Spark and the League of Ursus

by Robert Repino

Overview

“Grab a flashlight and burrow under the covers! Spark and the League of Ursus is the perfect bedtime adventure, with a fierce, fluffy hero you'll want by your side when the lights go out.”—Kirsten Miller, New York Times bestselling co-author of Nightmares!

Toy Story meets Stranger Things in this epic tale of warrior teddy bears and the children they protect.

Spark is not your average teddy bear. She’s soft and cuddly, sure, but she’s also a fierce warrior. At night she fulfills her sacred duty: to protect the household from monsters. But Spark’s owner Loretta is growing up and thinks she doesn’t need her old teddy anymore.

When a monster unlike any other descends on the quiet home, everything changes. Children are going missing, and the monster wants Loretta next. Only Spark can stop it. She must call upon the ancient League of Ursus—a secret alliance of teddy bears who are pledged to protect their human friends. Together with an Amazon-princess doll and a timid sock monkey, the bears are all that stands between our world and the one that lies beneath. It will be a heroic chapter in the history of the League . . . if the bears live to tell the tale.

The adventure continues in Spark and the Grand Sleuth

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683691662
Publisher:	Quirk Publishing
Publication date:	03/24/2020
Series:	League of Ursus , #1
Pages:	216
Sales rank:	1,068,700
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Robert Repino is the author of the War with No Name series for adults and The League of Ursus duology for children. He lives in New York, where he works as an editor at a scholarly press and teaches at the Gotham Writers’ Workshop. Robert had two special teddy bears when he was growing up: Bear and Blue Bear.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

Spark rested her head on Loretta’s chest, with her paw on the girl’s rib cage as it rose and fell with each breath. Loretta’s eyelashes fluttered, tickling Spark’s fuzzy ear. Spark liked it. Teddy bears like her were meant for this. They were meant to stay with their human, their best friend, and watch over them in the darkest hours of the night. Outside, the buzzing streetlamp glowed like a phony sun. The toys on the windowsill cast shadows on the rug. And as the house settled in, as the quietest stretch of the night began, Spark saw the monster for the first time.
     It began with a scratching sound, loud enough to make Spark lift her head. In the corner of the room, a blackness spread outward. The hardwood floor and painted walls rippled and sank into darkness. Then the void glowed red like the embers of a fire. The light glinted off Loretta’s movie posters. Flickering shadows extended from the bookshelf and the enormous wooden desk. On top of the shelf, the sock monkey named Zed squatted with his paws over his eyes.
     Spark waddled to the edge of the bed, where Loretta’s feet rested under the blanket. She tried to stand tall enough to see into the portal that had formed in the wall. A shape appeared; it was a man’s head, only larger, and with sharp horns curving upward above the brow. Spark crouched behind the footboard. She could make out the monster’s face now. He had enormous eyes, like an owl. There were two holes above his mouth, as if the nose had been sheared off at the root. A thick chain wrapped around his collar, holding a hideous pendant: it was a human face, with leathery skin stretched tight, the eyes squinched shut. The links of the chain curled under its jaw, which hung open as if letting out an eternal scream.
     The monster continued to rise, carrying with him the smell of grease and soot. A chain mail vest covered his torso. A plate of rusted armor, flecked with bits of gold, encased his shoulders, with two sharp points on either side. At his waist, the pale human skin gave way to greenish-black scales.
     And then the first claw rose over the edge of the portal, followed by another, then another. Then another. Thin legs, with knobby hinges, like an insect’s. The creature slithered out—half man, half scorpion. Spikes pointed from the armor along his spine. The tail ended in a two-pronged pincer the size of a pair of hedge clippers.
     The monster stopped. The scant light reflected in his eyes. When they fixed on Spark’s furry ears poking over the footboard, the monster squinted. There was no point hiding now. With Loretta still fast asleep behind her, Spark stood straight. Maybe this would be enough to scare the monster back into his hole.
     It wasn’t.
     The monster leaned forward and bared his glistening teeth. He let out a long hiss. And then, impossibly fast, he climbed the wall. On the way up, one of his claws ripped the corner of a poster for The Wizard of Oz. And before Spark could speak, the monster hung upside down from the ceiling. Somehow, the necklace with the human face remained attached to his chest. His tail reached for the foot of the bed. The pincer snapped shut and then opened again like some meat-eating flower.
     Spark trembled. She knew monsters were real. Teddy bears were meant to ward them off. The only problem was that she had never seen one until now.
     The monster hissed again, and a blob of spit fell from his teeth onto the floor.
     Spark tried to remember the oath: the sacred words, first spoken by the Founders of the League. Every bear needed to recite the oath in a moment like this. Doing so would chase away even the most powerful monster. As she hastily assembled the words in her mind, they grounded her. They felt magical. They had to work.
     “I am Spark,” she said. “I am the sworn protector of this house.”
     The monster’s tail continued to slither. The pincer scraped along the bed frame.
     Shaking, Spark continued. “We serve goodness and truth.” Wait, was it goodness and truth, or truth and goodness?
     On the bookshelf, Zed pulled his hands away from his eyes.
     “We give refuge to the innocent,” Spark said. “We defend the light . . . to the final light . . . in times of darkness. By the power bestowed upon me by the League of Ursus, I command you to be gone!”
      She didn’t even know what some of the words meant. “The final light”—what was that supposed to be? But Sir Reginald, the bear who taught her the oath, would have been proud that she got it all out at once. Though he would have nitpicked her mistakes. He would have told her to say it louder next time.
     The monster should have run away by now. Instead, he let out a new hiss, higher pitched, which quickly dissolved into hysterical, cackling laughter.
     A piercing shout rang out. Spark felt movement behind her. Loretta sat up, screaming. The monster grimaced. Spark covered her ears.
     Loretta shot from the bed, whipping the covers so hard that she flung Spark into the air. The teddy bear collided with the desk and fell to the floor. Before Loretta could reach the door, it swung open. Light from the hall poured into the room. In the doorway, Dad stood bleary-eyed and unshaven, wearing a frayed T-shirt and boxer shorts. His face looked so different without his glasses.
     “Dad!” Loretta said. “Dad, look! Look!”
     “What?”
     Spark turned to where the monster had been. But the creature was gone, the portal sealed.
     “It’s a dream, sweetie,” Dad mumbled.
     “No, it was—” Loretta stared at claw mark on the poster, her lip quivering.
     “Come on,” Dad said. “Nothing here. Get back in bed.”
     “Dad, I swear there was something in here!”
     “I know, I know. But it’s gone. And Mom and I are right next door.” His tone suggested that eleven-year-old girls weren’t supposed to have nightmares like this anymore.
     Still shaking, Loretta climbed onto the bed.
     “And look,” Dad said, “you left poor Spark on the floor.”
     Spark lay still, a clump of brown fur, the way she always did when humans were watching. Loretta scooped her up and took her to the bed. She rolled away from Dad, her arm wrapped around Spark’s neck.
     “Are you okay, sweetie?” Dad asked.
     “I’m fine.”
     She wasn’t fine. Dad waited a moment before closing the door.
     Loretta’s heart thumped against Spark. The girl wept silently, stopping only when she gasped for air.
     “I saw it,” she said. “I saw it.”
     Long after a pool of tears gathered on the pillow, Loretta finally drifted off to sleep. Spark lay in the same position, waiting for the sun to rise, listening for the scratching noise.

Editorial Reviews

04/20/2020

A secret world of sentient toys comes to life in this gently creepy, Toy Story–tinged adventure. Spark is sworn to protect 11-year-old Loretta; the girl is getting a little old for stuffed animals, but she and her 12-year-old brother, Matthew, both movie buffs, use their toys to star in homemade films. When a mysterious monster, “half man, half scorpion,” emerges from a portal in their home, Spark vows to confront her foe and rescue the children it has been kidnapping for its own sinister purposes. Spark recruits a ragtag crew, including Sir Reginald, her mentor and Matthew’s own devoted bear; a cowardly sock monkey named Zed; and Rana, an Amazon Princess doll. Striving to live up to the ideals of the legendary League of Ursus—the secret society of teddy bears that guard humankind—Spark must turn this ragtag band of toys into a true team, one capable of tracking evil back to its home and dealing with it once and for all. Repino’s (Mort(e), for adults) middle grade debut is engaging, balancing whimsy with menace as he focuses on the emotional lives of the toys and their human companions. With its exploration of themes such as family, loyalty, bravery, and the power of imagination, this story is both entertaining and uplifting. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jennifer Weltz, Jean V. Naggar Literary. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Repino pits an indomitable squad of teddy bears...against a child-stealing monster...the climactic battle, when it finally arrives, becomes a breathless, close-run thing replete with rousing exploits and tests of courage.”—Booklist

“A secret world of sentient toys comes to life in this gently creepy, Toy Story–tinged adventure.…With its exploration of themes such as family, loyalty, bravery, and the power of imagination, this story is both entertaining and uplifting.”—Publishers Weekly

“A thrilling adventure.”—Kirkus Reviews

“I liked this book because it had an engaging storyline. It was just the right amount of suspenseful without being too scary. The story was exciting to follow, so I could read it quickly. I would recommend this book to other people because it was fun and easy to read.”—Shreya, age 9, reviewer for Kids' Book Buzz

“Two thumbs up...a must read if you are a stuffed animal lover.”—Neatorama

“Beautiful and a bit emotional...A fantastic read for all ages."—Fangirlish

“Grab a flashlight and burrow under the covers! Spark and the League of Ursus is the perfect bedtime adventure, with a fierce, fluffy hero you'll want by your side when the lights go out.”—Kirsten Miller, New York Times bestselling co-author of Nightmares! 

“A heroic teddy bear, an Amazon Princess doll, and a fellowship of stuffed animals must save their beloved children from some truly scary monsters. I loved the imaginative world building and likable characters (toy and human alike) of this fast-paced tale. A blast from start to finish!”—J.A. White, award-winning author of Nightbooks and the Thickety

“Spark and the League of Ursus will fire the imagination and spur the adventures of any kid with a teddy bear. Also, any adult with a teddy bear.”—J. W. Ocker, Edgar Award-winning author of Death and Douglas

“If Toy Story had teeth, you’d have Spark and the League of Ursus. A thrilling and heartwarming tale that will make you look twice under your bed and never take your teddy bear for granted again.”—Tania del Rio, author of the Warren the 13th series

“Enchanting, zippy-paced, and just scary enough to make me want to dig deeper under the covers in the dark of night (and pull my old teddy bear out of the closet), I dearly adored Spark and her human.”—Natalie Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic

From the Publisher

04/17/2020

Gr 4–6—Spark is a teddy bear. She is soft and cuddly, but she's also a tough warrior in charge of protecting children everywhere—especially her child, Loretta. Able to see monsters, children are particularly vulnerable. When Loretta's brother, Matthew, and other children start going missing, it's up to Spark to rally the troops. Calling upon the ancient secret League of Ursus to help her, Spark and the band of teddy bears seek out clues to find the monster's location. Can they save the children of the world? Will the teddy bears find the monster before Loretta also gets taken? The characters are delightfully engaging, and the plot moves at a good pace and is well written. Chapters are a reasonable length, and several feature cliff-hangers. VERDICT Fans of fantasy, adventure, and mystery will enjoy reading this book. Recommended for libraries where such fiction is popular.—Kira Moody, Salt Lake County Library Services

School Library Journal

2019-12-08
A sweet tale of a cuddly teddy come to life…or a thrilling adventure about monster fighting?

Spark takes being Loretta's teddy bear very seriously. At 11, Loretta will soon be too old for her teddy, though she and older brother Matthew, dedicated amateur filmmakers, create movies starring plush toys. Spark knows that being a bear is about more than childish snuggling at night, for Spark is a proud member of the League of Ursus, the society of warrior stuffed toys that since some long-ago era has protected humans from monsters. But even Spark's bearish demeanor is barely enough to fight off the horrific monster in Loretta's bedroom, with its massive scorpion tail and horned human head. Could the monster be connected to the disappearance of Loretta's friend Sofia? Spark and the other neighborhood toys are unlikely heroes, but their fight is hardly adorable or safe. When a bear is nearly disemboweled by the monster, the description of trailing innards consisting of "an enormous bundle of brown thread" somehow increases the violence of the injury. As in Matthew and Loretta's YouTube movies, a "deadly serious story acted out by ridiculous stuffed animals" is attention-grabbing. The human children are of indeterminate race. Matthew has a genetic condition that has led to mobility issues, and another child has a disability that's mentioned in passing.

Great for those kids who'll happily read about teddies and who enjoy genuinely scary monsters. (Fantasy. 9-11)

Kirkus Reviews