Skip to main content

The Last (Endling Series #1)



The Last: Endling # 1 
By Katherine Applegate
HarperCollins, 2018. Fantasy, 383 p.

Byx is the last of her kind—what her species (dairnes) call an “endling”. She saw humans kill off her pack and now wonders if she really is the last dairne or if there are others hidden in the safe haven legends. Byx has also saved a wobbyk named Tobble that then (due to wobbyk code) must try to save Byx multiple times. To make things even more complicated Byx gets caught by a human girl masquerading around as a boy tracker…which in turn means that Tobble and Byx end up being taken to places where even more humans are and thus they will find out just how much humans want dairnes to truly be extinct.

This is a good beginning to a brand new series written by Newbery Award-winning author Katherine Applegate. The various different (and fantastical) animals are very interesting…and the bits of legends where it talks about the different sentient races pull together the history of the different species in such a way that kids will understand the backbone of this world. Basically this is a good, new series for kiddos who love reading fantastical stories with animals as the main focus. If a kid has read every Redwall book, this is a good place to go next. Also, the narrator of the audio book does a good job at bringing the book to life and having a good solid pace for the story.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Faker

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...

Review: Umami

  Umami By Jacob Grant New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Picture Book. Umami is a little penguin who is sick of eating the same thing everyday, cold fish --ugh! She becomes determined to find new foods and flavors, so Umami begins a journey across the sea in search of something different to eat. She reaches a place with a plethora of delicious options, and tries bitter, sweet, sour, and foods with umami (just like her name!) among others. Umami decides to bring all these delicious new flavors back for the other penguins to try in a feast. But, will the other penguins enjoy this new experience?  Filled with charm and humor, Umami is a diverse romp through a universal experience --am I willing to try something new? What will it be like? The idea of trying new foods and flavors make it especially relatable, and the appealing illustrations will have many readers ready to hop out on a culinary adventure. A humorous and sweet ending, caps off this delig...

Five Faves: Easy Readers of 2024

Hello world! I know you have been anticipating the release of this list all year... my favorite easy readers! Whether they're funny or sweet, these titles are all great for kids taking their first steps for reading. So without further ado...here are my five favorite easy readers of 2024. Lone Wolf Goes to School Written by Kiah Thomas Illustrated by K-Fai Steele New York: Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, 2024. Easy Reader.  Lone wolf would spend all of his time alone if he could. Unfortunately, he has to go to school with the "snotty" kids, and even when he leaves school there's people at the beach, on the mountains, and at the movie theater. What's a wolf to do? Invite them all to a party at his house and then leave so that all the places he wants to be are empty, of course! If you're looking for a moralistic read-aloud that will teach the virtues of making friends so that you aren't lonely, you should definitely look elsewhere. However, if you're loo...