The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

Reading level: Ages 9-1
Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (September 7, 2010)

Website: http://thefamiliars.com/

Buy the Book: Amazon

Description:

On the run from a black magic wielding bounty hunter, Aldwyn, a wily alley cat ducks into a convenient doorway to hide. Inside, he finds himself in a shop full of unusual animals with unusual talents. They are familiars, animal helpers to witches and wizards who are waiting to be chosen by a person who will become their loyal. When Jack, an 11-year-old apprentice wizard chooses Aldwyn, the cat decides to take advantage of the opportunity to escape the bounty hunter - a decision that changes his life dramatically. Outside the gates of the city where he has lived for as long as he can remember, Aldwyn begins to settle into his new life, growing closer to Jack, who studies with two other apprentices, Marianne and Dalton. He also learns more about familiars from Marianne's familiar Gilbert, a red-eyed tree frog and Dalton's familiar, Skylar, a blue jay. Before he can get too comfortable, though, Jack, Marianne and Dalton are stolen away by an evil queen who plans to kill them. Aldwyn, Gilbert and Skylar resolve to rescue their loyals and set off on a perilous journey to do so.In this book Aldwyn is a every day alley cat. When he is doing his trying to steal a fish from the fish seller he is caught by the most dangerousness bounty hunter for animals he is chased into a wizards animals shop he is picked by a boy by the name is Jack. He is brought to a cottage named Stone Runlet he gets more and more attached to Jack and he grows to get used to Stone Runlet with Jack's other companions, Jack'd sister Marianne and her familiar Gilbert the friendly the other boy Dalton and his familiar the know-it-all blue jay Skylar, and the wizard teacher Kalstaff. Then one night the queen Loranella comes and kills Kalstaff and captures Jack, Marianne, and Dalton. The the three familiars, Aldwyn Skylar and Gilbert must save there loyal's as they call them Aldwyn hiding the fact that he had no powers at all!

I liked this book. My favorite character was probably Marianne. She kept pulling pranks on Jack and Dalton. I took the test on the website and it said:

You’re a Beyonder. You better find yourself a familiar who can breathe fire or move objects with their mind. Chances are there’s a lot of danger in your future.

Find your familiar at: http://thefamiliars.com/quiz.php . I would either like a pocket dragon or a Maidenmere cat! I liked this book because it was very interesting and adventurous and i love adventure. I liked that even though Aldwyn had no powers he was a BIG help. I loved it because they were animals and i LOVE animals ! i really LOVE cats and since Aldwyn is a cat i LOVED this book even MORE! Thank you Harper Collins publishers for this book! P.S I got it on my B-Day so that was a great present!

Reagan mysteriously turned into an elf!