The first book in a thrilling animal fantasy series following the epic journey of three bears, from the #1 nationally bestselling author of Warriors. When three young bears from different species—black, polar, and grizzly—are separated from their families, fate brings them together on a dangerous quest that will change their lives forever. Along the way, they will face great danger, terrible tragedies, and new landscapes in a compelling survival story that requires all their ingenuity. For fans of Warriors, Survivors, and animal fantasy series like Wings of Fire and Foxcraft, Seekers is a sweeping and incredible journey through the beautiful, dangerous world of wild bears. Three cubs, lost and alone, must find their way in a world full of danger. Three Unlikely Friends: A polar bear, a black bear, and a grizzly―each separated from their family―must learn to trust one another to survive. - Quest Adventure: Guided by instinct and an ancient mystery, the bears travel through the beautiful but perilous North American wilderness on an epic search for a new home. - Multiple Perspectives: Follow the thrilling stories of Kallik, Lusa, and Toklo as each chapter shifts to a new bear’s point of view. - Epic Animal Fantasy: From the creators of the bestselling Warriors series, this middle grade adventure is a perfect read for kids ages 8-12 who love animals and epic stories. Grade 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 Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. The author of the Warriors series turns her attention from cats to bears in this first book in the Seekers series. Despite the change in species, much will be familiar to readers. Alternating narratives tell the tales of three young bear cubs, who will be brought together in future installments: Kallik, a female polar bear cub who witnesses her mother’s death by orca pod; Lusa, a black bear cub in a zoo; and Toklo, a grizzly bear cub abandoned by a mother. As befits the first title in a series, the bears’ tales are given ample time to develop and include details that may be painful to animal lovers and could disturb more sensitive readers. Each tale touches on environmental issues, and Toklo’s story provides the first glimpse of a fantasy element. Told with an interesting balance of cute anthropomorphic characterization and realistic attention to bear behaviors and the brutalities of life in the wild, these stories will be welcomed by the Warriors series’ many fans. Grades 5-8. --Holly Koelling “These stories will be welcomed by the Warriors series’ many fans.” - ALA Booklist “The suspenseful conclusion will build in an eager audience for the next installment.” - Publishers Weekly “Hunter creates a richly sensuous world filled with cruelty, beauty, tenderness, savagery and just enough underlying legendary background to add mystery…fans of animal fantasies will haunt the shelves for the next volume.” - Kirkus Reviews 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 . . . . Erin Hunter is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. In addition to having great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior. She is the author of the Warriors, Seekers, Survivors, Bravelands, Bamboo Kingdom, and Renegades series. Erin lives in the UK. Seekers #1: The Quest Begins By Erin Hunter HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Copyright © 2008 Erin Hunter All right reserved. ISBN: 9780060871222 Chapter One Kall