Tiger Warrior: Attack of the Dragon King is the start of an exciting, magical new series for younger readers of 6+. It is a fantastically action-packed, fast-paced and humorous adventure that will appeal to young fans of both gaming and fantasy adventures.
Jack loves gaming and is enjoying defeating some virtual dragons. Imagine his surprise, and disbelief, when his Grandad, who he calls Yeye, asks him if he has the courage to face real dragons! His Grandad gives him his deceased father’s Jade Coin, a magical item with the power to summon the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and reveals that he is the next Tiger Warrior and must fight evil in the realm of the Jade Kingdom. Naturally, Jack thinks Yeye is teasing him … until he meets the spirits of some of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac whose power he must learn to harness.
His Grandad encourages him to travel to the Jade Kingdom to introduce himself as the next Tiger Warrior to the Jade Emperor, and opens a portal with the Coin which Jack travels through … Far from enjoying visiting a Kingdom at peace, he finds it under attack from a terrifying dragon …
Can Jack and his new friend, Princess Li, work together to defeat the dangerous Dragon King before he destroys the Jade Kingdom and sets his sights on Earth?
Jack is a brilliant young boy. He clearly adores his Grandad and I loved their close relationship which is wonderfully natural and filled with humour. He enjoys the thrill of gaming, but does not feel brave enough to take on the role of Tiger Warrior in real life. However, Jack learns to make use of his gaming skills in the Jade Kingdom and finds strength, courage and self-belief from his new friends: the Zodiac animals and Princess Li.
The zodiac creatures are absolutely fantastic and I adored the bond they form with Jack. They provide plenty of opportunity for laughs as they jostle good-naturedly for Jack’s attention. They all have magical powers which they can transfer to Jack as long as he is touching them, and what amazing powers they are: invisibility, super strength, control over fire and water, and telepathy. These creatures are drawn from the myth of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, and I really hope this story will encourage children to find out more about this part of Chinese culture.
The full page and partial page illustrations are wonderfully energetic, and complement the action and humour in the story perfectly.
This is an electrifying, exciting adventure, with just the perfect frisson of danger, that will keep young readers entranced from start to finish. I have no doubt they will be eager for the next adventure, The War of the Fox Demons.
Thank you to Holly Stott and Hachette Children’s Group for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour, and for providing me with a copy of Tiger Warrior in exchange for my honest opinion.
Please do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:
Book Craic 