The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi - ESSENTIAL

The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi, 352 pages. Henry Holt and Company, 2009 (translation 2018). $20.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “F”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG;

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When Erin’s mother is sentenced to death because some water serpents died under her care, she sends her daughter to safety. After being cared for by a beekeeper in the mountains, Erin finds her way to an academy where the students are taught how to care for the magical beasts. When the queen’s pet is brought in, Erin is charged to heal it, but the animal does not like humans. With the stress of caring for an animal along with two waring kingdom, Erin is caught right in the middle and must make some life changing decisions.

I loved this book. It was really fun to read and is a beautifully written work that transports the reader there. Mature Content is PG because there is a lot of talk about a war and politics that are between the two kingdoms. Violence is PG because there is a battle that has some death and small amounts of blood. There is also an injured animal.

Julia M, Student