. The four kids do have very distinct personalities and were fun to learn about. The Spirit Animals were interesting as well; my favorite was Jhi the giant panda who, despite her bumbling appearance, seems to be wise beyond her years. I also enjoyed Briggan and how fun loving he was.

The kids are basically struggling to learn how to bond with their Spirit Animals. Connor and Briggan seem to have the easiest time of it but Connor can’t get Briggan into passive form. Jhi and Meilin have no rapport together and Meilin keeps Jhi in passive form (as a tattoo on her arm) for a good portion of the story. Akebe and and Uzara seems to work together fairly well. Rollan and his falcon Essix have a much more distant relationship.

The book is easy to read, well written, and engaging. It is fairly predictable and I thought the first half of the book (where everyone is introduced) was a bit slow. However, my eight year old loved this story and the way the characters were introduced. So I think this is going to be a book that is better for younger readers.

I enjoyed the last portion of the book a lot more. Our characters finally come together and we start to get glimpses of the bigger issues in Erdas and the larger story.

Overall this is a great start to a new fantasy series for middle grade aged readers. My eight year old really loved it. I found that the beginning of the story was fairly repetitive, predictable, and not all that creative. However, I am not the intended audience (although I do read a ton of middle grade books). I think this is a series that is going to be great for kids, I did enjoy the end of the story so I am going to read the next couple books and then evaluate whether it’s a good series for adults too.

On a side note this book is being marketing as a “multi-platform” experience. So the book does include codes for an online game where you create a character in the world of Erdas. That is something we haven’t looked at doing yet, but I do plan to set it up so that my son can try that out as well. ( )

Across the world of Erdas, four children have summoned spirit animals -- and not just any spirit animals, but four of the Great Beasts. In an upcoming conflict between good and evil, these four youngsters and their animals will be key players.

This initial book in the Spirit Animals series sets the stage for the rest of the series, and also shows the four children facing their first quest and battle. I think this series will probably be as popular as other multi-author, multi-platform efforts. I read (or rather, listened to) this one in order to stay current with popular kids' books, but I will probably not continue with the series. ( )

This book is a lot like Animorphs is you like that series. It is about 4 kids around a different world who summon 4 beasts that weren't supposed to be summoned. The 4 kids go on an adventure to combine the 4 beasts together but the evil is also trying to stop them at the same time. I hope you read this book. ( )

An enjoyable start to a series. ( )