Creatures of the in Between - by Cindy Lin (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Princess Mononoke meets How to Train Your Dragon in this magical middle grade adventure from Cindy Lin, author of The Twelve, featuring a blend of East and Southeast Asian folklore and mythical creatures, and starring a boy with a hero's destiny.

Prince Jin is running out of time.

He must find a monster companion before his thirteenth birthday or lose the throne completely.

And that means travelling to the only place where monsters still live: the legendary, dangerous Whisper Island.

But untold perils await Jin there. The magical creatures he seeks are not so easily swayed, and an even greater threat looms on the horizon--one that could threaten everything Jin hopes to achieve.

• A Coming of Age Fantasy: Prince Jin has until his thirteenth birthday to bond with a magical beast. If he fails, he'll lose his chance to be emperor forever.
• A Rich World Based on Asian Folklore: Journey to the legendary Whisper Island and discover a land filled with kirins, dragons, phoenixes, and other creatures from myth.
• An Unlikely Hero: A young prince who has spent his life in a palace must brave a dangerous wilderness and defy his powerful grandmother to claim his destiny.
• Found Family: When shipwrecked and alone, Jin must rely on new friends--the last of the island's magical Whisperers--to survive.

Review Quotes

Praise for Cindy Lin: "[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." - Booklist

"Full of heart and brimming with action, what a read! I couldn't put it down, but I didn't want it to end! I know I'll return to this enthralling and inventive world time and time again." - Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Elementals: Ice Wolves

"Perfect for fans of monsters, magic, myth, and learning about the stories and heroes of East and Southeast Asian lore." - Booklist

"Court intrigue, daring escapades, and quick-moving battle sequences characterize this entertaining read... Lin's lush descriptions bring her mythical creatures and the mysteries of Samtei's past to life." - Publishers Weekly