The Last Immortals: Dawn of the Axolotl (Epic Axolotls #1) by Kit Brooks

What worked:

Young readers can learn a lot about axolotls because the story begins with Ace hatching from an egg with his twin brother. After the pair’s birth, his brother is so hungry that he eats Ace’s tail, highlighting the concept of survival of the fittest. It also displays the axolotl’s ability to regrow body parts, including parts of the heart and brain. Ace’s initial efforts to find food are less than successful until he learns to be patient and camouflage. He must be on guard against predators, like fish, frogs, and larger salamanders. He experiences greater danger from toxic algae caused by human pollution. Axolotls are related to salamanders, and a friendly one named Neptune shares his story of life in an aquarium. 

The adventure has exciting moments, especially when Ace is cornered by predators. He meets a larger, female axolotl named Ariel who teaches him and his best friend Bubbles about their unique abilities. Neptune introduces a plot twist when he reports human plans that will endanger every living thing in their pond. Ariel wants to spread the word to other axolotls and enlists Ace and Bubbles for help. They learn about the Immortal Code and its importance to axolotl survival. The author saves another surprise for late in the book concerning Ace’s twin brother.

What didn’t work as well:

The story is creative, but the adventure is missing something. Perhaps it spends too much time focusing on ecology, axolotl information, and the Immortal Code when it might have further developed the characters. Ace’s good friend Bubbles is especially short-changed. In addition, several axolotls undergo extremely rapid evolution that doesn’t fit the overall story. It makes the story less “realistic."

The final verdict:

Axolotls are unusual creatures, so they should appeal to young readers. The story is informative and interesting, but the sequel will be more dramatic. I recommend you try this book for yourself.