Seekers: The Quest Begins by Erin Hunter

Seekers: The Quest Begins
Erin Hunter
HarperTrophy (2009)
ISBN 9780060871246
Reviewed by Ben Weldon (age 11) for Reader Views (3/09)

“Seekers: The Quest Begins” by Erin Hunter is the adventurous story of three bears: Kallik, a polar bear; Lusa, a black bear; and Toklo, a grizzly.  All three of them have been separated from their families even though they are still just cubs.  While they are stranded in a cold unfamiliar place, the fight for survival takes place all the time.  Will the bears be able to survive in this harsh wilderness?

Kallik, her brother Taqiqq, and their mother Nisa live a fun (if cold) and rather carefree life in the Arctic Ocean.  They have plenty to eat but the ice is beginning to melt and the three of them must make the long hard trip to land.  When they are attacked by orcas and her mother is killed, Kallik is alone and scared.  Will she be able to survive?

Toklo leads a hard life with his mother Oka and his brother Tobi.  When Oka declares that in order for them to survive they must cross the cold, high mountains to find food Toklo is delighted.  When Tobi suddenly dies while crossing the mountain, Toklo’s mother takes her anger and grief out on him.  Leaving him near a river, Oka strands him in the wild.  Will Toklo be able to hunt and find food without starving in this strange, inhospitable place?

Lusa, her parents, and two other bears are happy living in the “bear bowl” at the zoo, but when a strange new bear is put in a cage nearby, Lusa is anxious to make friends.  Lusa soon finds out that the new bear’s name is Oka and that Oka had cruelly abandoned her cub.  Oka begs that Lusa escape the zoo to tell her son that she is sorry for leaving him stranded in the wilderness.  Will Lusa succeed in carrying out this quest?

I would recommend “Seekers: The Quest Begins” by Erin Hunter to people who like books about animals, bears in particular.  This adventure story was packed full of suspense and action and once you get your hands on it you won’t want to put it down.  There is a second book out and I can’t wait to read it.