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Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit Hardcover – May 31, 2022

by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 32 ratings
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After inheriting a grieving fox spirit, a Chinese American boy must learn to embrace his heritage to solve the mystery of his brother's death in Jesse Q Sutanto's magical, action-packed middle grade fantasy, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit.

Theo Tan doesn't want a spirit companion. He just wants to be a normal American kid, playing video games, going to conventions, and using cirth pendants to cast his spells like everyone else. But, when his older brother dies, Theo ends up inheriting Jamie's fox spirit, Kai.

Kai isn't happy about this either. Theo is nothing like Jamie, and the two of them have never gotten along. But, when they realize the mysterious journal Jamie left Theo is filled with clues and secret codes, it's clear that something strange was going on with Jamie's internship at Reapling Corp.

But the only way onto the campus is the highly competitive "Know Your Roots" summer camp program, a celebration of Chinese and Indian cultures designed to help connect students with their heritage. Theo and Kai will have to put aside their differences long enough to honor Jamie's last wishes, or the mystery he died for will remain unsolved forever...

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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    320 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 2
  5. Dimensions
    5.7 x 1.2 x 8.6 inches
  6. Publisher
    Feiwel & Friends
  7. Publication date
    May 31, 2022
  8. ISBN-10
    1250794285
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1250794284
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

Xiran Jay Zhao Quote

Debbi Michiko Florence Quote

Alex Aster Quote

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Twelve-year-old Theo is crushed when his beloved older brother, Jamie, suddenly dies in a tragic accident. To make matters worse, the spirit companion summoned for him shortly afterward turns out to be Kai, the duplicitous, self-important fox spirit who was formerly Jamie's companion. Soon Theo discovers clues from Jamie suggesting something's not quite right at Reapling Corp, the company where Jamie was interning when he died (Reapling has monetized magical energy; think of them as the Google or Apple of spellcasting). To investigate, Theo will have to earn a spot in Reapling's competitive summer program by leaning in to his Chinese-American heritage and relying on some help and trickery from Kai. This action-packed fantasy should have wide appeal. Sutanto creates a sense of urgency from the first page, when Theo is dragged out of bed to a meat locker in Chinatown for a sketchy conversation with Jamie just before he dies. Alternating viewpoints between Theo and Kai fully flesh out the characters' overlapping (and sometimes deviating) desires. Moments of comic relief are scattered throughout, as when Theo's spells go awry due to his mispronunciation of Mandarin. And though Theo's story largely relies on Chinese gods and monsters, Sutanto deftly weaves in reminders that this is only one of a great many distinct cultures in Asia. VERDICT A welcome addition to fantasy shelves, hand this off to readers who can't get enough of "Percy Jackson" or the Rick Riordan Presents series.-Lindsay Loupα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

"Heart-felt and heart-pounding, this book will have you cheering Theo on as he sets out to find the magic of his heritage! (Both figurative and literal!)" -- Xiran Jay Zhao, author of the #1 NYT Bestseller Iron Widow

"Wildly imaginative, laugh-out-loud funny, and full of heart, Theo Tan is an absolute delight. I didn't want it to end!" --Nicole Lesperance, author of The Nightmare Thief and The Wide Starlight

"Brimming with imagination, heart, and delicious humor, Theo Tan is utterly unputdownable. It deals with serious and meaningful lessons like overcoming grief and rediscovering one's roots, but ultimately, it's a story about how magic lives in all of us - if we only let it shine. A total must-read! (Also, if anyone has contacts for summoning a fox spirit companion, hook me up...)" -- Graci Kim, author of The Last Fallen Star

"A page-turning story about a magical and daring quest full of sparkling humor! I especially loved Theo’s sarcastic and funny fox spirit companion who isn’t thrilled to be paired with Theo, but along the way, the two learn that teamwork is necessary to defeat evil. I was rooting for a reluctant Theo to connect to his Chinese heritage so that he could experience the full power of his magic!" -- Debbi Michiko Florence, author of Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai

"Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit is brimming with wonder, heart, adventure, and enchantment. I couldn’t put it down! Theo’s journey of self-discovery is full of spirit, hope, and important lessons for us all. Sutanto’s unique magic system blends enchantment with modern technology, creating a fresh and vibrant version of our world that you’ll never want to leave. This is middle grade fantasy at its finest." --Alex Aster, award-winning author of the Emblem Island series

"Sutanto blends Chinese culture and history to build a world of dragons, demons, spell casting, and code breaking.... This is a natural choice for kids who like Rick Riordan's brand of mythology-fueled fantasy adventures, and it will be an especially good read-alike for Laurence Yep’s classic Tiger’s Apprentice series." -- Booklist

" Kai, the wily fox spirit, is a star, all sass and blustery confidence covering up her shattered heart, bereft of her human companion. Her shapeshifting is a boon to their quest, and it carries them both as Theo slowly comes into his own as a smart, capable co-hero in their adventure." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB)

"This action-packed fantasy should have wide appeal. Sutanto creates a sense of urgency from the first page .... And though Theo’s story largely relies on Chinese gods and monsters, Sutanto deftly weaves in reminders that this is only one of a great many distinct cultures in Asia." -- School Library Journal

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Feiwel & Friends (May 31, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250794285
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250794284
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 2
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.7 x 1.2 x 8.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

About the author

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Jesse Q Sutanto

Jesse Q Sutanto

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Jesse Q. Sutanto is the author of adult, YA, and children's middle grade books. She has an MSt in Creative Writing from Oxford University and a BA in English Lit from Berkeley, though she hasn't found a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. The film rights to her women’s fiction, Dial A for Aunties, was bought by Netflix in a competitive bidding war. Her adult books include Dial A for Aunties, its sequel, Four Aunties and a Wedding, and Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. Her YA books include The Obsession, The New Girl, and Well, That Was Unexpected. Her MG books include Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit and its sequel, Theo Tan and the Iron Fan. Find her on Twitter @thewritinghippo and on Instagram @jesseqsutanto.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
32 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Nicoleles
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely delightful!
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022
I read this book to my nine-year-old son, and he absolutely loved it, as did I! It's fast-paced, heartfelt, hilarious, and so unique. After his older brother dies in a suspicious accident, Theo inherits his spirit companion, a two-tailed fox spirit named Kai. Theo starts to investigate his brother's death, and he discovers a "Know Your Roots" program that his brother was involved with, a camp-like place that aims to connect kids with their ancestral history and magic. Right off the bat, something isn't quite right, and Theo has to learn how to channel his inner magic to unravel the mystery and figure out what happened to his brother.

In addition to the lush worldbuilding and creative magic system, the thing I loved most about this book is how much heart is in it. Theo and Kai struggle with each other at first, having both felt jealous of each other when Theo's brother was alive, but they learn to love and trust each other as the book goes on. Theo grows so much as a person, and is full of so much earnestness and deep love for his family, it's impossible not to root for him. And Kai is so absolutely hilarious, my son and I spent a lot of time laughing, even when we were on the edges of our seats wondering what was going to happen.

This book is perfect for a read-aloud, and also great for kids (and adults) who love modern-day fantasy with fun and unique magic systems, immersive cultural themes, and strong family bonds.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Very cool mystery about a boy recovering from loss along with his reluctant fox spirit
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2023
I had a lot of fun reading this book, ended up picking it up on a whim while in a bookstore out of town and was pleasantly surprised. The central plot of Theo struggling with his identity and heritage as a Chinese-American kid is one that I'm sure Jesse Q. Sutanto has experienced herself and that experience bleeds through beautifully in this book. Kai and Theo have an interesting chemistry and the switch between their perspectives for different chapters helped to build out each of their personalities well. I really loved the magic system and how it was handled as well. You can tell Jesse thought about how science and magic would conflict with each other in this world. I had hoped that Danny and Xiaohua would have more of an active role in the story itself with them being on the back cover, but it felt like they weren't as big of a part of the narrative as I was expecting. I still enjoyed the scenes they were in, but I felt like they could have had a little more screen time. Would absolutely recommend for the climax and emotional catharsis alone.
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IllStopTheWorldAndReadWithYou
4.0 out of 5 stars Theo and Kai become unlikely heroes in this new MG novel from Jesse Q. Sutanto.
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2022
Set in San Francisco, California, at a time when money can buy magic, flying cars, and flying shoes, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit asks what does it cost to have those luxuries.

First generation Chinese-American Theo has spent his childhood eschewing as many aspects of his Chinese culture as possible, but when tragedy strikes his family, Theo and–formerly his brother’s, now his–companion fox spirit Kai are thrust into a quest that will delve into aspects of their culture, identity, and ancestry and will raise questions about what actions are ethical and moral.

The book was a bit slow-going for me at first as I came up-to-speed with Theo’s world, but once I hit the point where he and Kai are accepted into the Know Your Roots program at Reapling in Mountain View (Silicon Valley), things took off.

I enjoyed watching the bond grow between Theo and Kai, the struggles they undertook together, and their friendship with Namita. I liked seeing Theo find his courage and his inner magic (qì) The story is a nice mix of heavier themes and humor. This would be a good book for parents and elementary schoolers to read together.

Told in the alternating points-of-view of 12-year-old Theo and snarky, shape-changing Kai, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit takes you on an adventure vacillating between an America run on commoditized magic and the Chinese spirit worlds of other realms. You even visit the gates of hell.

Content warnings: death of a sibling, violence, greed, depictions of demons, versions of hell

I received an advance ebook copy from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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Elizabeth Janvrin
4.0 out of 5 stars Adventurous middle grade
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2022
An adventurous middle grade story with Chinese mythology! This story is told through dual point of views between Theo Tan and his companion animal, Kai. Both of them are grieving the passing of Theo's brother, Jamie and are driven to find out what happened and what Jamie was working on. Jesse Q. Sutanto brings culture to life throughout this story along with humor as I have found in her other books. Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
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Julie DenOuden
4.0 out of 5 stars Middle Grade Magic!
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2022
An excellent middle grade magic story with strong themes of friendship, but I also liked the underlying theme about embracing who you are, including the parts of your culture that you think others won't like. I liked the relationship between Theo and Kai and the Chinese representation in the story. There were a couple of unexpected twists and I always like it when I can be surprised when I read books :)

Definitely one I'll be adding to my classroom.
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