Spirit Animals #3: Blood Ties by Garth Nix and Sean Williams

Meilin leaves the group to join her father in defending their homeland from the Conquerors. Meanwhile. Conor, Abeke, and Rollan journey to the Lake of the Elephant to retrieve the third talisman, the Slate Elephant, and keep it out of the hands of the enemy. Their quest takes them deep into the jungle where Rollan becomes seriously ill. They decide to take an easier route through the land of the Rhino Riders, but this plan is more dangerous, as they soon discover. They're captured by the tribe and told Rollan will die before sunset the next day. With Conquerors closing in, the children will need the help of their Great Beasts to save Rollan and complete the quest.

I still haven't been able to get my hands on the first book in the series! I recommend you read the first two books before reading this one. Each book is written by a different, well-known author. The characters seem to be bonding more with their animals in this book, and the animals are developing more character. Jhi, the Giant Panda, is slow-moving and annoyingly calm, which makes Meilin a bit crazy. Rollan's falcon is pretty independent and doesn't always seem to listen to him. Abeke and Conor work well with their leopard and wolf. The kids are still learning to act as a team, and they're learning to trust the instincts and senses of their spirit animals. The plot leads the characters through challenging settings, and the authors throw in battles along the way. It's an interesting journey, and animal lovers will enjoy it too.