The International Yeti Collective

Ella is spending the summer with her Uncle Jack, a TV presenter who is on location in the Himalayas attempting to find the elusive yeti. Ella is not sure she believes they exist but is captivated by her uncle’s passion and decides to investigate herself as one of their cameras has caught something unusual. As the same time a young yeti named Tick decides to do a little exploring too as he
feels drawn to humans ever since his mother was banished by flouting the yeti rule that they should never approach humans.

Tick is caught spying by one of the yeti elders and expelled from the yeti sett but is given a reprieve when he tells them that the humans are on their trail thereby putting the whole yeti collective in danger.  And when their precious stones detailing yeti lore and mapping the whereabouts of other yeti setts are found by the humans the yetis are forced to set off on a quest to retrieve the stone tablets before they can be deciphered by humans.

Back in new Zealand Ella is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with her uncle’s obsession realising that perhaps the yetis do not want to be found and understands that if they are their whole existence could be destroyed.

This is a page-turning eco-adventure drawing on the myths and legends of yetis across the world. The yeti culture and their way of living is well-realised down to the details of the different food they like to eat. Always fascinating to child readers! And we discover that the different yeti setts are responsible to some degree of keeping the eco-systems in place. There is an important message
here of the dangers of altering the delicate balance of nature and of workingtogether for greater gain.  The key characters are well-drawn and insightful, standing up for what they believe in but although all the elements are there it somehow doesn’t quite add up to the sum of its parts. The Illustrations were not seen but no doubt they will be delightful judging by Katy Riddell’s previous
form.