The Twelve

by Cindy Lin

Overview

The Zodiac Legacy meets Spirit Animals in this epic, heartwarming adventure!

Usagi can hear a squirrel’s heartbeat from a mile away, and soar over treetops in one giant leap. She was born in the year of the wood rabbit, and it’s given her extraordinary zodiac gifts.

But she can never use them, not while the mysterious, vicious Dragonlord hunts down all those in her land with zodiac powers. Instead, she must keep her abilities—and those of her rambunctious sister Uma—a secret.

After Uma is captured by the Dragonguard, Usagi can no longer ignore her powers. She must journey to Mount Jade with the fabled Heirs of the Twelve, a mystical group of warriors who once protected the land.

As new mysteries unfold, Usagi must decide who she stands with, and who she trusts, as she takes on deadly foes on her path to the elusive, dangerous Dragonlord himself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062821287
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/30/2020
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	1,030,051
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.50(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

A former journalist with degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, Cindy Lin has worked for Sony Pictures Entertainment and has written and produced many multimedia news features for children, one of which received a Peabody Award. Cindy is the author of The Twelve, Treasures of the Twelve, Creatures of the In Between, and the upcoming Beasts of the Uncanny Wild, and you can find her at cindylinbooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

Aficionados will delight in the plethora of fast-paced action scenes sprinkled with martial arts wisdom, and there is much potential for sequels…and, of course, for Usagi to continue developing her powers.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Aficionados will delight in the plethora of fast-paced action scenes sprinkled with martial arts wisdom, and there is much potential for sequels…and, of course, for Usagi to continue developing her powers.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Aficionados will delight in the plethora of fast-paced action scenes sprinkled with martial arts wisdom, and there is much potential for sequels…and, of course, for Usagi to continue developing her powers.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

[A] rip-roaring debut…Ideal for fans of stories with lots of heart, great lore, and plenty of twists along the way.” — ALA Booklist

“Aficionados will delight in the plethora of fast-paced action scenes sprinkled with martial arts wisdom, and there is much potential for sequels…and, of course, for Usagi to continue developing her powers.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

[A] rip-roaring debut…Ideal for fans of stories with lots of heart, great lore, and plenty of twists along the way.”

ALA Booklist

2019-04-14
To save her friend and sister, a young girl embarks on a treacherous mission.

Just five years ago, the island of Midaga was protected by the Twelve, warriors endowed with a magical treasure and animal power from the Asian zodiac. But then the villainous Dragonlord took control, eliminating the Twelve and their apprentices, or Heirs. Since then, all individuals with zodiac powers have been hunted or forced into hiding. When Usagi's sister, Uma, and friend Tora are kidnapped by the Dragonlord's men due to their powers, she joins forces with a group of bandits who turn out to be renegade Heirs trained by the last surviving Warrior, Horangi the Tigress. Usagi, endowed with powers of the wood rabbit, finds herself torn: Should she immediately rescue her friend and sister or prove her worth by climbing Mount Jade and training to become an Heir? Rumors that the Dragonlord plans to execute his weak captives accelerate everything, cutting short her training and sending Usagi and the Heirs to infiltrate the Dragonlord's lair. Although this fantasy is not based on a specific culture, the majority of characters' names have East Asian derivations. Unfortunately, other aspects of the worldbuilding are not so solid. Oddly for a book set on an island, for instance, there's no mention of the ocean or ports and very little consumption of seafood. Obstacles are frequent but resolve quickly, limiting suspense but keeping pages turning.

A mostly promising debut. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews