Spark

The novel’s protagonist, 12-year-old Mina, sits in the kitchen observing her chaotic family: Mama, Papa, older brother Gaton, and younger twin siblings Beon and Rinna. Mina is usually quiet and content to just listen. Today, though, she stands in front of the table to get their attention and announces that her dragon egg is ready to hatch. For two years, she has cared for it and bonded with it. Soon, a storm beast will emerge, and she will officially be a guardian; the pair will then help regulate the carefully maintained weather in their country of Alorria.

In their excitement, the family debates what kind of beast will emerge. Gaton wagers on a sun beast like his that maintains summer temperatures and guides sunlight onto crops. Mama insists that it will be a rain beast. Beon hopes for a wind beast. However, Papa declares that Mina is “too steady” to be a wind guardian. Mina knows that she will be happy with any kind of storm beast: sun, wind, rain, snow, or lightning.

In the meantime, everyone springs into action, for this is the day that wind guardians will usher the breeze out to the shore to push fishing boats into the ocean.