Seekers: The Quest Begins

9/10/2020

Erin Hunter

Erin Hunter is a collective pseudonym for eight authors, each of whom has a specific task in creating and writing a number of children's series. The writers are

Victoria Holmes
Kate Cary
Cherith Baldry
Inbali Iserles
Tui T. Sutherland
Kasey Widhalm
Rosie Best
Gillian Phillip

Together, these authors have published the Warriors, Seekers, Survivors, and Bravelands series. In all more than 130 novels have been written for these four series. This is slightly less than the 175 Nancy Drew novels written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene!

"Luckily there didn't seem to be many flat-faces in the area. She did see several of the furry screeching animals stalking through the grass, but they could smell her there, and they stayed well clear of her hiding place. She felt weak from hunger and pain. Everything is going wrong! How would she ever make it to the bear snout mountain, let alone find Toklo once she got there? At least she could still see the Bear Watcher from her hiding spot. It was comforting to know the star was still watching her.

On the night Lusa was ready to resume traveling, the sky was covered in clouds and she couldn't see any stars at all. She sat up, pointing her nose at the spot where she was sure the Bear Watcher should be. She couldn't see it - but somehow she knew she was looking in the right place. It was like a tug to her fur, nudging her that way."

Tui Sutherland

Sutherland is the primary author for Seekers: The Quest Begins. She was a Harper Collins editor for the Warriors series until she became a full-time writer. Sutherland is the author of the Scholastic series Wings of Fire and, under the pen name Heather Williams, the author of the Pet Trouble series as well as Nellie Oleson Meets Laura Ingalls and Farmer Boy Goes West.

Synopsis

Three cubs set out on dangerous journeys when separated from their families. Kallik, the little polar cub, must reach land before the snow-ice melts completely. Lusa, a black bear cub, escapes from a zoo in order to find Toklo, the grizzley cub, -- she needs to give him a last message from his Mother. Fate will bring them all together for a final journey.

Seekers: The Quest Begins is the first in a series; while it could be read as a stand-alone novel the ending will leave young readers ready for the next one -- Seekers: Great Bear Lake.

World Context/Relevance

Understanding how climate change impacts different biospheres on earth is important to protecting animals -- from the smallest bumblebee to the Asian elephant, both of which are already impacted by warmer temperatures -- from extinction.

According to a February report from NOAA, January 2020 was the warmest start to the year in the 141 years of their record keeping. NOAA followed up with a statistical analysis predicting 2020 would be one of the five warmest years on record. The maximum annual temperature is important because of its impact on biospheres -- it's a key to predicting species extinction. Researchers Wiens and Roman-Palacios from the University of Arizona found that one in three animal, plant, and insect species face extinction by 2070 - 50 years from today -- due to steady increase in the maximum annual temperature. Without efforts to address climate change, it is projected that 50% of all the world's animal species could be extinct by 2100 -- at which time my grandson will be 82 years old.

Learning Connections

Bear Species

Bear Facts & Pictures, Live Science
Polar Bears, Polar Bears International
All About Black Bears, BearWise
Animal Facts: Grizzly Bears, Canadian Geographic

Habitats/Biospheres

The Arctic Circle, Live Science
Bear Habitat, Get Bear Smart Society
Climate Change, Polar Bears International

Zoos

Zoo, National Geographic
The Zoo, About Zoos
How Did Zoos Develop, DailyHistory.org
Bear Sanctuaries, Bear Conservation

The World of Erin Hunter: The Educator's Guide, HarperCollins Children's Book

Ages: 8-12; upper middle readers; 320 pages. Three bears go on perilous quests to find the Norther Lights.

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