July 1, 2016
Gr 6 Up-In Convergence, Steven, while on a class trip to a museum in Hong Kong, stumbles across a mysterious ritual that awakens the powers of the Chinese zodiac and is embodied with the powers of the Tiger. Fearing for his safety, Carlos and Jasmine, trying to prevent the power-hungry Maxwell from completing the ritual, convince Steven to leave his life behind and join them. His interference allows Jasmine to receive half of the Dragon's power while half of the other Zodiac powers are released into the world. Steven works with his new friends to harness his powers and locate the young people throughout the world who have received the rogue powers. The Dragon's Return opens one year later, with Steven and the rest of the Zodiac team falling apart. Carlos is missing, Jasmine is focusing all her efforts on finding him, and some of the other Zodiacs are contemplating going home. Maxwell uses this turmoil to rage a second attack against the team, determined to retrieve all of the powers for himself. With Steven forced to take on the role of leader, will he know whom to trust and be able to get his friends to work together to stop Maxwell again? This is a fast-paced, action-filled superhero adventure with a likable Chinese American protagonist and a unique look at the Chinese zodiac. Give to superhero fans, especially reluctant readers, who will be drawn into the story with the help of Tong's full-page illustrations.
Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.