The Bear House

by Meaghan McIsaac

Overview

In a gritty medieval world where the ruling houses are based on the constellations, betrayal, intrigue, and a king's murder force the royal sisters of the Bear House on the run!


Moody Aster and her spoiled sister Ursula are the daughters of Jasper Lourdes, Bear Major and high king of the realm. Rivals, both girls dream of becoming the Bear queen someday, although neither really deserve to, having no particular talent in... well, anything.

But when their jealous Uncle Bram murders their father in a bid for the crown, the girls are forced onto the run, along with lowly Dev the Bearkeeper and the half-grown grizzly Alcor, symbol of their house. As a bitter struggle for the throne consumes the kingdom in civil war—and attracts demonic attention from even darker powers—the sisters must rely on Dev, the bear cub, two mysterious princes from opposing houses, and each other to survive… and find wells of courage, cunning, and skill they never knew they had.

For there are many houses in the Bear Highen—the House of the Hemoth Bear, the House of the White Bear, the House of the Ox, the House of the Lion, the House of the Lynx, the House of Hounds, the House of the Blue Giraffe, and the House of the Shadow Dragon—each of them guided and protected by a ferocious namesake beast. But only one can rule.

Perfects for fans of Shannon Messenger, Holly Black, John Flanagan, and Diane Magras, this action-packed fantasy-adventure has sky-high stakes, electrifying action, stellar magic, powerful girls, and surprises for even the canniest reader…

“An epic, complex narrative.”—Publishers Weekly
“Stellar… Thrilling… Enchanting.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Truly wonderful.”—School Library Journal
“Magnificent.”—The Canadian Children’s Book Center
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823446605
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	10/05/2021
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	1,106,144
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.50(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Meaghan McIsaac is the author of several books for young readers, including The Boys of Fire and Ash, which was shortlisted for the Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award; and Movers, which was a Shining Willow Finalist for the Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards. Meaghan lives in Toronto, Ontario with her two dogs.

Editorial Reviews

08/02/2021

McIsaac’s (Movers) dark fantasy series starter ambitiously weaves intrigue and adventure against a complicated backdrop of constellation-inspired myth. The northern kingdoms, collectively known as the Bear Highen, have always been ruled by the House of the Hemoth Bear. Spoiled Aster Lourdes, 13, dreams of following in her father’s footsteps as its sovereign, but everyone expects her imperious older sister Ursula, 16, to be chosen. When their uncle Bram betrays the family in an unthinkable coup, the sisters must flee the kingdom, along with bear keeper Dev, 13, and young grizzly Alcor, “the living symbol of the Bear House.” To prevent the Bear Highen from falling to tyranny and blasphemy, the unlikely companions must survive in the wild, outwit their pursuers, and rally the heirs to several other kingdoms. Hot-tempered and insecure, the flawed, cued-white protagonists slowly prove themselves as they’re pushed to their limits in a well-depicted journey of maturity. Dense worldbuilding bogs things down early on, but multiple perspectives enable the story to play out from different angles, contributing to an epic, complex narrative. Ages 10–14. Agent: Alison McDonald, the Rights Factory. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

12/01/2021

Gr 4–7—A group of young teens must deal with the aftermath of a terrible act of betrayal and make a place for themselves in their changed universe. Princesses Aster and Ursula are the daughters of the respected Major Jasper Lourdes, who is basically the high king of their world. After her father and most of the other Majors, plus their magical animal partners, are killed due to the machinations of his older brother Bram, Aster learns that she and her sister are considered spoiled brats by everyone. However, by the end of the book, the princesses prove capable of heroism. Truly wonderful world-building almost makes up for the stereotypical behavior of the young female characters, who seem selfish and lazy until forced to be otherwise, while the young male characters show resolve and agency as they deal with difficult problems before the events of the novel. The story ties up neatly, but many characters deserve future stories of their own. Most characters are cued as white. VERDICT A novel set in a compelling world marred by uneven characterization that does its female protagonists a disservice.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles P.L.

School Library Journal

2021-07-27
With the help of new friends and powerful beasts, sisters must save their kingdom from their treacherous uncle after he murders their father.

Aster and Ursula are known as the spoiled daughters of Maj. Jasper Lourdes, ruler of the entire Bear Highen, which comprises several kingdoms. Neither is considered fit to lead someday. When Uncle Bram betrays Jasper in an attempt to usurp the throne, the sisters know they are in danger. They flee the Manor alongside the bear Alcor, who is a High Beast, and Dev, the boy apprenticed to care for Alcor. This rich fantasy world is inspired by the constellations, and each kingdom is associated with a beast that is reflected in the stars. After sending a plea for help, the runaway group is joined by two young princes: Quintin Wyvern with a Shadow Dragon and Lorc Conri with a Starhound. The ragtag team must learn to trust one another, work together, and find their individual strengths. The stellar worldbuilding is both expansive and accessible, and the action never falters. Parental expectations clash with the aspirations of several of the young crew, adding a sympathetic dimension. The primary plot is wrapped up, but this world is ripe for many more stories. Physical descriptions are few, but most characters read as White; Quintin’s mother has brown skin.

Thrilling adventure set in an enchanting world makes this an easy pick for high fantasy fans. (map) (Fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

"Weaves intrigue and adventure. . . . An epic, complex narrative."—Publishers Weekly

"The stellar worldbuilding is both expansive and accessible, and the action never falters. . . . Thrilling adventure set in an enchanting world makes this an easy pick for high fantasy fans."—Kirkus Reviews

"Truly wonderful."—School Library Journal

"Unique and complex. . . . This book features skillful world-building, an action-packed and fast-paced plot, and a magnificent cast of characters that each shine in their own right."—The Canadian Children’s Book Center

"An adventure that just pulls you in and sweeps you along. . . . The perfect book for me, because not only am I a giant astronomy geek, I also happen to love betrayal [and] intrigue. . . . I just didn’t want to put it down."—The Bookwyrm’s Den

"This is a fantastic start to a new middle grade fantasy series. . . . Quite the adventure, full of wonderful characters that are sure to keep the reader’s attention."—Books-a-Plenty Book Reviews

"Truly amazing."—Kait Plus Books

From the Publisher