The Hunt Is On: Book 1

by Nie Jun, Nie Jun (Illustrator)

Overview

Xinyue, his brother Qiliu, and their mother are seekers, hunting aweto—a rare, plantlike treasure—along the legendary Silk Road. After one outing, Xinyue discovers the offspring of a deity that creates aweto—and becomes the little creature's reluctant caretaker. He soon struggles to keep it safe and keep it a secret. And that's before he learns that warriors from the deity's village are on his family's tail...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541597846
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/02/2021
Series:	Seekers of the Aweto , #1
Pages:	136
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	HL290L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 13 Years

About the Author

Nie Jun began drawing at an early age by copying lianhuanhua (Chinese sequential art). He later discovered the cartooning legends of Europe, Japan, and elsewhere. He lives in Beijing and teaches drawing to university students.

Nie Jun began drawing at an early age by copying lianhuanhua (Chinese sequential art). He later discovered the cartooning legends of Europe, Japan, and elsewhere. He lives in Beijing and teaches drawing to university students.

Editorial Reviews

03/01/2021

Gr 7–10—In medieval China, along the Silk Road, Xinyue, who can command insects with his drum; his grumpy older brother Qiliu, who has wings and can fly; and their mother Bu Ren Niang are among the many seeking the legendary celestial aweto, which grants eternal life. The three of them attempt to follow insects to the chadolo, an earth deity who grows the aweto on their head. They find a chadolo who is none too happy about being disturbed, and the villagers vow to keep the deity safe. In the ensuing battle, the brothers are successful, but it turns out the chadolo had a baby growing inside, a cute little plant creature who imprints on Xinyue. Without the aweto, the village will turn into a desert, so the village's princess goes on the hunt for the brothers and the baby. The pace picks up near the end, just in time to conclude on a cliff-hanger. Jun pulls from his culture of the Qinghai province in China, and the story offers a glimpse into the beauty and storytelling of the area. The setting is well crafted, and readers will find the sibling dynamic between the brothers delightful, and perhaps a bit familiar. Jun's delicate watercolors practically sing in their movement and detail. VERDICT An exciting story with dreamlike illustrations. Fans of the Avatar: The Last Airbender comics will enjoy this title, and the adorable baby chadolo makes the book a good companion piece for teens waiting for the next season of The Mandalorian.—Gretchen Hardin, Bee Cave P.L., TX

School Library Journal

"[B]alances dynamic action sequences with a nuanced exploration of environmental commodification and resource scarcity."—Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

2020-12-22
In a fantastical version of medieval China, some seek the rare and valuable aweto.

The trio at the center of the story are Xinyue, who can control insects with his drum; his reserved older brother, Qiliu, distinguished by his fiery red hair and wings; and their aged, knowledgeable mother, Bu Ren Niang. In search of aweto, the brothers attack the matriarchal Sanamo on whose land they can be found. Prized for their powerful medicinal properties, the aweto, which is plantlike in the summer and wormlike during the winter, grow on the heads of chadolos, deities that bring life to the land they inhabit. As Xinyue gets through the Sanamo’s defenses and plucks an aweto from a particularly large chadolo, he is surprised when the chadolo asks him to watch and care for its baby before it dies. Soon, rumors that this baby may hold the elusive celestial aweto, which grants immortality, threaten familial loyalties and reveal dark secrets, and Xinyue is tragically forced to question his own motivations. This graphic novel translated from Chinese bursts with color and adventure: Each panel teems with movement artfully rendered in a bright, saturated pastel palette. While the unrelenting pace will engage readers, the story’s many moving parts, some of them insufficiently explained, occasionally lead to jarring surprises. Readers will anticipate the sequel that may bring additional context to both the story and characters’ motivations.

Packed with action and intrigue. (map) (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews