The Quest of the Cubs

December 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Fans of the "Guardian of Ga'Hoole" series and Erin Hunter's books will love this cast of complex characters who embark on the adventure of a lifetime. First and Second are unnamed polar bear cubs traveling the treacherous icy lands of their Northern Kingdom to find their father after their mother has suspiciously left them with an evil family member. While escaping violence, the cubs witness the danger, sadness, and trauma of life alone as a group of power-hungry bears seize control of their land and fill it with dread and gloom. Their journey leads them down a path of self-discovery as they begin to accept their similarities and trust their differences. They meet a variety of colorful characters along their journey who all use storytelling and tales of past generations to help share wisdom and guidance. The text is rich and blends fantasy with a realistic setting. This entry ends on a cliff-hanger. VERDICT A series opener that promises to deliver action and adventure. Great for children who enjoy reading anthropomorphized animal adventures.-Christina Pesiri, Michael F. Stokes Elementary, Island Trees-Levittown NY

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Starred review from November 15, 2017
When mercenaries serving an evil cult come to abduct two polar bear cubs, their mother offers herself in exchange for their freedom. Barely into their second season, the cubs known only as First and Second must fend for themselves in a harsh, frozen land. But while predators, hunger, and weather are constant threats, the two young cubs discover that there are surprising friends willing to help them on their quest to find not only their missing mother, but their estranged father. Even with help from Lago, a Nunquivik fox who shares her hunt, or Jameson, a seal whose quick thinking helps them escape from a pod of hungry killer whales, the cubs must draw on their own resources if they are to survive the journey. Scattered chapters tell of their mother's captivity at the hands of a cult of bears who worship a giant clock. Lasky once again invites readers into a world where the natural and the supernatural intersect. And while the world of the ice-bound north is beautiful, this is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of mechanization and the tendency to confuse the divine with the profane. Nature, magic, and legend combine to create a world like no other. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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snicker9 - "The Quest of the Cubs" is about two polar bear cubs, named First and Second. In order to protect them, their mother is forced to join the mysterious and brutal Rogues. She makes arrangements for her cubs to stay with her cousin, but soon First and Second realize that staying is just as dangerous for them. They set off on a journey to find their mother and their father, whom they have never met. Unknown to them the entire polar bear society is collapsing as a group of power-hungry bears wrestle for control. I enjoyed seeing the connections between this book and the Guardians of Ga'hoole series as they are set in the same world. This book was darker than I thought it would be when I picked it up. Probably the biggest thing was that a group of bears that were sacrificing baby cubs. There were also several near-death incidents as First and Second fight to survive. Because of that I probably would recommend this to middle grade students and up. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

November 1, 2017
Grades 3-6 This first volume of Lasky's new animal fantasy series, Bears of Ice, whisks readers back to the world of Guardians of Ga'Hoole. When cub-snatching bears called Roguers come to steal polar bear Svenna's two unnamed one-year-old cubs, she trades herself for their freedom. Left with a distant cousin, the cubs quickly learn this relative will treat them harshly, and they flee. Despite near starvation and harrowing escapes, they search for their mother and their unknown father, and they name themselvesthe girl, Jytte, the boy, Stellanafter stars in the constellation of their parents. With help from unlikely animals, the cubs make their way toward the Far North, where they face grave danger from the Roguers. Readers will lose themselves in the life-and-death adventure of the cubs and succumb to human feelings of fear, loss, and hope. Lasky's authentic frozen setting and dynamic animal characters will capture readers' imaginations and allow them to suspend reality. They'll be waiting with bated breath for the next installment.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)