Jess Black (text) and Celeste Hulme (illustrator), Eve and the Kraken Hunt (Keeper of the Crystals #8), New Frontier, January 2019, 66 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781925594430
Eve and her faithful friend Oscar are mythical wildlife warriors, summoned to different worlds by crystals. In Eve and the Kraken Hunt, the eighth instalment in the Keeper of the Crystals series by Jess Black, Eve and Oscar find themselves on a ship in the middle of the ocean trying to save the Kraken — an enormous octopus — from a salty captain’s wrath. Eve also enlists the help of cabin boy Leif and the three of them, along with Ingvar, a dragon who is Eve’s kindred animal, try to persuade the captain that the Kraken means them no harm.
Filled with interesting facts about octopi and incorporating the mythical Kraken, this book is sure to spark a younger child’s imagination. It also does a good job of conveying the concept of wildlife protection in an engaging and simple way and the short, pacey chapters make it perfect for newly emerging readers or as a bedtime read with Mum or Dad. Eve and Oscar are relatable characters and their friendship, curiosity and love of animals form a real backbone of the series.
A short, easy to read, adventure-fantasy, this instalment of the ongoing Keeper of the Crystals series should appeal to newly independent readers aged 7 – 9 who love animals and fantasy.
Reviewed by Renee Mihulka
