Mythspeaker

For fans of Race to the Sun and the Aru Shah series, this epic fantasy adventure inspired by Indigenous American mythology follows a band of misfit children who must pull off an impossible heist in order to save the world!

Thanks to a prophecy revealed when he was little, thirteen-year-old Kyta always knew that he was destined to save the world. But waiting for that moment has kept him on edge his whole childhood, preventing him from having fun like other kids in his tribe. So when the ground quakes and the trees whisper that something is wrong, Kyta leaps into action, desperate to fulfill his destiny.

He is horrified to find that the precious Egg of the World Turtle, on whose vast shell everyone and everything lives, has been stolen by invaders. The Turtle is angry and grief-stricken, threatening to upend the very land under their feet. The invaders refuse to heed the warning of the tribes and return the Egg . . . so Kyta comes up with a plan to steal it back!

It's risky and dangerous . . . but abandoning the Egg is certain doom. Kyta assembles other kids who could sneak into the invaders' fortress and pull off the heist, but getting four very different personalities to work together is harder than he thought. And when they discover that the Egg is being guarded by an evil collector, his savage ogres, and a beast so terrible that it defies description, their odds seem all but impossible! Will Kyta be able to fulfill his destiny, or did he set himself up to fail . . . and the world to fall?

Inspired by the Indigenous American folktales, this thrilling and heartwarming fantasy shows the importance of teamwork, respect for nature, and believing in yourself.

Author: Christopher Roubique
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Published: 02/24/2026
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.82lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.82w x 1.08d
ISBN: 9798217039043
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 11/10/2025
Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2025

About the Author
Christopher Roubique grew up in rural Wisconsin and filled his time--and his heart--with the joys of fantasy and science fiction. His own books leap from those same joys, folding in his Cajun and Indigenous heritage, passion for mental health, and plenty of fantastical creatures. He still lives in Wisconsin and has squeezed his wife and daughter beside all those stories in his heart too.

Follow him on X and Bluesky @Dreamertide.