Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Love, courage, death in exciting new Africa nature series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Set in the African-highlands world of Bravelands, THE SHATTERED HORN finds four young animals called upon to show unusual courage as their world changes rapidly around them. After their mother's death, young water buffaloes Whisper and Echo try to fit in with the herd, but Whisper's watchful eye isn't enough to protect her baby brother from danger. Young hyena Tailbiter, often troubled by doom-filled visions, hates her extended family's ongoing mutual slay-fest with the lions but is powerless to stop it. Cheetah Strider has his own issues with the lions but has also fallen in love with a beautiful cheetah whom a bullying character means to claim for himself. Adding to their peril: Each species has its own members who are prepared to betray and kill to gain power, and the young animals seem to find themselves in the way all too often.
Is It Any Good?
Erin Hunter's latest animal-mythology series pits its brave young heroes against treachery, betrayal, murder, and false friends as the code that's long kept peace in their world begins to unravel. The Shattered Horn includes lots of gorgeous, vivid description of the African highlands' beauty and the ways of the animals who live there -- as well as plenty of blood and gore as predators stalk and devour their prey. The appealing heroes -- water buffalo Whisper and Echo, hyena Tailbiter, and cheetah Stride -- come to life in separate narratives, facing many challenges and laying the foundation for stories yet to come.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how animal characters, like those in The Shattered Horn, often face issues that readers find emotionally relatable. Love, loss, loyalty, and going against the crowd to do the right thing are all strong themes here -- do the characters deal with them in ways that resonate with your own life?
Why do you think so many stories feature a happy, peaceful society -- and one power-mad, self-serving creep bent on wrecking it? What other stories do you know that have this theme, and how do they turn out?
Do stories like The Shattered Horn make you want to see Africa and its wildlife for yourself, if you haven't?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Animals
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Humility , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Harper
- Publication date : May 2, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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