The Quest Begins (Seekers Series #1)

Three bears . . . one destiny

From the author of the nationally bestselling Warriors books comes a brand-new animal fantasy series. Three young bears from different species—black, polar, and grizzly—are separated from their families when they are just young cubs. They find themselves brought together on a perilous journey. Fate is about to change all these bears lives forever, setting their paws on a path toward a future they cannot yet imagine . .

About The Author:

Erin Hunter is the nom de plume of three British writers who create enthralling, animal-centric YA fantasies in the tradition of Brian Jacques's Redwall books.

Special Features:

The Quest Begins (Seekers Series #1)

Publishers Weekly

Hunter (the Warriors series) kicks off a new series as three young bears, unknown to one another, each embark on a perilous journey. Two of the characters, Kallik, a polar bear, and Toklo, a grizzly, were born in the wild and lose their mothers to tragic events. To survive, they must draw on their underdeveloped instincts. Lusa, a black bear, has grown up in "the Bear Bowl," a protected environment at a zoo, but to fulfill a promise (to Toklo's rescued mother, as it turns out) she leaves it and ventures into wilderness. The bears find help from other, more seasoned bears and are comforted by their belief in mythical bear spirits as they navigate the harsh realities of life in the wild. By the end, only Toklo and Lusa have met, and the purpose of the quest has not been fully revealed. Although this book does not seem as tightly written as the Warriors titles, readers will appreciate the bears' struggle to survive, along with Hunter's environmental theme. The suspenseful conclusion will build in an eager audience for the next installment. Ages 10-up. (June)

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ALA Booklist

“These stories will be welcomed by the Warriors series’ many fans.”

VOYA

The quartet who write as Erin Hunter begin a new series with this title, and eager readers are already lining up. Three bear cubs independently set out on an epic journey to the Arctic, each drawn by the North Star. Kallik is an orphan polar bear; Toklo is a grizzly, abandoned by his mother; Lusa, a black bear, has escaped from the zoo to search for Toklo and bring him a message from his mother. Toklo is the unwilling protector of Ujurak, a shape-shifter who may be bear one minute and eagle the next. In the wild, each faces hunger, natural obstacles, and danger from other bears as their paths gradually converge. As the first volume, this story is slowed by the need for much setup. Bear society promises to be less complex than that of the feral cats in the popular Warriors series, but there is the additional challenge of delineating the habits and behavior of three different species of bears. The bears share a language but have different mythologies and expectations of the world. The natural history is convincing, which makes the introduction of fantasy elements in the form of Ujurak a little jarring. The shape-shifter is a common figure in Native American mythology and Ujurak's character will no doubt be more fully developed in subsequent volumes. As in Warriors, life in the wild is portrayed as sometimes violent and tragic. This promising beginning opens what will doubtless be a much-requested series. Reviewer: Kathleen Beck

Children's Literature

AGERANGE: Ages 10 to 14.

In this book three young bears from different walks of life find themselves alone and learning what it means to survive. Two of the young bears, Kallik and Toklo, experience a tragic event that takes them from a safe and nurturing environment into a sink or swim situation. They must rely on their instincts and other animals to find food. The third young bear, Lusa, lives where food is plentiful and protected from predators. She calls her home the Bear Bowl and yearns to find out what lies outside of it. One day temptation takes hold of Lusa and she finds herself in the wilderness seeking a bear called Toklo. All three bears have one thing in common. They have a legend that tells the story of a bear that lives in the stars. Each bear depicts this Native American legend with a little different twist. Yet, the jest reflects how things happen for a reason, even if they do not seem fair at the time. The author, Erin Hunter, has created a unique tale of how life in the wild as a young animal is not much different then life as a teenager. Both rely on family for survival skills and need love and encouragement to achieve beyond living day to day. Without these, life is difficult and without meaning. This book seems more character driven then plot driven. Sometimes it becomes confusing switching from character to character. This is book one in the "Seeker" series. Reviewer: Julia Beiker

School Library Journal

Gr 5-9

In this new series, readers meet three bear cubs: Kallik, a polar bear; Lusa, a black bear; and Toklo, a brown bear. The story follows their adventures, narrated in alternating chapters. Kallik loses her mother in a killer-whale attack and is separated from her brother. She has never lived on her own before, and never been anywhere but on the ice. Lusa hears stories about life in the wild that eventually cause her to leave the safety of the zoo. Toklo is abandoned by his mother, who flees into the woods in grief when his brother dies. All three cubs are now learning to survive in the woods with minimal knowledge and ability and with no adult allies. From the first page, this story is exciting and refreshing. The bears' declining habitat is evident, and often throughout their journey the animals have to dodge cars and humans with guns. The plot is fast paced, and the author is apt at creating and sustaining the adrenaline-charged mood of these youngsters on their own.-Jennifer-Lynn Draper, Children's Literature Consultant, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

Kirkus Reviews

Once upon a time there were three bears-cubs who live completely separate lives until various tragedies cause their paths to intersect. Gentle, loving Kallik, a polar bear, lives with her family until a disastrously early spring thaw leads to her mother's death. Lusa, a bright and curious black bear, finds her adventurous spirit confined by the zoo where she lives. Toklo, a rebellious grizzly, longs to be independent while hampered by his sickly brother and despairing mother. Then there is Ujurak, who looks like a bear cub (sometimes), but might be something else entirely. Drawn by the beckoning North Star, each sets off on a journey to the unknown. As in her immensely popular Warriors series, Hunter creates a richly sensuous world filled with cruelty, beauty, tenderness, savagery and just enough underlying legendary background to add mystery. Unfortunately, so much effort goes into developing characters and settings that the plot barely gets into motion by the last page. Still, fans of animal fantasies will adore the careful attention to detail, and will haunt the shelves for the next volume. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Meet the Writer -

The Quest Begins (Seekers Series #1)

Fact File

Name:
Erin Hunter

Also Known As:
Erin Hunter is the pseudonym for three writers: Cherith Baldry, Kate Cary, and Victoria Holmes

Current Home:
All three writers live in the U.K.

Biography

Erin Hunter is the nom de plume of three British writers who create enthralling, animal-centric YA fantasies in the tradition of Brian Jacques's Redwall books. In 2003, they launched their bestselling Warriors series with Into the Wild, the story of a domesticated kitten who leaves the comforts of his human home to join a family of feral cats living in the woods. Introducing a captivating world where rival cat clans struggle for survival, the book was an immediate sensation with animal- and adventure-loving preteens. Since its debut, Warriors has become a genuine publishing phenomenon, spawning a string of six-book miniseries, each with its own distinct story arc.

The Erin Hunter collaboration is an unusual but highly successful one. Characters and story ideas emanate from editor Victoria Holmes, who keeps track of previous plot lines, ensures continuity, and coordinates the details of a complex and growing cast of characters. Kate Cary and Cherith Baldry take turns writing individual books; then everything is vetted again through Holmes, who checks carefully to make sure the stories are told in a single, unified voice. With different writing styles at work, this would seem a daunting task. However, in a 2006 interview, Holmes explained her modus operandi: "I think of it as being able to "speak Erin Hunter", like speaking a different language, and after working on [so many] scripts, I know pretty much at once if a line or phrase doesn't sound right."

Although the Erin Hunter books are written for young readers, they do not shy away from difficult material. The animals face life-threatening dangers and experience pain, grief, and loss -- sometimes even treachery within their own ranks. But the authors are always careful to reinforce positive messages about family, friendship, loyalty, and love. Independently, Holmes, Cary, and Baldry stay busy with their own writing and editing projects; but in 2008, they reunited for a second animal fantasy series. Seekers: The Quest Begins features a trio of bears from different species (black, polar, and grizzly), who join together for an adventure-filled odyssey that will change their lives forever.

Good To Know

Fun facts about "Erin Hunter" and the Warrior books, plus advice for aspiring writers:
Cherith Baldry and Kate Cary have always loved cats -- and writing fantasy stories! Cherith is particularly interested in the stories of King Arthur, with all those glorious battles, knights, and a courtly code of behavior. Kate is fascinated by animal interaction and the way you can read all sorts of hidden motivation into what cats do. She's also not afraid of describing the goriest scenes!

Says Victoria Holmes, "I love being one of the Erins and frequently dream of being a cat running through a forest when I am coming up with new story lines. Teaming up with Kate and Cherith on the Warriors books is an unconventional way of working, but we love writing the books together and it means we can produce them much faster than a single writer could."

They came up with the single name, Erin Hunter, to avoid confusing their readers by having books from the same series filed in different places on the bookshelves.

Erin's advice for aspiring writers: "Read, read, and read some more! Make sure you read a wide variety of stories: fantasy stories teach you about making up completely new worlds, crime-solving stories teach you about handling a complicated plot, stories with lots of characters teach you how to describe relationships. Also, write as many stories as you can, even if no one else reads them. And remember that the best inspiration comes from what's around you -- Kate and Cherith go for long walks through the woods to find new locations for the cats to explore. They also spend hours watching their cats -- and other people -- to see how they behave in certain situations."