Julia Beiker (Children's Literature)
The fascinating story of Tom, young apprentice to the indestructible Mr. Hu, continues as they work together to protect the phoenix egg and keep it from hatching in a world of evil. This adventure takes Tom and his friends to the underworld of the dragons as they explore the magical and beautiful sea life few will see if the monster, Vatten, has his way and destroys the universe. Beneath the ocean, Mr. Hu’s dragon friend, Mistral, returns to her home expecting punishment and ends up with a royal title and property to match. Only there is a catch that will be uncovered there as Tom and his friends seek refuge with the dragons. Do not expect things to turn out as you think they would because there are many twists and turns until our heroes finally reach safety and learn about true friendship. Laurence Yep spins an incredible yarn as he shares this tale of adventure and friendship that captures the imagination and that keeps the reader in suspense until the last page. Of course, the morsels that he leaves prepares for yet another escapade in this world that appears futuristic and old world mixed into one. Will the egg hatch before its time and can Tom and Mr. Hu save the world from total destruction? Only the next book will give the answers--or maybe just more clues. This book is part of the “The Tiger’s Apprentice” series. 2005, HarperCollins Publishing, $15.99. Ages 10 to 14.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2004 (Vol. 72, No. 24))
Offering less action than its predecessor, this middle episode in a creative yet gentle series is so calm it feels diluted. Mr. Hu-a tiger guarding the phoenix egg from evildoers-shared his soul with Tom at the end of Book One, but Tom's shift towards tigerness is slow. Hu, Tom, and their friends leave San Francisco and head underwater to the supposedly safe dragon kingdom. A mysterious "Nameless One" threatens, but Mistral the dragon and Tom defeat it anticlimactically. One friend's betrayal while Hu lies in a drugged sleep is predictable; more affecting is Tom's reluctant agreement to truly take over as the egg's Guardian. Instead of the quotations from ancient Chinese lore Yep first used to form creatures, here he uses descriptions of (real) underwater life. Visuals are colorful but logistics vague. The third entry promises a huge battle, with Tom becoming more of a tiger; this one on its own is static. (afterword) 2005, HarperCollins, 240p, $15.99. Category: Fantasy. Ages 9 to 12. © 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Elaine A. Cobb (The ALAN Review, Spring/Summer 2005 (Vol. 32, No. 3))
Tiger’s Blood, sequel to The Tiger’s Apprentice, dives from the San Francisco Pier into the mysteries of the uncharted ocean, as Tom Lee and his fantastical crew of cross species companions rely on magic, wit, and skill to renew their defense of the ancient phoenix egg from power-hungry villains. Tom, a Chinese-American boy, becomes the apprentice to Mr. Hu, a shape-shifting lion who is the guardian of the phoenix egg. Mr. Hu sacrifices his own life blood to save Tom Lee; now the two are linked in purpose and heart as they protect the egg from the deceptive intrigues of the Dragon Kingdom and the villain Vattan. Tom learns about courage, honor, loyalty, trust, and friendship. These values, blended with Chinese lore and magical escapades, make this novel the perfect recommendation for both beginning and devoted readers of the fantasy genre. The award-winning author has seamlessly woven Chinese mythology, fantasy, and adventure into this didactic tale of good versus evil. Category: Fantasy. YA--Young Adult. 2005, Harper Collins, 204 pp., $15.99. Ages young adult.Lenexa, KS

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2005)
As apprentice to the Guardian of a sacred phoenix egg, Tom is forced to put what little magic he knows into action when he and the Guardian enter the underwater world of dragons to try to protect the egg. The relentless drama of battles, deception, and thievery is somewhat alleviated by humorous characterizations of the Guardian's loyal band of friends. (Tiger's Apprentice series). Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2005, HarperCollins, 226pp, 15.99, 16.89. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 4: Recommended, with minor flaws.

Brandon Digwood (The Kutztown University Book Review, Fall 2005)
The second book of The Tiger’s Apprentice Series by Laurence Yep finds Tom, Mr. Hu and company going to the Dragon Kingdom to allow Mr. Hu to recuperate from the life force transfusion he went through with Tom to save the boy’s life. But even in the Dragon Kingdom, danger abounds, for it is also under attack by the forces of Vatten. Tom will have to deal with threats from all sides, as he learns magic, foils the dragons’ plans for the phoenix egg, and also as he starts undergoing a transformation due to the tiger’s blood coursing through him. This series of books is a great introduction to Chinese culture and mythology. This particular book also deals admirably with conflicts such as loyalty to friends and family versus loyalty to your people, a difficult issue that Mistral the dragon must face. It also shows how people can change, and how everyone can be redeemed, even people that you thought were evil. Yep’s descriptions of the Dragon Kingdom make it breathtaking and interesting. My only complaint about the book is that I wish he had tried to stretch out the plot or shorten the book, because the fact that the end of the book has nothing to do with the dragons and just with the setup for the next story is distracting. Category: . 2005, HarperCollins, $16.89. Ages 10 to 14.

Diane Emge (VOYA, April 2005 (Vol. 28, No. 1))
Tom is a Chinese American boy with an extraordinary fate. His grandmother was a Guardian, a protector of the sacred Phoenix egg, sacrificing her life in its defense. Tom knows that someday he will bear the tremendous honor and burden of guarding the egg. But for now Tom serves as the apprentice to the present Guardian, Mr. Hu, a shape-shifting tiger. As a result of a terrible encounter with the evil Vattan, Mr. Hu is currently in a greatly weakened state. So Tom, Mr. Hu, Monkey, Mistral the dragon, and Sidney the rat travel to the underwater kingdom of the dragons to allow Mr. Hu time to recover. But even in that remote location, intrigues and betrayals abound. As Tom uncovers secret plots in the battle for the phoenix egg, he must make difficult decisions about whom to fear and whom to trust. This book is the second in The Tiger's Apprentice series. The characters are nicely drawn from Chinese mythology, with a proud warrior dragon, a manic monkey, and a sleazy salesman rat. It does not take long for the reader to pick up on the story line and empathize with the likeable, if mismatched, band of heroes. The story does not really sparkle enough to attract a diverse readership, however. Those who like fantasy books about children paired with magical creatures on adventurous quests will probably be pleased, but this sequel does not have the depth of character or plot that makes the reader scramble to find the first, or next, volume in the series. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P M J (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2005, HarperCollins, 240p., $15.99 and PLB $16.89. Ages 11 to 15.