Four children separated by vast distances all undergo the same ritual, watched by cloaked strangers. Four flashes of light erupt, and from them emerge the unmistakable shapes of incredible beasts - a wolf, a leopard, a panda, a falcon. Suddenly the paths of these children - and the world - have been changed for ever. Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both. A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers ...and on you. (source)

I'm reading this book for my course on Technology in the Lives of Children and Youth. This book is an interesting concept - it was created by Scholastic and involves not only the printed story, but also an online gaming component, which I'm required to play in addition to reading the book. The idea is to attract reluctant readers by appealing to their interest in technology.

As for the story, it's also interesting - it takes place in a land where a select few have "spirit animals," wild animals with whom they've bonded and from whom they've gained special powers. The story follows four children who have recently bonded with their spirit animals, and the spirit animals who have chosen them happen to be from legends. So it's an interesting concept. However, it can be hard to follow, with four different storylines. It's not fantastically written, but it's not bad either. Reserving judgment for now.