In this first book of an epic middle grade series, Katherine Applegate takes us on an unforgettable journey.
A New York Times bestseller from the beloved author of the action-packed Animorphs series and the award-winning The One and Only Ivan.
Byx is the youngest member of her dairne pack. Believed to possess remarkable abilities, her mythical doglike species has been hunted to near extinction in the war-torn kingdom of Nedarra.
After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species. The Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true.
Along the way, she meets new allies—both animals and humans alike—who each have their own motivations for joining her quest. And although they begin as strangers, they become their own kind of family—one that will ultimately uncover a secret that may threaten every creature in their world.
Building on the success of her critically acclaimed novels The One and Only Ivan, Crenshaw, and Wishtree, while also returning to her action-packed fantasy roots of Animorphs, the Endling series is Katherine Applegate at her finest. With its enthralling characters, unique setting, and gripping adventure, this series is the perfect next read for fans of Rick Riordan, Brian Jacques, and Tui T. Sutherland.
Don't miss the second book in Katherine Applegate's "simply sublime" (Kirkus) epic middle grade animal fantasy trilogy, Endling #2: The First, plus the concluding volume, Endling #3: The Only. Read all three!
In this first book of an epic middle grade series, Katherine Applegate takes us on an unforgettable journey.
A New York Times bestseller from the beloved author of the action-packed Animorphs series and the award-winning The One and Only Ivan.
Byx is the youngest member of her dairne pack. Believed to possess remarkable abilities, her mythical doglike species has been hunted to near extinction in the war-torn kingdom of Nedarra.
After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species. The Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true.
Along the way, she meets new allies—both animals and humans alike—who each have their own motivations for joining her quest. And although they begin as strangers, they become their own kind of family—one that will ultimately uncover a secret that may threaten every creature in their world.
Building on the success of her critically acclaimed novels The One and Only Ivan, Crenshaw, and Wishtree, while also returning to her action-packed fantasy roots of Animorphs, the Endling series is Katherine Applegate at her finest. With its enthralling characters, unique setting, and gripping adventure, this series is the perfect next read for fans of Rick Riordan, Brian Jacques, and Tui T. Sutherland.
Don't miss the second book in Katherine Applegate's "simply sublime" (Kirkus) epic middle grade animal fantasy trilogy, Endling #2: The First, plus the concluding volume, Endling #3: The Only. Read all three!
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Applegate's new fantasy series has a fascinating cast of characters, and narrator Lisa Flanagan does justice to each. Byx may be the last of her species. When she views the site of her family's slaughter by human soldiers, Flanagan portrays her shocked horror and palpable loneliness. But she gradually builds trust as an unlikely band of travelers becomes family. Flanagan aids listeners' imagining of each character with differing timbres and touches--from Tobble, a comic, devoted creature, to Khara, a human with deep feelings and conflicts. From coldly cruel to ruthless, Flanagan varies her portrayals of the menacing villains. Overall, she represents a range of dark and light moods in this fast-paced, family-friendly audio. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
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Starred review from March 12, 2018
The gripping first installment of Applegate’s (The One and Only Ivan) new fantasy trilogy assembles a motley crew in a suspenseful, tautly drawn quest. The narrative centers on Byx, the 11-year-old runt of a litter of an almost extinct, threatened species of dairnes—highly intelligent doglike creatures who walk upright and can talk, glide, and distinguish any lie. When the curious Byx ventures beyond the confines of her pack’s carefully hidden home, she saves a humorously polite creature, a wobbyk named Tobble, meets a 14-year-old tracker named Khara disguised as a boy, and misses the slaughter of her community that leaves her the last of her kind, an endling. The conflicting motivations of the strongly drawn characters prove compelling as Khara captures the grieving Byx and Tobble to take them to an island city to consult a scholar whom Khara believes will save Byx (while paying a hefty price). Persuasive emotional underpinnings give depth and urgency to the adventure as the team unites against sinister forces. Ages 8–12. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. -
Starred review from April 1, 2018
Gr 4-7-Byx has always thought of herself as last: last-born sibling, the youngest in her whole family, and least adept at all the skills valued by the caninelike "dairnes." But when her family, the last-known group of dairnes in Nedarra, is hunted down and murdered by humans under the rule of the villanous Murdano, she truly becomes the last-an Endling, the sole survivor of a species. Byx sets out on a desperate but hopeful journey in search of Dairneholm, a mythical settlement of dairnes. Along the way she is joined by an increasingly unlikely group of adventurers including Khala the human, a girl disguised as a boy with a mysterious past, and Tobble, the small and fiercely loyal wobbyk. Their mission becomes more dangerous as they discover the true machinations behind the dairnes's eradication. Fantasy lovers are in for a treat with this smartly paced, enthralling adventure that pairs novel and exciting world-building with classic high fantasy tropes and political intrigue. Applegate's characters feel fresh and modern, and their questioning of the status quo will resonate with today's middle graders. Illustrations and maps will help young readers imagine the rich setting filled with fantastical creatures that vie for power in Nedarra. The heart and courage Byx and her companions must find within as they stand up against unimaginable odds will inspire and delight. VERDICT A sweeping fantasy epic for the middle grade set that will have readers clamoring for a follow-up. A first purchase.-Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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Starred review from March 1, 2018
What do you do when you're the last of your kind?Applegate transports her readers to a new land, one inhabited by numerous sentient species, six of which have fought to the top of the food chain: humans, dairnes, felivets, natites, terramants, and raptidons. In this world, readers meet Byx, a dairne--a doglike creature that walks erect, glides like a flying squirrel, and has opposable thumbs--on the day she becomes the last of her species. It's also a day when Byx meets two other creatures: Tobble, a wobbyk, with large ears and a short round body, and Khara (short for Kharassande), a 14-year-old, brown-skinned human girl who pretends to be a boy so that she is not limited by the gendered rules of human society. Bonded through lifesaving acts, the three embark on a journey to find Ferrucci the Gharri, a scientist and scholar who may be able to protect Byx from a human emperor who is hellbent on killing off her entire species. Applegate skillfully builds a fully realized world of intrigue and wonder without ever letting up on the story's quick pace. Themes of genocide, conservation, and magic are interwoven, providing thought-provoking questions for astute readers and educators.A savvy choice for readers of fantasy; individual readers and book clubs will love it and demand to know when the sequel will be available. (Fantasy. 8-11)COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Starred review from March 1, 2018
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* In the land of Nedarra, six governing species reign supreme, but the dairnes?a cross between dog and sugar glider?are critically endangered. Hunted by humans to obscurity, the remaining dairnes have left their treetop nests for more concealed abodes on the ground. Byx is the runt of her pack and highly curious about the world around her. When she sneaks out to explore one day, she rescues a wobbyk (imagine a silvery-blue chinchilla) named Tobble from a group of poachers, only to return home to the horror of finding her entire pack slaughtered by human soldiers. Byx flees with Khara?the poachers' young guide?and Tobble, but the unusual group is brought up short by unsettling news: Byx may be an endling, the last of her species. What follows is a dangerous, heart-stopping quest to stay alive and find an elusive island where dairnes are still rumored to live. Applegate (Wishtree, 2017) effortlessly constructs her fantasy world, briskly moving readers through its imaginative details while creating winning, unique characters. Readers expecting a whimsical animal adventure should be warned that the pervading tone is dark, calling attention to humans' greed and lust for power. Yet, Khara proves a loyal friend, as do others in Byx's unlikely crew. This epic series starter is a bracing, propulsive read that will be a challenge to keep on the shelf.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.) -
July 1, 2018
Byx is a "dairne," a sentient doglike species on the verge of extinction. After humans slaughter her family, she sets out on a quest to find more of her kind. Friends (Tobble, a "wobbyk"; Khara, a human girl) help, but others want to enslave Byx for her ability to distinguish lies from truth. Once past its tragic and gruesome beginning, this thoughtful adventure hits deeper notes about truth and wrongdoing.(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
