Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup, by Zira Nauryzbai & Lilya Kalaus, Translated by Shelley Fairweather-Vega, (Aug. 2023, Amazon Crossing), $17.99, ISBN: 9781662507021
Ages 8-12
Batu is a regular kid living in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He lives with his parents and his grandmother. He has two close friends, a boy named Sasha and a girl named Dana. He and Sasha are mercilessly bullied by a kid he calls Scorpion, and another boy named Kaira. One day, while sitting on the threshold of his apartment, Batu accidentally summons an ancient teenage warrior named Aspara, who asks for Batu’s help in locating a lost treasure – the Golden Cup – stolen from his people. Using a magical string instrument called a dombyra, Batu and Aspara transport themselves across time to seek audience with the great eagle Samruk, whom they discover is missing. Batu enlists Sasha and Dana to help he and Aspara find Samruk and defend themselves against the dark forces of Shahruh, an evil spirit who takes the form of a giant black bear. The first in a new series, published in Kazakhstan in 2014, is an adventure in the Rick Riordan Presents vein, introducing readers to Kazakh myth and legend while addressing complexities of colonization. It’s a strong debut in an exciting new series. Booktalk this one.
Check out an interview with the authors at The Children’s Book Review.
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