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Epic Axolotls #1
The Last Immortals: Dawn of the Axolotl
Abandoned at birth, Ace the axolotl struggles to survive both human and animal predators in his quest to save himself—and his entire species—in this epic middle grade fantasy for fans of Warrior Cats, with 24 black-and-white illustrations throughout.
There’s danger lurking in the depths of the lake. Ace learns this early—when his twin brother cruelly devours his tail and leaves him for dead. Separated from his family, Ace is cast into a perilous waterway. He is wary of trusting others, but his survival will depend on it as he navigates treacherous algae blooms and hunts for food while he waits for his tail to regenerate. And when he stumbles upon a glowing green axolotl named Ariel, he learns that, with training, axolotls can develop an incredible power: immortality. With high rewards come unspeakable risks, and Ace has been hurt before. But the potential to cheat death might be too hard to resist.
This action-packed adventure explores the strength that develops through adversity as Ace confronts bullying, betrayal, poisoned waters, and vicious predators, all while forming lasting bonds with the courageous axolotls he meets along the way.
There’s danger lurking in the depths of the lake. Ace learns this early—when his twin brother cruelly devours his tail and leaves him for dead. Separated from his family, Ace is cast into a perilous waterway. He is wary of trusting others, but his survival will depend on it as he navigates treacherous algae blooms and hunts for food while he waits for his tail to regenerate. And when he stumbles upon a glowing green axolotl named Ariel, he learns that, with training, axolotls can develop an incredible power: immortality. With high rewards come unspeakable risks, and Ace has been hurt before. But the potential to cheat death might be too hard to resist.
This action-packed adventure explores the strength that develops through adversity as Ace confronts bullying, betrayal, poisoned waters, and vicious predators, all while forming lasting bonds with the courageous axolotls he meets along the way.
208 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Last Immortals: Dawn of the Axolotl!
I read this book with my 10-year-old daughter, and she absolutely loved it. The illustrations were adorable, and I really appreciated the important message about pollution and how it affects our water systems. Teaching children about environmental responsibility through the perspective of an axolotl was such a creative and impactful choice.
The story follows Ace, the runt of his siblings, as he faces challenges from the very beginning of his life. Born smaller than the others, bullied by fellow axolotls, and betrayed by his own twin, Ace must learn how to survive on his own. Struggling with hunger, predators, and loneliness, he eventually meets another axolotl named Bubbles. Together, they navigate danger, friendship, and trust.
When Ace and Bubbles become lost, a bioluminescent axolotl comes to their rescue and helps guide them to safety. Along the way, they learn about the incredible abilities axolotls have, like regeneration and camouflage, as well as the importance of sticking together as an endangered species. Ariel and Neptune introduce 7 rules to help them survive and thrive.
This was a heartwarming and educational read with a strong environmental message that young readers can easily connect with. A wonderful story about bravery, friendship, and protecting the world around us.
Review by my 10 year old daughter.
I really enjoyed the adventures of Ace, and how his past haunts him through his lifetime. Also I relish the immortal code and their leaders, the elders, Neptune, and Ariel. Mostly I laughed and dearly loved Bubbles. Bubbles has the perfect characteristics of a loving, silly axolotl who should always be loved by peers.
I read this book with my 10-year-old daughter, and she absolutely loved it. The illustrations were adorable, and I really appreciated the important message about pollution and how it affects our water systems. Teaching children about environmental responsibility through the perspective of an axolotl was such a creative and impactful choice.
The story follows Ace, the runt of his siblings, as he faces challenges from the very beginning of his life. Born smaller than the others, bullied by fellow axolotls, and betrayed by his own twin, Ace must learn how to survive on his own. Struggling with hunger, predators, and loneliness, he eventually meets another axolotl named Bubbles. Together, they navigate danger, friendship, and trust.
When Ace and Bubbles become lost, a bioluminescent axolotl comes to their rescue and helps guide them to safety. Along the way, they learn about the incredible abilities axolotls have, like regeneration and camouflage, as well as the importance of sticking together as an endangered species. Ariel and Neptune introduce 7 rules to help them survive and thrive.
This was a heartwarming and educational read with a strong environmental message that young readers can easily connect with. A wonderful story about bravery, friendship, and protecting the world around us.
Review by my 10 year old daughter.
I really enjoyed the adventures of Ace, and how his past haunts him through his lifetime. Also I relish the immortal code and their leaders, the elders, Neptune, and Ariel. Mostly I laughed and dearly loved Bubbles. Bubbles has the perfect characteristics of a loving, silly axolotl who should always be loved by peers.
May 31, 2026
Reviewing casually as a middle school librarian. (As an upper elementary book, this would be an interest point for 6th graders and low-end or reluctant readers).
Overall, I'm disappointed, though the book does have its good points concerning raising awareness of the endangered species among other small moral values related to friendship and found family.
One of my more technical gripes comes from the fact that this new series is advertised (and was even before publication and reader opinion) as a new series akin to "Warriors" by Erin Hunter that kids will love if they love Erin Hunter's books. As a first generation Warriors reader, this is almost offensive in its inaccuracy—neither the world-building nor the writing or plot quality comes close to anything Hunter has published in the Warriors series.
Another point this book suffers from is the lack of a higher standard for language and prose and failure to add in more useful vocabulary that child readers should be picking up when they read. As I read through it, I found that more complex words or sentence structures were somewhat sparse, leaving the prose dull.
The other main issue with this story is that the author has not yet mastered the art of "show, don't tell." Much of the plot is rolled through by way of infodumping and characters having long discussions about the details of their world and explaining things to each other by speaking at length. It stifles the flow and renders the story a bit droning in places that I wanted to skip over because little to no scene was actually involved.
Hopefully the series will improve with time, but for now, I am not overly intrigued. 3 stars because I cannot give 2.5.
Overall, I'm disappointed, though the book does have its good points concerning raising awareness of the endangered species among other small moral values related to friendship and found family.
One of my more technical gripes comes from the fact that this new series is advertised (and was even before publication and reader opinion) as a new series akin to "Warriors" by Erin Hunter that kids will love if they love Erin Hunter's books. As a first generation Warriors reader, this is almost offensive in its inaccuracy—neither the world-building nor the writing or plot quality comes close to anything Hunter has published in the Warriors series.
Another point this book suffers from is the lack of a higher standard for language and prose and failure to add in more useful vocabulary that child readers should be picking up when they read. As I read through it, I found that more complex words or sentence structures were somewhat sparse, leaving the prose dull.
The other main issue with this story is that the author has not yet mastered the art of "show, don't tell." Much of the plot is rolled through by way of infodumping and characters having long discussions about the details of their world and explaining things to each other by speaking at length. It stifles the flow and renders the story a bit droning in places that I wanted to skip over because little to no scene was actually involved.
Hopefully the series will improve with time, but for now, I am not overly intrigued. 3 stars because I cannot give 2.5.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
The Last Immortals: Dawn of the Axolotl could not be more explicit about trying to be the underwater version of the wildly successful Warriors series. There's definitely potential here. As the runt of his...batch, I guess?...Ace the axolotl struggles after hatching. He and his twin brother Jasper are trying to hunt, but he's just too small to keep up. Jasper eventually gets frustrated, eats Ace's tail, and peaces out. It's a startling and grisly opening.
But then basically nothing happens for the rest of the book. Ace doesn't die. He makes two axolotl friends, one who farts bubbles constantly and one who is on a mission to save the species from extinction. There's a lot of talk about them being immortal (because they can regenerate lost limbs) and pledging themselves to spreading the word about their movement to other axolotls. And that's what 75% of the book is: talking about the immortal code, telling other axolotls about the immortal code, fretting about humans and their pollution. The general preservation of the species is obviously important, but it never feels pressing enough to give the plot any tension. We finally get an update on Ace's brother in the very last chapter, but it's too little too late. I get that it's the first in a series, but each book should still have a coherent story arc within the larger narrative, and this just feels like an introduction that doesn't go anywhere.
The illustrations are lovely, though.
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
But then basically nothing happens for the rest of the book. Ace doesn't die. He makes two axolotl friends, one who farts bubbles constantly and one who is on a mission to save the species from extinction. There's a lot of talk about them being immortal (because they can regenerate lost limbs) and pledging themselves to spreading the word about their movement to other axolotls. And that's what 75% of the book is: talking about the immortal code, telling other axolotls about the immortal code, fretting about humans and their pollution. The general preservation of the species is obviously important, but it never feels pressing enough to give the plot any tension. We finally get an update on Ace's brother in the very last chapter, but it's too little too late. I get that it's the first in a series, but each book should still have a coherent story arc within the larger narrative, and this just feels like an introduction that doesn't go anywhere.
The illustrations are lovely, though.
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
June 16, 2026
Author: Kit Brooks
Title: The Last Immortals: Dawn of the Axolotl
Publication date: 2026
Category: Modern Fantasy
Interest level: 3rd grade to 5th grade
Brief Annotation: After Ace's twin brother Jasper bites and eats his tail, Ace feels lost and unsure what to do, until he meets another axolotl who explains there is another way of living: The Way of the Immortals.
Themes: Axolotls, adventure, environmental concerns, environmental conservation
Ways to use this book with children: Obviously, this can be used as reader's advisory for a fantasy book. It can also be paired with science and be used to study terms that were learned around ecology.
Diversity: N/A-different axolotls colors
Where/how you found the book: I found it through the public library, but I found it before this class started.
Title: The Last Immortals: Dawn of the Axolotl
Publication date: 2026
Category: Modern Fantasy
Interest level: 3rd grade to 5th grade
Brief Annotation: After Ace's twin brother Jasper bites and eats his tail, Ace feels lost and unsure what to do, until he meets another axolotl who explains there is another way of living: The Way of the Immortals.
Themes: Axolotls, adventure, environmental concerns, environmental conservation
Ways to use this book with children: Obviously, this can be used as reader's advisory for a fantasy book. It can also be paired with science and be used to study terms that were learned around ecology.
Diversity: N/A-different axolotls colors
Where/how you found the book: I found it through the public library, but I found it before this class started.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Do you know what an Axolotl is? I didn’t before reading this book about, yes, these real amphibians known as aquatic salamanders. In book #1 we meet Ace who shortly after hatching with his twin, finds himself alone and missing his tail. The title comes from an axolotl’s ability to grow back body parts (like Ace’s tail) which results in them thinking of themselves as immortal.
He rescues another axolotl named Bubbles and then the two of them meet Ariel who is committed to saving axolotls from extinction.
Book # 2 “Rise of the Rebels” – released at the same time – follows Ace’s twin brother Jasper who is on quite a different mission than are Ace and his two friends. Thinking there might hopefully be a Book # 3 in the works.
He rescues another axolotl named Bubbles and then the two of them meet Ariel who is committed to saving axolotls from extinction.
Book # 2 “Rise of the Rebels” – released at the same time – follows Ace’s twin brother Jasper who is on quite a different mission than are Ace and his two friends. Thinking there might hopefully be a Book # 3 in the works.
June 2, 2026
It's OK. I had to because Axolotls. And the title made it seem like it would be an epic story. That said , having picked this out of the kids sections- it's a bit darker than I thought, coming out of the gate with familial betrayal and loss of limb with the threat o'death. Plus it seems limb loss is going to be part of the core idea in "become immortal" , a little Gruesome if you ask me. I couldn't imagine having read this myself before high-school, yet the story is told in a simpler manner that you would expect for younger kids. I'm deffinetly curious to know what happens next, but I'm not so sure about the flow of the story...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2026
3/5 stars
Kids may enjoy this opener of a new series about a group of young axolotls. I listened to the audio and the voices of some of the characters almost made me stop listening. I thought the story was fine, but nothing that really stood out especially.
Kids may enjoy this opener of a new series about a group of young axolotls. I listened to the audio and the voices of some of the characters almost made me stop listening. I thought the story was fine, but nothing that really stood out especially.
June 20, 2026
I fear as a child this would’ve become my entire personality. I love how this book doesn’t shy away from the dark horrors of the world, but paints them in a digestible light with just enough levity interspersed to be palatable for kids.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
A cute, wholesome book for young readers!! Very entertaining.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Had so much fun reading this with my neighbor’s young kiddo.
May 31, 2026
Very weak storyline. Character development lacking. Great concept - needs writer’s workshop.
June 13, 2026
Landry and I just finished this one. Our first chapter book together! Good story with good illustrations. Can't wait to read the sequel!
June 24, 2026
First in a series starring today’s trendiest amphibian!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews