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Fox versus Fox

There’s only one Fox . . . except when there are two! Fox, who is a red fox, meets a white fox. Both foxes can do tricks and jumps. When the foxes try to jump higher than each other, they find another similarity—foxes cannot fly. With all their similarities, the foxes realize that instead of trying to outfox each other, they should be friends. 

Young readers will enjoy Fox versus Fox and the silly ways Fox shows off. Readers will learn that meeting someone new can lead to friendship. Fox’s story uses simple but humorous illustrations, such as when Fox uses a rocket blaster to jump higher than the white fox. Fox’s silly antics will leave readers giggling and wondering what he will do in the next book. Each page has one simple sentence that includes word repetition. As a My First I Can Read Book, Fox versus Fox is perfect for your little one because the story uses basic language, word repetition, and has large illustrations on each page.  

Fox versus Fox is a fun story that will engage young readers and leave them wanting to read about Fox’s other adventures. Other Fox books include Fox Has a Problem, Fox at Night, Fox versus Winter, Fox the Tiger, Fox Is Late, Fox and the Jumping Contest, and Fox and the Bike Ride. Fox versus Fox will encourage readers that when you meet someone new, they might be a new friend! Friendship can come from unexpected places, and children need help creating new friendships. To help them learn to be better friends, pair Fox versus Fox with Shawn Loves Sharks by Curtis Manley and Angus All Aglow by Heather Smith. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Valiant #1

Princess. Captive. Gladiator. Always a Warrior. 
 
Fallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king and the younger sister of the legendary fighter Sorcha. When Fallon was just a child, Sorcha was killed by the armies of Julius Caesar.
 
On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister’s footsteps and earn her place in her father’s war band. She never gets the chance.
 
Fallon is captured and sold to an elite training school for female gladiators—owned by none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon’s family might be her only hope of survival.
 
Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, deadly fights in and out of the arena, and perhaps the most dangerous threat of all: her irresistible feelings for Cai, a young Roman soldier and her sworn enemy.  The Valiant recounts Fallon’s gripping journey from fierce Celtic princess to legendary gladiator and darling of the Roman empire.  

The Valiant jumps right into the action and proceeds at a breathtaking pace until the very end. Overnight, Fallon’s dreams are obliterated, and her life falls apart. As a captive, Fallon’s fierce determination to free herself is admirable. While Fallon’s pain is understandable, her strength and bravery never falter. Fallon takes the reader on her adventure, which leads her to several eye-popping surprises and forces her to question her beliefs while retaining her strength of character. 

Told in first person, The Valliant focuses on Fallon, who must learn about Rome’s culture and politics. At one point, Fallon meets both Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. This adds an extra layer of interest. As a strong woman, Cleopatra reinforces one of the book’s themes: “A woman ought to be able to chart her own course in life.” In addition to Caesar and Cleopatra, the book has many characters that play a significant role in the story but are not well developed. Despite being underdeveloped, Fallon’s romantic interest, Cai, has several swoon-worthy scenes that break up the battle scenes. 

The Valiant is an entertaining book that follows a brave protagonist worthy of rooting for. However, the book deals with dark topics, including slavery, murder, and worshiping the Greek god of death. And while the gladiatrix fights bravely, war is not glorified. Cai reminds Fallon, “Honor is nothing but a dangerous lie, Fallon. In battle, there is no honor, not really. Caesar never won because he was honorable. He isn’t. He won because he was clever and tenacious and used whatever means necessary. . .” Mature readers who aren’t squeamish about violence will enjoy following Fallon’s adventure into the Roman empire. For a less bloody adventure, read the Protector of the Small Series by Tamora Pierce and The Royal Ranger Series by John Flanagan. 

Sexual Content  

  • Fallon and Mael hope to one day get married. After practicing for battle, Mael kisses her. “His lips on mine silence my apology, muffling words with his sudden, hungry kiss. My eyes went wide. . . then drifted shut, plunging me into a red-lit darkness. . . My pulse surged loudly in my ears, and my fingers tangled in his long hair as I drew him down to me again.” The kiss is described over a page.  
  • Fallon’s father betrothed her to Mael’s brother, Aeddan. After the announcement, Aeddan “spun me around and kissed me hard on the lips.” Fallon does not kiss him back. Later that night, he brings wine to Fallon’s house to celebrate. 
  • When Aeddan tries to kiss Fallon again, she “jammed my knee into his groin, shoving him away as he gasped in pain and staggered back.” Before Aeddan can try to kiss her again, Mael appears and uses his sword to push Aeddan out of the house. 
  • A Roman officer, Cai, meets Fallon, who wanders the gladiator school’s grounds. “He took me again by the shoulders, drawing me toward him. . . Cai’s hands lightly moved up my arms, over my shoulders and down my back to my waist, tracing my body through the thin material. . .” Fallon flees before Cai can kiss her.  
  • After Fallon breaks Cai’s ribs, she goes to the infirmary to apologize. “Cai pulled me tightly to his bandaged chest and held me there. . . and he kissed me with a hungry desperation that tore the breath from my lungs. His hands tangled in my hair, and my arms tightened around him. . . he didn’t stop kissing me. Not for a long, dizzying while.” 
  • When Fallon goes to have a slave collar removed, Cai goes with her. Afterward, “Cai reached up and ran his fingertips along my skin, and I shivered at this touch. . . his hand shifted to slide into my hair, and he brought his face down to mine and kissed me. The kiss thrilled me all the way to my toes.” 
  • After professing his love for Fallon, Cai kisses her. “His mouth was nectar-sweet as he kissed me, and we fell back together into the soft, cool grass beside the stream.” 

Violence  

  • Mael and Aeddan fight over Fallon. “Suddenly, Aeddan reared back and head-butted his brother sharply. Mael reeled away in pain, blood running down his face. . .” Aeddan stabs Mael with a blade, and Mael “opened his mouth, and a dark gout of blood bubbled up and spilled down his chin. Aeddan wrenched the dagger out of his brother’s flesh, and Mael collapsed.” Fallon assumes Mael dies.  
  • Fallon was lost in the forest at night when “a broad-shouldered man swung his fist like a mallet at my head. I fell, consumed by a dark red tide.” When Fallon wakes, she tries to scream, but the man “pressed a knife blade up under my left ear. The scream building in my throat died instantly.” Fallon is kidnapped and sold to a slave trader. 
  • The man who kidnapped Fallon hit her. “A short, sharp jab to my stomach. . . his thick fingers fumbling at the lacing of my tunic. I kicked and swore at him, but I was chained, and he was much stronger.” The man intended to rape her, but the slave master stops him.  
  • The Varnini are a tribe of fierce women fighters. Fallon and Varini girl are put into a wagon and chained together. They get into a fight. Fallon describes, “She lashed out at me with one long leg, the leather sole of her sandal slapped painfully against my thigh. . .” The girl hit Fallon’s face, and “pain exploded from my left cheek, and a red mist descended in front of my eyes. . . I howled in fury and swung my clenched fist in a double blow that caught the Varini on the temple and sent her reeling.” The fight is described over three pages. 
  • Because of Fallon and the Varini’s fight, the wagon tips over. The slave driver’s “head was bent at an unnatural angle, and his mouth was frozen open in a silent cry of shock. A slick of dark blood painted the sides of his face, and his eyes were empty and staring.” 
  • When the Varini was first captured, she attacked the slave trader. She said, “I bit off half his ear and kicked him in the balls so hard he still limps.” 
  • Fallon and the Varini girl, Elka, run, but they are still chained together. They try to hide, but a group of men find them. “The man reared back again, and while his attention was focused on Elka, I sprang forward with a low, darting thrust that tagged him solidly on the upper thigh. . . I pulled my sword and blood spilled down the front of his leg.” The fight is described over two pages. 
  • Charon, the slave master, finds the girls who are being attacked. “With one swift motion, Charon had grabbed the brigand by the shoulder and yanked him around. Two moves and the man lost first his sword hand. . . and then his head. . . The man’s head toppled from his neck and bounced away into the undergrowth, the whites of his eyes glittering in the moonlight.” 
  • Pirates attack the ship that the slaves are in. The slaves are locked below deck. Fallon watched as “the body of a man fell across the grate. His mouth and eyes were frozen open in a horrible death grimace. Wind-dark blood flowed from a gaping wound to his chest. . .”  
  • Fallon breaks out of the ship’s hold and enters the fighting. “A legionnaire gutted one of the pirates not three strides in front of me, and the man twisted in a horrid dance as his guts spilled. . . Legionnaires in their uniforms [were] hacking and slashing and killing.” 
  • When being sold as a slave, Fallon and Elka are chained together. Two other slaves are given weapons and told they will be freed if they can kill the two women. When one of the men attacks Fallon with a pike, “with a powerful thrust of [Elka’s] long legs, Elka had launched herself toward us, howling with battle madness. The point of her sword blade disappeared up under the man’s helmet chinstrap. . . then the man’s chest bloomed suddenly with a dark crimson that flooded down over his painted skin.” 
  • During the attack, Fallon “swung up at a sharp angle and met my attacker’s weapon, screeching up its length in a flash of sparks. . . I brought the sword back around and down in a vicious slash across the man’s extended forearm. Blood spurted, crimson, and sparkling in the sunlight.” The fight is described over three pages. One man dies. 
  • While being trained to be a gladiatrix, a group of women attack Fallon. “Another crack of the whip and a line of fire licked across the backs of my legs. I fell to my hands and knees with a grunt. . .” When Fallon falls, “the girls kicked and punched at me in the darkness, and I curled into a ball to try to avoid the worst of it. . .”  
  • Enraged at her attackers, Fallon grabs two torches. “I spun circles of flames in the dark air, batting the whip away from me and almost setting the retiarius net aflame. . . One girl screamed in alarm as my torch set her tunic hem smoldering.” The next day, Fallon “hobbled out to the practice yard, where the throbbing, livid bruises on my legs and arms went glaringly unremarked upon.” The attack is described over three pages. 
  • After the swearing-in ceremony, two women were eager to use their weapons. One woman accidentally injures her sparring partner. Fallon sees “the crumpled body of a girl lying in a pool of blood, shockingly red against the white-gold sand. . .” The girl, Lion, lost her hand. Someone “was on her knees, tearing linen into strips and wrapping Lion’s arm tightly as she could while crimson spurted in time with the beating of the girl’s heart. . .” While in the infirmary, the doctor, Heron, “and his assistant worked to stanch the flow of blood. . . He returned with a bronze brazier full of angry red coals and a metal bell-shaped tool that had been heated until it glowed.” The woman survives. 
  • Cai is angry that Fallon will not allow him to buy her. He spars with her. “He was relentless, he was humorless. . .” Fallon tricks Cai, who looks away. “I wound up with all the strength that I could muster and delivered a slashing blow to his exposed flank. I heard his rib crack like a slap of a hard-shot arrow. Cai dropped to one knee in the sand. . .” Cai’s rib is broken.  
  • The end of the book has several gladiator tournaments described in long, bloody detail. Not all of the battles are described here. During one fight, “one gladiator’s trident had gone straight through the guts of his opponent. Two of the tines stuck out obscenely from his back, dripping wet. . .” The wounded gladiator’s “face [was] rigid with pain, and gestured for the mercy blow”. . . his opponent picked up his sword and “thrust the point through the other man’s neck.” 
  • During Fallon’s first gladiatrix battle, she is knocked down by the Fury. Fallon is “down on all fours in an instant, sucking sand-gritty air through my teeth. . . In the very last instant before her attack, I slammed the hilts of my twin swords together and thrust them out before me. . .” The swords went into the Fury’s ribs. The Fury’s “body slammed into me, throwing me back down to the ground. . . I thrashed and struggled and heaved her off me.” Fallon watches as “blood bubbled up and spilled out the sides of her mouth, staining my fingers.” The Fury dies. 
  • At a party, two gladiators fight. One of the men, Ajax, “looked down to see two blades protruding from his chest, the points red with his own blood.” Later, Fallon sees a group of men huddled around the body. “They had split Ajax’s torso open like the roasting carcass of a wild boar. I glimpsed the white gleam of his rib cage grasping like rigid fingers at the shadows, and I could hear the wet, gluttonous sounds of feasting.” 
  • A fellow gladiatrix named Nyx tricks Fallon and Elka into drinking spiked wine, Elka is flogged. Afterward, Fallon finds Nyx in the laundry. Fallon “went straight for trying to drown her in the tub. I used my shoulder to hit her from behind square in the middle of her back, and she fell face-first into the water. . . I grabbed a length of sodden linen and slapped it hard across her torso, knocking her over.”  
  • Fallon and Nyx are in a reenactment of one of Julius Caesar’s battles. However, they are on opposite sides. During the battle, Fallon attacks Aeddan. Fallon “rammed the butt of my spear into his side. The breath left his lungs in a whoof as he stumbled sideways, and I followed up with a series of swift, vicious jabs.”  
  • Fallon gets into a chariot and demands that Aeddan drive it. “Aeddan steered so that we would pass within arm’s length of Nyx’s chariot on our right. . . Nyx’s whip cracked, and I ducked instinctively . . . The wasp-kiss of the whip left a crimson welt on my upper arm.”  
  • After several passes, Fallon tells Elka to send a spear into Nyx’s chariot. “The chariot shot upward, arching through air like it had been unleashed from a legion catapult. . . Nyx screamed, arms and legs flailing frantically as she sailed up and over her horses’ heads.” Nyx is injured but not killed. The final battle is described over ten pages.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Every two years, the tribes come together to feast and drink alcohol, and many become drunk. 
  • Alcohol, usually wine, is often served with dinner. 
  • Fallon confronts her sister, Sorcha, who “strode over to a side table that held a wind jug and goblets. She sloshed a generous measure of dark red wine into one of the goblets and took a long drink.” 
  • After drinking the spiked wine, Fallon passes out on the side of the road. A group of girls finds her and takes her to their house. When Fallon awakes, she is at “a house of whores.”

Language  

  • Profanity is used rarely. Profanity includes arse, bitch, damn, and bastard. 
  • “Oh dear goddess” and “Lugh’s teeth” are used as exclamations once. 
  • Another gladiatrix convinces Fallon and Elka to go to a party. As they walk to it, they consume wine. Fallon “took another swallow, and my urge to run faded as the liquid heat from the wine coursed through my limbs.” Later, she discovers the wine was spiked with mandragora, “a powerful intoxicant.”  

Supernatural 

  • Fallon’s tribe has both men and women warriors. “The legions thought of the Island of the Mighty were demons, aberrations whose corpses they burned in heaps after battles so that their black souls could never escape to inhabit another body.”  
  • When Fallon’s sister, Sorcha, was alive, she spent “time with the chief druid. . .The druiddyn were sages and mystics of our tribe. They dealt with portents and prophecies. . .” 
  • After Fallon kills a woman in battle, she is shaken. Her friend, who has killed before, tells her, “His shadow visits me almost nightly in my sleep. We’re so familiar with each other now, he’s almost a friend.” Later, Fallon “said a silent prayer for the Fury and thanked her for giving me the fight that would send me hurtling toward my destiny.”  
  • To frighten Fallon, someone nails a raven to her door. Some think it is an omen of “ill luck.”

Spiritual Content  

  • Fallon often refers to Morrigan, “goddess of death and battles.” Fallon had a dream that Morrigan visited her and called her daughter.  
  • Sorcha explains why she allowed her family to believe she was dead. Afterwards, Fallon “heard the sound of wings beating overhead. I looked up, the sky was clear. Empty. But in my mind, a throaty voice whispered, ‘Daughter’ and ‘Victory.’” Morrigan’s voice reassures Fallon.  
  • After being taken captive, Fallon prays to Morrigan, the triple goddess of blood and battles. “Mach. Red Nemain. Badb Catha . . . hear me. Wind, carry my words. Shadows and darkness, see my plight. Let the Morrigan hear my pleas. Give me strength to vanquish my enemies and wreak my vengeance.” 
  • After someone vandalizes Fallon’s room, “I whispered a prayer of thanks to Morrigan that I’d had the foresight to take the box of Charon’s armor directly to the quartermaster.” 
  • A woman died in a gladiator fight. During her funeral, someone says, “Last night the goddess Nemesis, she of the midnight brow, in her great wisdom called Ismene to the realm of heroes and sent forth Mercury to guide her there. She feasts now in the halls of Dis, she spars with Minerva. . .” 
  • When a gladiator is killed in battle, “the gladiator’s body was dragged from the arena by hook-wielding men dressed in outlandish headdresses meant to resemble long-eared desert dogs. . . the men were playing the ritual part of an Egyptian god of the dead called Anubis.”  
  • Fallon tells her friend, “Morrigan hates me.” Her friend replies, “Your goddess has brought you this far. Maybe this is her way of telling you she thinks you’re worth the effort.” 
  • During a battle, Fallon realizes that “The Morrigan had not forsaken me. She wasn’t against me. The true Morrigan had shown herself to lead me to victory.”  

Lost in the Jungle

Dr. Hank Witherspoon has disappeared. When Jack and his genius siblings, Ava and Matt, find Hank’s lab ransacked, they uncover clues pointing them to Brazil—but many questions remain. Why was Hank studying dangerous electric eels? And who is trying to steal his inventions? Their investigation leads them to a soccer prodigy, his savvy sister, a business tycoon who zips around on motorized boots, and a strangely incompetent riverboat captain.

In the depths of the Amazon rainforest, the three siblings and their new friends must overcome deadly piranhas, stealthy jaguars, and the dreaded “Trail of Pain” to save Hank . . . and make it out alive. 

Readers familiar with the Jack and the Geniuses Series will enjoy seeing Jack and his siblings take on another adventure. However, Lost in the Jungle has less science and fun gadgets. Instead, the siblings spend more time trying to locate Hank. Along the way, Jack has “mind drifts” where he thinks about random things; some readers may find the mind drifts irritating because they are so random. For example, after hearing about a sloth legend, Jack thinks, “. . . I started wondering what sort of creature I’d want to be in the rainforest. A vampire bat? A boa constrictor? The howler monkeys had amazing beards. It would be fun to yell all the time, too. . .”  

The adults in the kids’ lives are mostly absent. For example, Jack and his genius siblings rely on Hank; however, Hank gives them little guidance and leaves them alone for long periods. Hank doesn’t share his plans with the kids; instead, he leaves for the rainforest without a word. After not hearing from Hank for weeks, the siblings decide to find Hank. This causes them to put themselves and others in danger. Even though Hank is irresponsible, the story reinforces the idea that Hank and the kids are family despite not being biologically related. The conclusion proves that love can be found in some surprising ways. 

Lost in the Jungle is a fast-paced story that teaches how the Amazon is being destroyed by illegal logging and how this leads to global warming. While each book in the Jack and the Geniuses Series features a new location and a new dilemma, the books are best read in order so readers can understand the family dynamics of the kids. Readers who love adventure and science will enjoy learning about the Amazon by reading Lost in the Jungle. Readers can jump into another fast-paced adventure by reading the Explorer Academy Series by Trudi Trueit and Tom Swift Inventors’ Academy Series by Victor Appleton. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • Someone breaks into the lab. When Jack and his siblings find him, the man puts Jack in a headlock. “The man clamped down harder on my head. My ears hurt. He yelled at them to back down the stairs as he dragged me out of the room.” The man threatens to drop Jack from the second story. Jack thinks, “One easy shove and I was going to sail right off the platform and splatter like a water balloon on the polished concrete.” The man leaves without injuring anyone. 
  • A man tries to kidnap Jack, Ava, Matt, and their two friends. The kids jump out of the vehicle to get away, but the man follows. “The driver started to charge, splashing with each heavy step, and then [the sibling’s friend] leaned forward, flicked the stone into the air with his left foot. . . and struck. His leg moved like lightning and the stone flew through the air. . . striking the driver directly in the side of the head. Instantly the man dropped to his knees, twisted, and fell forward in a puddle.” The kids flee. 
  • While lost in the rainforest, Jack follows the sound of voices and runs into a “burly and bearded” man. The man “kept shouting at me in Portuguese. He held his boot above my stomach like he was going to stomp on me.” The man pulls out a gun, but he doesn’t hurt anyone. 
  • When Ava and the other kids find Matt, one of the bad guys, Alex, “dropped his arm across my chest and held me up like a human shield. Then he grabbed the gun off the ground and pressed it into my neck. The blood rushed from my head.” Jack passes out. Everyone is gone when he comes to, and Jack runs into the forest to hide.  
  • Jack and the kids find several bad guys fighting over a flash drive. “Roger’s right fist flashed forward as quickly as a golden lancehead and smashed into Bobby’s forehead. He dropped like a puppet without string.” Two bad guys “showed us the pistol once more” and demanded that the kids take their shoes off. The kids comply.  
  • One of the bad guys, Bobby, plans to take a boat and leave the kids stranded in the jungle. As Bobby waded to the boat, “the giant electric eel wrapped itself around his right leg and pumped him full of nine hundred volts. Every muscle in his body instantly tensed. His eyes bulged. . . [he] fell face-first into the water.” Bobby isn’t seriously injured.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • In a woman’s office, the kids see that “a thick, half-smoked cigar rested in a silver ashtray on the desk.” 
  • In a crowd outside of a soccer match, “two old dudes chewing on cigars scurried alongside our car.” 
  • During intermission at the opera, “a few dozen operagoers rushed outside, reaching for their cigarettes, cigars, and phones.” 

Language  

  • One of the bad guys calls a woman a “greedy old hag.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Throne of Fire

Following the events of book one in The Kane Chronicles, Carter and Sadie are facing a new danger: the serpent of chaos, Apophis. Carter gives the reader a very brief overview of what happened in the previous book, saying, “The Egyptian gods are running around loose in the modern world; a bunch of magicians called the House of Life is trying to stop them . . . and a big snake [Apophis] is about to swallow the sun and destroy the world.” However, Carter and Sadie now have several new magician trainees who can help them fight Apophis.  

Carter and Sadie discover that they must work with the gods to defeat the serpent of chaos, Apophis, as his rise threatens both mortals and gods. Sadie explains it well as she says, “Apophis can’t imagine that anyone could unite the gods and magicians . . . He thinks the return of [the sun god] will weaken us even further. We have to prove [Apophis] wrong. We have to make order from chaos.” After their mom passed away, Carter was sent to live with his dad, and Sadie was sent to live with her grandparents, and throughout the book, we get to see them really bond and reconnect with each other as siblings as they learn to understand their magic. Readers with siblings are likely to find Carter and Sadie very relatable, as they do not always get along, but when they are facing danger, they support each other no matter what. 

The Throne of Fire’s theme focuses on Carter and Sadie strengthening their friendship as siblings. In the first book, the readers learn that Carter and Sadie have lived far away from each other for most of their lives, but now they spend every day together learning more about magic and working together to save the world. Readers with siblings will likely empathize with Carter and Sadie as they worry about each other’s safety. For instance, Sadie says, “Seeing Carter hurt was the final insult . . . My friends had been attacked, and my birthday ruined. But my brother was off-limits. No one was allowed to hurt my brother.” Sadie and Carter stand strong and have each other’s back in the face of constant danger.  

Sadie and Carter face a new struggle—their friend, Walt, is dying of an ancient curse that they cannot stop. Walt explains that his curse is connected to King Tut’s bloodline. Walt says, “[The] curse runs in my family . . . Kind of a genetic disease. Not every generation, not every person, but when it strikes it’s bad. [King Tut] died at nineteen. Most of the others . . . twelve, thirteen. I’m sixteen now . . . My dad was eighteen. I never knew him.” Sadie and Carter desperately try to come up with solutions to help Walt, but he explains, “This curse has been defying healers for three thousand years.” Carter and Sadie feel guilty that they still cannot cure Walt, and this unresolved issue will continue in the next book.   

The Throne of Fire has one impactful lesson: do what feels right even when another option seems easier. For example, when Carter and Sadie fight Apophis, the serpent of chaos, he tries to bribe them to join him. Carter thought, “Chaos can also be appealing. It tempts you to believe that nothing matters except what you want. And there was so much that I wanted.” However, Sadie and Carter decide that the most important thing is to restore order. The Throne of Fire will appeal to readers who love mythology, magic, and being kept on the edge of their seats.   

Sexual Content  

  • One of the new magicians that Sadie and Carter are training, Jaz, gives another trainee, Walt, a kiss on the cheek before trying a difficult spell. “[Jaz] pulled her wand and then—much to [Sadie’s] shock—gave Walt a kiss on the cheek.”  
  • Sadie thinks about her friend Walt and realizes she has feelings for him: “I wasn’t at all interested in how handsome [Walt’s] face looked in the moonlight, or his muscular arms in that sleeveless tee . . . Sorry. Lost my train of thought.”  
  • Sadie discusses her interactions with the god of funerals, Anubis. “I had a bit of a crush on Anubis. I know how ridiculous that sounds . . . [Anubis] was a god. We had absolutely nothing in common. I hadn’t heard from [Anubis] since our adventure with the Red Pyramid.”  
  • Sadie is briefly transported to the Land of the Dead where Anubis advises escaping some monsters. “Anubis said. ‘I’m sorry I can’t do more. But happy birthday, Sadie.’ [Anubis] leaned forward and kissed [Sadie] on the lips.”  
  • Walt reveals that he is dying of an incurable curse, “I’m going to die anyway, Sadie. I want my life to mean something. And . . . I want to spend as much time as I can with you.” Sadie doesn’t know how to respond and reveals to the reader, “I think I might have kissed [Walt].”  
  • Sadie performs a spell to get herself and Walt out of a cavern. Afterward, “Walt leaned down and kissed me.” 

Violence  

  • Carter receives a vision in which he has to fight several monsters. “Horrible faces rose up—a sea dragon with feline eyes, a crocodile with porcupine bristles, a serpent with the head of a mummified man. Each time one rose up, I raised my sword and cut it down, or speared it with my javelin.”  
  • A three-headed serpent attacks Carter and some of his magician trainees. “The serpent opened its mouths, blasting out three columns of flames.” Luckily, Carter and his friends can protect each other, and “[Carter] raised a green shield of magic to deflect the fire.”  
  • Carter describes how his magician trainees defend themselves against the three-headed serpent attacking them. “Julian’s sword sliced off one of its heads. Felix’s shoe bounced off another. The blast from Walt’s wand turned the third to dust. Then Alyssa’s statues slammed into it, smashing the monster under a ton of stone. What was left of the serpent’s body dissolved into sand.” 
  • A monster with deadly venom bites Carter. “The creature sank its fangs into Carter’s left shoulder, and he dropped to the ground.” Sadie destroys the creature with magic. She “unleashed a beam of golden light that hit the monster with the force of a sandblaster. The [creature] crumbled to bits.” Luckily, healing magic saves Carter.  
  • Sadie, Carter, and their friend Bes play a game in the Land of the Dead with the moon god, Khonsu, in exchange for a few more hours of time so that they can complete their quest. If they lose, Khonsu threatens to, “Erase part of our souls . . . take our memories, our identity.”  
  • The magician Desjardins has to fight one of his own friends, whom Apophis possesses. Desjardins tells his fellow magician, “You toy with something much worse than death, my old friend. Pray that I kill you before you succeed.” Desjardins uses his magic to banish Apophis to the duat, a realm between our world and the underworld, and succeeds. However, the spell requires so much magic that Desjardins passes away afterwards.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Characters occasionally use words like stupid, shut up, and idiot.  

Supernatural 

  • Carter explains that the god, Horus, is able to speak to him in his mind. Horus gives Carter advice on finding an artifact Carter is looking for. However, Horus warns Carter about the artifact at the last possible minute. Horus speaks to Carter, “You’ll have five days to figure out how to use [the artifact], or we’re all doomed. Good luck!”  
  • After talking to Horus, Carter says, “I could’ve screamed at [Horus] for not telling me sooner, but it wouldn’t have made any difference. Gods only talk when they’re ready, and they don’t have a good sense of mortal time. I knew this because Horus had shared space in my head a few months ago.”  
  • Carter and Sadie see their friend Jaz perform a spell to protect them all from evil spirits of chaos. Carter “turned just in time to see a flash of blinding red light. The entire vortex collapsed inward, sucking all six [spirits] into Jaz’s circle. The light died. Jaz fainted, her wand and the Sekhmet statue both crumbling to dust in her hands.”  
  • Carter channels the power of the god Horus to give him strength while fighting some demons. “I awoke in a different body . . . My arms were bronze and muscular, circled with bands of gold and lapis lazuli. I was dressed for battle in leather armor.” Carter describes, “I felt strong and powerful like . . . well, a god.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Before doing a spell, Jaz takes out a goddess statue to bring her strength. “From [Jaz’s] bag, she produced a small statue of Sekhmet, [Jaz’s] patron goddess, and held it aloft.”  
  • Like the previous book, the gods in this book are not worshipped but interact with others. The gods have strengths and powers. For instance, Carter discusses his thoughts about the god Horus. “[Horus] didn’t want [another god] coming back to challenge his authority. Gods tend to be selfish. Even when they’re helpful, they always have their own motives. That’s why you have to be careful about trusting [gods]. 

You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Pyramid Builder!

You are living in Egypt around 1500 BC. When a pharaoh dies, he joins the hawk-headed sun god Ra and travels the sky in his boat. To ensure his eternal life, the pharaoh’s corpse must not decay. So, each pharaoh gets his subjects to build him a gigantic tomb—a pyramid—which will preserve his body forever. Thousands of Egyptians are forced to work on it, including you.  

You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Pyramid Builder! immerses the reader in the story, making the interactive book fun to read. Readers will learn about the difficult work required to build a pyramid fit for a pharaoh. Much of the work was completed by unskilled workers who mined in a granite quarry or cut stone with a very hard rock. Skilled carvers and painters were also necessary to complete the inside of the pyramid. While most of the book discusses pyramid building in detail, it also incorporates the Egyptians’ belief in many gods and how the gods were vital to everyday life. 

Even though building a pyramid was serious work, the book uses humor to engage and educate readers. The text and full-color illustrations give accurate technical detail and give readers a vivid understanding of what life was like as an Egyptian pyramid builder. The book’s format is perfect for reluctant readers since each page has larger and several smaller illustrations. On each two-page spread, a large paragraph explains what is happening. Along the edges, more information about a pyramid builder’s life is given. For example, “On payday, your wages come in various useful forms, such as grain, oil, or fine linen cloth. 

Anyone who wants to understand how the pyramids were made will find this easy-to-read book fascinating. The nonfiction book includes informative captions, a complete glossary, and an index. While some readers may not understand all of the words, context clues and illustrations will help them decode their meaning. Readers don’t have to watch for scorpions or crocodiles to learn more about ancient Egypt. Instead, they can head to the nearest library to check out Mummies and Pyramids by Mary Pope Osborne or The Curse of King Tut’s Mummy by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Tax collectors “always have ways of showing how wrong you are.” The illustration shows a man on the ground being beaten with a stick.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • When creating the decorations in a tomb, “It is very important to know the exact stance and gestures the figures should portray and what symbols and written spells should accompany them. . . If you get any of them wrong the decorations will lose their magic power of ensuring the pharaoh’s safe journey to the gods.”  
  • To keep evil spirits away, “place the god Bes in a shire set in the wall of one of your rooms. He protects homes.” 
  • Some days are considered unlucky, “when it is believed evil forces are particularly strong. . . On those days, it is best to avoid bathing, making a journey, killing an ox, a goat, or a duck. . . Illnesses are caused by evil spirits too, so doctors prescribe spells as well as medicine.” 
  • It is important to carry an amulet such as the eye of the Sun God, Ra.

Spiritual Content  

  • The Egyptians believed in many gods and that the pharaohs were gods. “The Egyptians think the gods look after them because their rulers, the pharaohs, are gods themselves. When a pharaoh dies he joins the hawk-headed sun god Ra and travels to the sky in his boat.”  
  • The Egyptians believed the gods controlled everything. “You must bring offerings of your best produce to the temples for them. . . when the crops fail or when the hot wind blows blinding sandstorms from the desert, the gods are angry.” An illustration gives an example that shows a man getting eaten by a crocodile.  
  • It is important to preserve a body because “if it decays your spirit will perish. In the case of a pharaoh, these arrangements are important because the well-being of Egypt relies on his union with the gods. . . The head embalmer wears the mask of Anubis, the god of the dead, and recites appropriate spells.”  
  • When a body is preserved, “lucky amulets are bound in wrappings and the mummy is completed by a face mask portraying the person within.”  
  • When burying a pharaoh, “sacred rites, performed by the temple priests daily, will keep his spirit alive forever.” 

The Spin

Everyone knows Marcus Stroman as a baseball player. He loves the sport, and yes, he probably has a shot at the pros. But “baseball player” doesn’t totally define him. Why won’t anyone also see him as a basketball player or a musician? While he loves being known for what he does well, he’s struggling because people are trying to limit him to just one thing.

Literally how high up a mountain does Marcus need to climb to be completely free of what everyone else sees? How can he protect himself from the online zings, the chatter, and the opinions? When you walk out on the field or that court, how much criticism is fair play? With some perspective from a new view, Marcus realizes that no matter what field, court, or classroom he’s in, he has to block some shots.  

Marcus’ story rotates between Marcus’ family life, school life, and counseling sessions. The Spin reflects on the importance of words—both written and spoken. This topic is reinforced when Marcus’s class discusses a newspaper article and whether the reporter used any biased words. The teacher says, “The difference in reporting may seem minor, with just a few different words or phrases, but how things are reported has major implications.” Marcus gets first-hand experience when he is mentioned in a school newspaper article—Marcus feels that the article doesn’t portray him accurately. During class, with the teacher’s help, Marcus and the reporter discuss how the articles’ words affected the information conveyed. The class discussions allow the reader to understand how word choice can affect how readers interpret biased words differently.  

Marcus meets with his therapist, Gary, several times. During one session, Gary reminds Marcus that he can’t just assume that his parents know how he feels. Instead, “I have to tell people what I need from them instead of leaving them guessing.” With Gary’s help, Marcus finds a way to discuss his love of basketball with his parents. Gary also helps Marcus when some students write mean online comments. Gary says, “The instant sting or hurt? That’s real. That happens, and you process it. But then you can decide how much sticks and how much you shake off. You could also ignore it altogether.”  

The Spin includes many life lessons that are relatable to middle-grade students. However, some conversations, especially those between Marcus and his peers, aren’t authentic. Furthermore, Marcus’s parents are extremely agreeable and patient, but this behavior will not seem genuine to many readers. Besides students’ snarky comments online, the characters work through their disagreements using healthy communication skills.  

The Spin focuses on Marcus’s frustration with people classifying him as “just a baseball player.” Many readers will relate to Marcus’ conflicts, especially the difficulty discussing their emotions. However, the long conversations with Marcus’ parents and therapist slow the action, and many will be disappointed that there are few play-by-play sports scenes. While The Spin isn’t action-packed, the story includes relevant lessons about communication, friendship, and choosing your words wisely. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • Freaking, dang, and heck are each used once. 
  • In one of Marcus’ classes, the teacher discusses a newspaper article. A kid asks, “Someone was a bonehead about setting the fire?” 
  • Marcus thinks that one of the players on his team is a jerk. 
  • An adult uses “Good Lord” as an exclamation once. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Pets to the Rescue: Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends

Jim loves to go for long walks with his dogs, Tara and Tiree. One cold winter day, Jim falls through the ice on a frozen lake. Tiree tries to save him and falls through the ice too! What will happen if Tara tries to help them both? 

Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends follows Jim, who enjoys spending time outside with his dogs. One winter day, Jim falls into a frozen lake and cannot get out of the water. Even though “Jim called for help. No one was near. No one could hear him.” The suspenseful scene will have readers biting their nails and wondering what will happen next. Even though it’s difficult, Tiree and Tara save Jim.  

As part of the Ready To Read Level 2 Series, Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends is intended for children who can read independently. The story is told using short chapters. Each page has two to four sentences of various lengths; however, most sentences are short. The story has a simple plot with full-color illustrations that help readers visualize the action. Some of the pictures show Jim struggling to get out of the frozen lake; however, the illustrations are kid-friendly.  

Readers who love animals will enjoy reading the true story of how Tara and Tiree saved Jim’s life. Although the story focuses on simple activities such as taking a walk, readers will not be able to put the book down. In the end, Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends teaches that “There is no such thing as a bad dog…There is such a thing as a brave and wonderful dog.” Adults who would like to share more true stories of heroic dogs should check out Dog Heroes by Mary Pope Osborne & Natalie Pope Boyce. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Boy + Bot

From bestselling author Ame Dyckman comes a simple and charming story sure to entertain readers of all ages. One day, while collecting pinecones, a boy encounters a lost robot. The two become fast friends, and the boy’s creativity and adventurous spirit delight the pragmatic robot. However, the pair’s fun comes to an abrupt halt when the robot bumps his off-switch. Concerned for his friend, the boy takes the deactivated robot home. There, he treats and cares for the robot in the only way he knows how: he feeds him applesauce, reads him a story, and tucks him in for bed.   

That night, the power switch bumps again and awakens the robot. Assuming that the sleeping boy is deactivated, the robot carries the boy to his home: a laboratory belonging to the robot’s kind inventor. There, the robot treats and cares for the sleeping boy in the only way he knows how: he reads him an instruction manual. He prepares a battery for him. When the robot’s inventor returns home, the boy finally awakens. The boy and robot are delighted to see that the other is perfectly okay. The inventor drives the boy back to his parents, but the boy and robot agree to play tomorrow. 

Boy + Bot is a very easy read, with only one to seven short sentences per page and no challenging vocabulary. The book is illustrated by prolific illustrator Dan Yaccarino. An author himself, Yaccarino matches the book’s simple story with illustrations that do not draw the reader’s focus away from the narrative. The main characters’ outfits are drawn with vibrant colors that catch the reader’s eye. Meanwhile, the backgrounds are limited to no more than two muted colors, and many pages have no background at all. Through this, the reader is able to focus on the Boy and Bot’s story without getting distracted by details of their environment. 

While not a challenging read, Boy + Bot is a warm and comforting story that teaches young readers the value of accepting and uplifting their friends. Boy and Bot could not be any more different on the surface, but their mutual love of play and exploration forms a quick and tight bond. If you are looking for a fast and easy read that tells an enjoyable story with a strong message, Boy + Bot is an excellent choice. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Because of Thursday

Thursdays have always been Annie’s lucky day. She was born on a Thursday and married on a Thursday. Each of her two children was born on a Thursday.  She opened her diner on a Thursday, and it was on a Thursday that she made the famous pasta salad that became a staple of her small town. As Annie grew older, she looked back on her life with pride and satisfaction. She had married the love of her life, achieved her dream of opening a restaurant, and raised two amazing children. However, one Tuesday, Annie’s husband tells her that he isn’t feeling well. On a Monday, her husband passes away. This loss upsets the joy that Annie once felt. Not long after, she closes her restaurant.  

Now, Annie spends most of her time at home. One day, she finds a dish towel on her porch with the word “Thursday” embroidered on it. Annie notices small movements and sounds coming from underneath. She lifts the towel and is delighted to find a kitten bundled up inside! Annie takes the kitten in and quickly finds herself taking care of it. She names the kitten “Thursday” and enjoys tending it. Soon, Annie is inspired to begin cooking once again. It doesn’t take long for the people of her town to hear. Soon enough, everyone helps Annie restart her restaurant. With this, Annie’s restaurant is restored as the heart of the town, and Thursday is adored by every customer who comes in. 

The author of over 70 children’s books, Patricia Polacco writes her stories with a natural grace. As in all her works, Because of Thursday is told with a heartfelt and human touch. Polacco speaks to her reader less like an omnipotent narrator and more like an old friend telling a story, elevating little moments into engaging pieces of a narrative. She describes the smaller details of the story, like the ingredients of Annie’s famous “Ugly Pasta” recipe, with a unique humor and conceit. “It looked like it had been kicked around in the dirt with all the burned pepper flakes in it,” she writes. “And wiped through someone’s armpit with all the lumps of garlic on it and blown across a dusty field with all the grated cheese on it.”  

While this kind of writing should not be a challenge for advanced readers, younger readers may need help navigating the book’s long paragraphs. Each page features four to twelve sentences. Parents’ assistance may also be needed to explain adjectives like “delectable” and “gelatinous.” Polacco’s dynamic illustrations add spirit and energy to the book. Each page features a double-spread illustration with vivid colors and attention to background detail. For example, the final page features Annie’s majestic and colorful manufacturing plant, complemented by a giant fountain shaped like a stack of noodles.  

While Polacco’s pleasant written voice and lively illustrations always make a good story, the resolution of Because of Thursday features a shift in tone that makes the story ultimately feel a little uneven. The book’s climax involves Annie achieving nationwide fame when a TV chef discovers her recipe. Although the chef’s name is never stated, he is drawn to look like Guy Fieri. Even though it’s satisfying to see Annie reach such a high degree of success, the inclusion of a specific real-life celebrity feels out of place in a fictional story. Readers familiar with Fieri will likely be confused by his appearance and may incorrectly assume that the book is a true story. 

With this being said, Because of Thursday is still a worthwhile read. Parents can use the story as a way to discuss the topic of grief with their child, specifically how it can affect someone’s mood and motivation. Additionally, readers can learn the importance of being there for others. Just as Annie gave joy to her town through her cooking, her town was there for her when she returned to her restaurant. As with any book by Patricia Polacco, Because of Thursday is a heartfelt and beautifully illustrated story that allows parents to discuss meaningful themes and messages with their children. 

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None   

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Gigi and Ojiji: What’s in a Name?

Gigi wants to be called something other than her baby name of Gigi—but her full name, Geraldine, is too long to write. And Hanako, her middle name, doesn’t feel quite right. Will Gigi find the perfect name? 

Throughout the day, Gigi tries using different names. Gigi’s family encourages her to try using different names and her grandfather, Ojiji, even shows her how to write Hanako in Japanese. Even though the name Hanako doesn’t feel right, Gigi thinks she needs to use the name because “Ojiji likes the name Hanako. And it’s easy for him to say.” However, Ojiji assures Gigi that she needs to choose the name that feels perfect to her. 

As part of the I Can Read Level 3 Series, Gigi and Ojiji: What’s in a Name? is intended for independent readers who are ready for more complex plots and challenging vocabulary. Each page has three to six sentences and large illustrations. The cute illustrations capture Gigi’s emotions while the back of the book has a Japanese vocabulary wordlist. 

Readers will enjoy watching Gigi interact with her family as she tries out different names. Gigi and Ojiji: What’s in a Name? features Gigi, a biracial six-year-old girl, and her parents. Through Gigi’s adventure, Gigi’s family uses positive communication to solve problems using everyday events that readers will relate to. The cute story and relatable conflict will have children reading it again and again. Readers who enjoy Gigi and Ojiji: What’s in a Name? can go on more adventures by reading the Katie Woo Series by Fran Manushkin. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Christmas Baby

Mary and Joseph travel by donkey to Bethlehem, but when they arrive, the only place to stay is a barn. When the baby was born in the manger, Mary and Joseph rejoiced. The angels sang, and kings journeyed to bring gifts. When the baby was born, he “smiled at the world with God’s own smile.”  

The Christmas Baby is a heartwarming retelling of the birth of Jesus. Using natural colors of blue and brown, the illustrations focus on the animals and the sky. When the baby is born, a two-page spread shows the animals’ joy as they “brayed and mooed and barked and bleated he is come!” The book connects every child to the Christmas baby because babies bring joy. The last page speaks directly to the reader because when you were born, “you smiled back at us all with God’s own smile.” 

Celebrate the Christmas season by reading The Christmas Baby. Each page has two to four short sentences that use repetition to increase the excitement of Jesus’s birth. Even though the story focuses on Jesus’s birth, the story also shows how Jesus came for everyone—wisemen, kings, animals, and you. Not only will The Christmas Baby remind readers that God loves them, but it also shows readers how important they are to other people. For more Christ-centered picture books, read Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Gymnastics Challenge

Harper is a parkour extraordinaire. Nothing brings her more joy than “packing in the fun” at the park with her friends Cici and Lily, where they “move over, under, and around obstacles” with grace and agility. However, when Harper is unexpectedly invited to join a local gymnastics team, she fears that her decision could rupture her friendship with Cici and Lily. Can Harper maintain her friendship without sacrificing her opportunity to compete in gymnastics? 

Gymnastics Challenge is a captivating graphic novel that showcases the importance of friendship in sports, especially when new opportunities threaten to tear apart existing relationships. The book is told through the eyes of Harper, a spunky, energetic girl who wants to use her parkour skills to succeed in gymnastics. Her determination to overcome the difficulties in the new sport, such as the uneven bars, is evident throughout the story, and her ability to recognize her own faults and train to get better is admirable and inspirational. Of course, the story also makes Harper’s character feel realistic, emphasizing how she makes mistakes and wobbles during her routines. She overcomes her fears of making mistakes and learns that “we all wobble sometimes . . . in parkour, in gymnastics, and in friendships.” 

The book presents a positive outlook, relaying the importance of telling the truth and supporting one another in friendships. Conflicts arise when Harper is dishonest with her friends, but she learns to apologize and admit her faults, repairing her struggling relationship with Cici and Lily. Conversely, Cici and Lily learn to support Harper in her new opportunities. For instance, during Harper’s big competition, they shout, “Go Harper! You got this!” These events teach readers that the strongest friendships require honesty and support. 

Gymnastics Challenge presents its tale in a captivating graphic novel format. Each page contains two to four panels in a simplified art style, where the characters, movements, and dialogue are easy to read and follow. The book also uses a combination of graphic novel aspects, such as page-covering panels and pictorial elements like facial creases or sweat drops, to enhance its illustrations, making the scenes look and feel believable. Although the number of speech bubbles per page might be slightly overwhelming for younger readers, each bubble typically only contains one to two sentences with simple vocabulary. 

Gymnastics Challenge is part of the Jake Maddox Graphic Novel series, which focuses on inspiring lessons in sports and competition. Alongside its colorful illustrations, the book also contains additional content, such as a glossary, “Learn More About Gymnastics,” and “Visual Discussion Questions,” which ask the reader to identify how the art style represents the feelings and emotions in each scene. Although older readers may find the plot slightly cheesy, Gymnastics Challenge wins a perfect score with its illustrations, characters, and action sequences. 

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

In The Red Zone

Alex Summers and Oscar Han have always been the “dynamic duo” for their school’s football team, the Bobcats. With Alex as the star quarterback and Oscar as the wide receiver, the boys expected another fantastic football season with their friends. However, when Oscar unexpectedly quits the team, Alex is thrown into a frenzy of sadness, confusion, and betrayal. More alarmingly, Alex’s performance begins to drop in Oscar’s absence, and his team starts losing game after game. Can Alex right his relationship with Oscar before his season spirals out of control? 

In The Red Zone is an engaging graphic novel that explores the importance of friendship in the context of football. Told from Alex’s perspective, the book presents him as a lovable yet determined football player who wants to lead his team to a championship. His friendship, care, and support for his teammates are evident throughout the story, making him an admirable and inspirational protagonist. However, the story also highlights his weaknesses, such as his inability to appropriately understand Han’s reasons for leaving football; these flaws make his character realistic and genuine.  

The book presents an important lesson on honesty, communication, and supporting the differing interests of others. Much of the story’s conflict comes from the miscommunication between Alex and Han. Alex can’t comprehend that Han “didn’t even like playing football anymore.” However, through an honest conversation, both boys realize that their differing interests shouldn’t drive a wedge between them. Instead, they learn to understand and support each other. In The Red Zone teaches readers that they can avoid misunderstandings through proper communication, honesty, and love for one another.  

In The Red Zone delivers its story in an engaging graphic novel format. Each page contains two to three panels in a simplified art style, making the character movements and dialogue easy to read and follow. Although the art style lacks common graphic novel aspects like splashes or bleeds, its variety of colors and onomatopoeia make its illustrations captivating and enjoyable. Large speech bubbles also quickly identify the speakers and typically contain one to two sentences with simple vocabulary and sentence syntax.   

In The Red Zone is part of the Jake Maddox Graphic Novel series, which focuses on uplifting lessons in sports and competition. Alongside its enjoyable illustrations, the book contains additional content, such as a glossary, football history facts, and “visual questions,” which ask the reader to identify how the art style represents the feelings and emotions in each scene. While the plot can be too simplistic and slightly cliché for older readers, In The Red Zone’s charm lies in its illustrations, making it an exciting read for graphic novel enthusiasts and football fans alike.  

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto

It is one of the worst storms ever—it’s been snowing for days and is 30 degrees below zero. But somehow Balto must get through. He is the lead dog of a sled team carrying medicine to sick children in Nome, Alaska. He is the kids’ only hope. Can Balto find his way through the terrible storm? Find out in this exciting true story! 

Follow this suspenseful tale as Gunner (Balto’s owner), Balto, and his team travel through a terrible blizzard. These dogs never give up, even as “snow blocked the trails. The dogs sank up to their necks in the snow. They could not move. Some began to panic.” Balto stays calm, which helps the other dogs wait as Gunner digs them out. But this is just one obstacle that Balto helps Gunner navigate. Readers will wait in anticipation as they watch Balto navigate this terrible storm and will cheer when Balto finally makes it to Nome. 

While the majority of the story focuses on Balto, readers will also see how many people had to work together to get the medicine to Nome. The illustrations will help readers understand why medicine could not be delivered any other way. For instance, one illustration shows a train stuck in the snow while another shows a map of the trip, giving readers a clear visual of the vast distances involved. The illustrations compliment the dire tone of the story, using light blues and browns on white backgrounds. These muted colors allow the snow to take center stage. 

The True Story of Balto is part of the Step into Reading Level Three Series, which targets readers in first grade through third grade. With three short chapters, Step Three books are longer and slightly more difficult than Step Two books. Each page has three to seven sentences and a large illustration. This level includes some more challenging vocabulary and concepts, though the meanings are made clear through context and illustrations. 

The True Story of Balto brings history to life with suspense and drama that will make the book hard to put down. While Balto’s bravery is highlighted, the book doesn’t leave out the other people who helped along the way. This story shows the importance of working together and persevering in difficult times. Any reader who loves dogs will enjoy learning more about the true story of Balto. Learn about more animal heroes by reading Pigeon Hero by Shirley Raye Redmond.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • On the trip, “In one team, two dogs froze to death.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None

Little Blue Truck’s Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Little Blue Truck is spreading cheer by delivering Christmas trees to his animal friends. Can you help count each green tree from one to five and back again? Don’t forget to save one for Blue! Beep! Beep! 

Follow Blue’s adventure as he delivers trees to his friends. Along the way, readers will learn counting as they keep track of how many trees Blue has to deliver. Each two-page spread also has other items that adults can encourage readers to count. For instance, one page has four red birds, while another has four cute piglets. The last page of the book shows Blue’s final delivery; this tree’s glowing Christmas lights will give the reader one last glimpse of holiday cheer. 

Little Blue Truck’s Christmas is a fun book to read because of the rhyming and onomatopoeia words. Each page has four short lines of text, and each number and onomatopoeia is shown in a different colored font. The illustrations show a snow-covered world that is full of Christmas cheer. Blue wears a wreath and many scenes show Christmas lights and fun details, such as two rabbits wearing brightly colored scarves and hats while making a snowman.  

Get ready for the holiday season by reading Little Blue Truck’s Christmas. The fun illustrations, decorations, and sparkly lights make this book a wonderful Christmas treat while emphasizing the joy of giving during the holiday season. For even more great holiday reads, grab a blanket and snuggle up with Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson, and The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains by Annie Silvestro. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Unwind

After America’s Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement. According to their Bill of Life, human life may not be terminated from the moment of conception until the age of thirteen. But between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, the child may be gotten rid of by their parent through a process called “unwinding.”

By repurposing a teen’s organs and other body parts in living recipients, the unwound child’s life doesn’t technically end. According to society’s leaders, unwinding leads to a healthier and safer community, as troublesome and unwanted teens are used for the greater good.

Connor is a rebel whose unwinding was ordered by his parents. Risa, a ward of the state, has been slated for unwinding due to cost cutting. And Lev, his parents’ tenth child, has been destined for unwinding since birth as a religious tithe. As their paths intersect, they start to fight for their own destinies. But do they stand a chance of escaping their fate or proving their lives are worth saving? 

Readers who want a light, entertaining read should avoid the Unwind Dystology. Unwind has plenty of action and suspense that propels the story forward at a fast pace and leaves the reader questioning their beliefs about the value of human life—both before and after birth. Shusterman expertly delves into difficult questions from multiple perspectives by focusing on three completely different characters. After Lev is kidnapped, he chooses to escape his destiny—being unwound. At this time, he begins to question God’s will. Lev’s friend says, “You got it in your heart to run from unwinding, ain’t no one can tell you it’s the wrong thing to do, even if it’s against the law. The good Lord wouldn’t have put it in your heart if it wasn’t right.” In the end, Levi learns that he can still believe in God but not condone human tithing. 

On the other hand, Risa grew up in a state institution where she helped care for babies that no one wanted. Since abortion is illegal, many babies are left on people’s doorstep, but this doesn’t guarantee that the child will be loved or cared for. Risa wonders, “Which was worse. . . to have tens of thousands of babies that no one wanted, or silently make them go away before they were even born?” Risa’s experiences force the reader to ponder both the pro-life and the pro-abortion point of view.  

Unwind is a thought-provoking story that begins with the question: Should unborn children have a right to live, or should women have a right to choose what happens to their bodies? To put a spotlight on these questions, Shusterman creates a dark world full of violence that is not for the faint of heart. However, readers who aren’t afraid of exploring controversial topics will find that each protagonist—Connor, Risa, and Lev—has a different system and wants to do what is right. The next installments of the Unwind Dystology explore human evil in more detail. Although the series makes readers ask important questions, many readers will not be ready to face the books’ disturbingly dark images. Readers who want a tamer dystopian book have many options, including Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie, The Maze Cutter by James Dashner, and Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. 

Sexual Content  

  • When Connor’s friend, Ariana, says she will run away with him. He “kisses her.” 
  • A woman helps Connor, Risa, and a storked newborn hide. Storked are those left on doorsteps. The old woman assumes that Connor and Risa are the baby’s parents. The woman says, “If you really want to stay alive, honey, have him get you pregnant again. They won’t unwind an expectant mother, so that will buy you nine whole months.” 
  • One boy says that he has two dads, but “I’m not like my dads—my compass points to girls, if you know what I mean.” 
  • While hiding out in a warehouse, two kids “make out all day long, drawing a cluster of other kids who sit there and watch.” 
  • Connor kisses Risa. “She did not expect it, and when he breaks off the kiss, she realizes from the look on his face that he hadn’t expected it either. . . she pulls him into another kiss—this one longer than the first.” 
  • Connor and Risa are sent to a harvest camp to be unwound. While they wait, “They meet in the girls’ bathroom . . . They hold each other in the tight space, making no excuses for it. . . they kiss as if they’ve done it forever.”

Violence  

  • When Conner discovers he is supposed to be unwound, he runs away. Connor’s father and the police find him hiding in the back of a semi. To escape, Connor runs across a busy highway. “He hears a gun fire. He feels the impact, but not in his skin. The bullet embeds in his backpack.” Connor realizes that they’re firing tranquilizer bullets. 
  • As Connor is running across the highway, a Cadillac’s “side mirror smacks him painfully in the ribs before the car screeches to a halt, sending the acrid stench of burned rubber up his nostrils.” Connor sees Lev in the Cadillac so he grabs Lev to use as a human shield. 
  • Connor puts a “choke hold” on Lev and drags him across the road. As they run, “bullets now fly past them.” To escape, “Lev grabs the arm that’s locked around his neck and sinks his teeth in with the full force of his jaws until he tastes blood. The kid screams.” Lev is hit with a tranquilizer bullet and falls to the ground. 
  • While Connor is running, a bus swerves, and “Risa’s head is slammed against the window as the bus suddenly pulls to the right. . . Risa is thrown forward, down the aisle, as the bus comes to a sudden, jarring stop.” 
  • After the bus crashes, “the windshield is smashed, and it’s covered in blood. Lots of it. . . It’s the bus driver’s blood. His hands halfway through [the windshield], and he’s not moving.” 
  • Connor and Risa work together to trick a police officer. Risa pretends to be injured. When the officer goes to help her, “the officer is knocked to the ground, and suddenly there are two figures attacking him—The Unwind and the girl.” Connor uses a tranquilizer gun on the police officer. 
  • An unwanted baby is put on Connor’s doorstep. His parents did not want to take the child in, so they put it on a neighbor’s doorstep. Eventually, the child is placed back on Connor’s doorstep, but by then, it’s so sick that it dies.  
  • Roland, a runaway, was sent to be unwound because he “had beaten up his stepfather for beating his mom. The mother took her husband’s side, and the stepfather got off with a warning. Roland, on the other hand, was sent to be unwound.” 
  • A newspaper article talks about a hospital that was harvesting stem cells. “The council described a general culture of trafficking of children snatched at birth. . . The pictures show organs, including brains, have been stripped—and some bodies dismembered.” 
  • Roland corners Risa while she’s in the bathroom. “He grabs her hands, pushes her back against the cold green tile wall, and presses his hip against her so that her knee can’t reach its mark.” Rolands implies that he is going to have sex with her whether she wants to or not. Another teen comes in and interrupts. Roland lets Risa go. 
  • Lev goes to a pawnbroker to sell a stolen bracelet. The pawnbroker opens the safe. “He feels something hard and heavy connecting with his head. His thoughts are instantly scrambled. He loses consciousness before he hits the ground.”  
  • While hidden in a warehouse, the Unwinds are woken so they can be transferred to another hiding place. The “Fatigues,” adults in charge of watching the Unwinds, have rifles. “A cranky kid pushes a Fatigue for tearing away his blanket. The Fatigue with the gun hits him on the shoulder with his rifle—not enough to seriously wound him, but enough to make it clear to the kids, and everyone else, that they mean business.” 
  • Lev turns Connor and Risa into the cops. Afterward, Connor “hauls off and punches Lev in the eye. Not hard enough to knock him down, but hard enough to snap his head halfway around and give him a nasty shiner.” 
  • Someone shows Connor a crate that has five dead kids in it. “There are no signs of blood, no wounds. They could all be asleep except for the fact that [one]’s eyes are open and staring at nothing.” Later, Connor learns that the kids suffocated in the crate. 
  • Connor entices his enemy, Roland, into an airplane. Connor “leaps forward and firmly plants the muzzle of the Admiral’s gun against Roland’s back. . . Roland makes his move. He spins, knocks Connor back, and grabs for the gun.” Connor pushes Roland into a crate and locks him in. “While Roland rages inside, Connor takes aim at the crate and fires the gun, once, twice, three times.” After making sure Roland can breathe, Connor leaves. Later, Roland is let out, uninjured. 
  • To hurt the Admiral, a mob of kids attacks the Admiral’s jet. “The first of the kids reaches the top of the stairs and heaves the hatch open, only to be met by Risa, and a brutal punch to the jaw. It sends him tumbling over the side and to the ground . . . The second kid is met by an aerosol burst of Bactine [a pain-relieving spray] right to the eyes. The pain is excruciating. He stumbles backward. . .” The mob destroys everything they can get their hands on. The scene is described over multiple chapters. 
  • Cleaver, a helicopter pilot, tries to get away from the mob but is unable to. Connor breaks up the kids and finds “the man on the ground is battered and bloody. . . He’s been beaten to a pulp.” Helpless, Connor watches Cleaver die. 
  • Connor thinks about the Mayan game of pokatok. “The game was a lot like basketball, except that the losers were sacrificed to the Mayan gods.”  
  • Roland and Connor fight. Roland “begins swinging, and Connor is quick to defend. . . Connor taps into his own wellspring of fury, and he lets loose a brutal offensive of his own. . . [Roland] slams him against the wall his hand pressed against Connor’s windpipe. . . Connor’s struggles become weaker without oxygen to feed his muscles.” Roland thinks about killing Connor and is surprised that he can’t. The scene is described over two pages. 
  • Roland is unwound and is conscious of the entire procedure. As Roland’s body is taken apart, a nurse says, “You may feel a tugging sensation near your ankles. . . it’s nothing to worry about.” 
  • An hour and fifteen minutes into the procedure, “surgeons leave, new ones arrive. He looks towards his toes but can’t see them [because they have been removed]. . . A clanging of metal. The lower half of the table is unhooked, and pulled away. . . Now Roland feels discomfort in his gut. Discomfort, a tickling sensation, but no pain. The surgeon lifts things away.” 
  • The nurse leaves once Roland’s eyes have been removed. Roland sees “not quite darkness, just an absence of light. He hears everything around him but can no longer communicate. . .” The doctors talk about sports as they continue to remove parts of Roland’s brain. After three hours and nineteen minutes, the procedure is complete, and Roland is still alive, but he is confused about what has happened. The procedure is described over six pages. 
  • In the conclusion, three Unwinds [Lev, Blaine, and Mai] decide to attack the harvest camp where they are being held. Blaine and Mai both go inside the “Chop Shop” where the unwind procedure is performed. A guard sees Blaine and “aims his tranq gun at Blaine’s left thigh, and fires. . . The impact of a tranq bullet is more effective than a detonator. Blaine and the guard are instantly incinerated as the six quarts of liquid explosive coursing through Blaine’s body ignite.” 
  • During the attack, Connor is injured. “His face is a shredded, bloody mess. He’s lost an eye. His right arm is crushed and mangled. But he’s alive!” Connor is in a coma for several weeks. When he awakes, he has been given an Unwind’s eye and arm. The revolt scene is described over eight pages.

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • At a party for Lev, champagne is served to the adults. Lev’s brother, Marcus, pretends to be drunk so he can go on a rant. 
  • A police officer thinks that Unwinds are “often high on illegal substances. . . Nicotine, caffeine, or worse.”  
  • Lev is hit with a tranquilizer gun. When he wakes up, “his head hurts, he feels like he might puke, and his brain is still only at half power.” 
  • An adult who helps hide Unwinds talks to Connor when “the Admiral adds some whiskey from a flask to his own coffee.” After the Admiral’s son was unwound, he “left the military, spent several years more drunk than I am now.” Then he sobered up and began helping the Unwinds. 
  • A boy who has asthma takes Xolair. 
  • Roland steals a bottle of ipecac from the infirmary. “He was planning to use the stuff to spike the drinks and create a puke-fest.” His plan is never carried out. 

Language  

  • Profanity is used seldom. Profanity includes hell, damn, crap, and ass. 
  • My God and for God’s sake are used several times as an exclamation.

Supernatural 

  • When a person is given a body part from an unwound person, the body part remembers what the person learned. For example, one man received a new hand, and the hand still knew how to perform magic. 
  • One boy, Cyrus, was injured and received half of a boy’s brain. Now, the boy is in Cyrus’s head. “This boy in the corner of his head doesn’t talk to him in words. He feels. He emotes. He doesn’t understand that he’s only a part of another kid. . . Now he keeps looking for things in Cyrus’s head that just aren’t there. . . And so the kid hurls out anger. Terror. Grief. Waves pounding the wall, and beneath it all, there’s a current tugging Cy forward.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Lev is a tithe, “a child of a religious family who is born and raised to be unwound, as an act of charity.” 
  • Lev’s parents are Christians who “have always given 10 percent of everything to the church.” This includes giving Lev as a tithe, who will be unwound. Lev’s parent told him, “Your life will be to serve God and mankind.” Because he is a tithe, Lev has “always felt closer to God than to his friends, or even his family.” 
  • Lev’s family believes “everyone’s equal in God’s eyes.” 
  • Lev is jealous of his siblings, who are not unwound. Lev’s pastor tells him that God asks for the best fruits, not the first fruits. Lev thinks, “Giving of one’s self is the ultimate blessing.” 
  • After Lev is kidnapped, he still wants to be unwound, “as it was ordained to be. . . Being torn from his purpose was the most unnerving thing that had ever happened to Lev, but now he understands why God let it happen. It’s a lesson. It’s to show Lev what happens to children who shrink their destiny: they become lost in every possible way.” 
  • When Lev talks about being tithed, he says, “Tithing’s in the Bible; you’re supposed to give 10 percent of everything. And Storking is in the Bible, too.” Storked is when babies are left on doorsteps. “The homeowner is obligated to keep and raise the child.” 
  • When talking about storked babies, Lev uses Moses as an example. “Moses was put in a basket in the Nile and was found by Pharaoh’s daughter. He was the first storked baby, and looked what happened to him!” 
  • Unwanted babies are raised in a state institution or storked. Connor wonders, “If a baby was going to be so unloved, why would God want it brought into the world?” 
  • After Lev runs, he says his parents “loved God more than they loved me, and I hate them for it. So I guess that means I’m going to hell.” 
  • Connor and some of the other Unwinds discuss when a soul is put into an unborn child. One Unwind says a girl believed that “if someone actually gets unwound, then they never had a soul to begin with. She said God must know who’s going to be unwound, and he doesn’t give them souls.” The conversation lasts for three pages. 
  • Lev is part of the group that plans to destroy the harvest camp. Before he can set off his detonator, he thinks: “God, dear God, what am I doing? What have I done? How did I get here?” Lev is unable to set off the detonator and helps rescue people instead. 
  • While Lev is in a cell, Pastor Dan visits. The pastor “resigned my position. I left the church. . . I still very much believe in God—just not a god who condones human tithing.”  

A Trip to the Country for Marvin & James

Marvin the beetle and his best friend James Pompaday, a human, embark on yet another delightful adventure in this heartwarming fifth book. In this installment, James invites Marvin and Marvin’s cousin, Elaine, to accompany him on a captivating journey to visit his father in the serene countryside. Along their enchanting expedition, they come across a charming train, playful yo-yos, graceful sailboats, and even find themselves in a thrilling, albeit slightly perilous, encounter with a toy sailboat and a frog. Join Marvin, James, and Elaine as they navigate through a series of delightful escapades, making cherished memories along the way. 

This heartwarming story takes readers on a journey filled with excitement and wonder. Through simplistic yet descriptive storytelling, readers can immerse themselves in the world of Marvin and his friends. The easy-to-read writing style makes this book accessible to readers of all ages, including young children who are transitioning to chapter books. Additionally, the green, white, and black illustrations that accompany the text enhance the visual experience, allowing readers to fully visualize the enchanting scenes and characters. While the book can be read as a standalone piece, it is also a part of The Masterpiece Series. This means that readers can enjoy it independently, without having read the other books in the series. However, for those who have followed the series, this book offers a deeper understanding of the overall storyline and the characters involved. 

Marvin, a small and tenacious beetle with a shiny black exoskeleton and delicate wings, serves as a remarkable and inspiring example to readers of all ages. Through his courageous actions and unwavering determination, Marvin shows us that true character and strength of will can surpass any limitations imposed by physical attributes. His unwavering spirit and resilience in the face of challenges inspire readers to embrace their inner strength and strive for greatness, proving that size and appearance are not the sole measures of one’s worth. 

The adorable story teaches readers an important lesson about the value of trusting your friends and the importance of persevering through various obstacles. It emphasizes the idea that when we encounter challenges, it is our friendships that give us the strength and support to overcome them. Additionally, the story encourages readers to never give up, even when facing difficult situations, as it is through persistence that we can achieve our goals and find success. With its delightful escapades and cherished memories, A Trip to the Country for Marvin & James is sure to captivate readers and leave them longing for more adventures with Marvin, James, and Elaine. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • As Marvin, Elaine, and James take off for their trip to the countryside, Elaine becomes nervous about being in James’ pocket. She is quick to remind Marvin to be careful while inside it. Elaine warned, “Be careful you don’t fall out or you will be smashed flat as a pancake.” 
  • When riding a toy sailboat, Marvin and Elaine get stuck in tall grass on a small stream. While stuck they encounter a frog who seems determined to have them for lunch. “They tumble into the water just as the hungry frog tries to eat them again.”  
  • While Marvin and Elaine have escaped the frog, they now face the issue of being in the water. Elaine cannot swim and relies on Marvin to save her. “She crawls on Marvin’s head again and now Marvin nearly drowns. Finally, he gets Elaine to wrap her front legs over his shoulders. Now he can swim.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Construction Site on Christmas Night

The mighty construction trucks are busy building a very special gift in time for Christmas Eve. But there’s a surprise waiting for them too! Excavator, Bulldozer, Crane Truck, Dump Truck, and Cement Mixer all receive a special present as each truck finishes their part of this important job, before rolling off to a sweet and sleepy goodnight.  

Construction Site on Christmas Night uses a repeating pattern to tell the story. In the first section, Bulldozer is working hard to clear the ground. Once he has completed his part of the job, he finds “a massive gift with cable ‘ribbon’ from the yard, it’s topped off with a thank-you card. An awesome carbon steel blade.” After Bulldozer opens his gift, he goes to sleep. The story repeats this format with each of the other trucks, with each gift reflecting the truck’s unique personality. For example, Dump Truck receives new tires and Cement Mixer receives a new drum. Then the conclusion shows the firetrucks snuggled into their newly built firehouse while the other trucks sleep outside in the snow.  

Even though Construction Site on Christmas Night is a simple story, it still has positive lessons. Each truck has a job that is unique to their design. Without each truck completing its work, the firehouse could not be built. In addition, the story shows the joy of giving and the value of work.  

Even though Construction Site on Christmas Night is a picture book it is intended to be read to children instead of having them read it independently. The story uses rhyming and onomatopoeia which make the story fun to read. The illustrations use primary colors as well as festive details, such as ribbons and bows. Each page has one to six sentences that keep the story flowing at a fast pace. 

Any child who loves trucks will find joy in reading Construction Site on Christmas Night. The story reinforces the importance of appreciating others and the importance of using your own unique talents. The book is perfect for snuggling up and reading on a cold winter’s night. Plus, it will leave readers with sweet dreams of what they will find under the Christmas tree. To read more about hard-working trucks, chug to the nearest library and check out Bulldozer Helps Out by Candace Fleming. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Batter Power-Up!

Zack is a young, aspiring baseball star for his team in Leeville. Known for his defensive plays in the outfield, Zack wants to help his team win every game. However, there’s one problem: Zack can’t hit. Every time he goes to the plate, he ends his at-bat with a pop fly or a strikeout. And with the strikeouts mounting, Zack fears losing his spot in the starting lineup. 

However, everything changes when Zack’s friend, Jamie, gives him a Gamer Gear headset with virtual baseball. Using the pitch recognition of the batting game, Zack begins to see encouraging results. But, one day, when the headset unexpectedly breaks, Zack fears that he has lost his only chance to improve his hitting. Will Zack learn to hit without the headset and save his season? 

Batter Power-Up! is an exciting graphic novel that effortlessly blends action-packed sequences with heartfelt moments. Told from the perspective of Zack, the book portrays Zack as an enthusiastic young boy who finds joy in video games and baseball. Although he initially struggles to overcome his inability to hit, his journey to trust in his own abilities instead of other things, such as the Gamer Gear headset, makes him an inspirational character. After all, most readers will relate to Zack’s experience of learning to believe in himself and overcoming difficult challenges. 

The book provides a positive outlook on the theme of believing in oneself. Despite Zack’s Gamer Gear headset malfunctioning and costing him valuable training time, Zack’s recognition that he doesn’t need the headset emphasizes the book’s message about trusting one’s abilities. It teaches readers that many obstacles can be overcome through mental fortitude. This theme is reinforced when Zack exclaims, “I just had to trust my instincts.” 

Batter Power-Up! brings the story to life in a delightful graphic novel format. The panels and characters feature a detailed art style with lots of color, dialogue, and onomatopoeia. The detailed style enhances the action sequences during baseball games, where each panel provides insights about the characters’ thoughts and movements in a structured, organized way. Meanwhile, the text appears in big white bubbles that easily identify the speaker and contain one to two sentences with intermediate vocabulary and sentence structure. 

Overall, Batter Power-Up! presents an encouraging story about a young baseball player learning to believe in himself. Although the plot may be too simplistic for older readers, Batter Power-Up! is a must-read for graphic novel enthusiasts and baseball fans alike.  

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • After repeatedly swinging and missing, Zack throws his bat on the ground and shouts, “Why can’t I hit the blasted ball?” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

Crush at First Sight

Pippa Park is no longer the new girl at Lakeview, but that doesn’t mean she can get comfortable. With Christmas approaching, Pippa’s friends – nicknamed “the Royals” – are preparing for the biggest party of the year! Pippa is determined to use the party as a chance to show that she truly belongs with the Royals. She needs a great dress and a great date (neither of which she has). Nevertheless, she’s determined: Everything about this Christmas has to be absolutely perfect.  

Unfortunately, perfection is not in the cards. Literally. A tarot reading Pippa receives from her neighbor, Mrs. Lee, warns Pippa that her future holds a disaster. Pippa isn’t sure what to think about the reading until she learns that her mother, who lives in Korea, won’t be able to make it to America for Christmas. If that wasn’t bad enough, Pippa was put in charge of organizing the Royals’ Christmas party. Making the best party ever is a little difficult in a small apartment, not to mention the cost of all the food and decor. Pippa is stretched thin between babysitting gigs, tutoring sessions with her crush, Eliot, and volunteering at the church. Plus, her friends, Buddy and Helen, are too obsessed with their new relationship to offer her any support. The only escape in this growing mess is a boy named Marvel, whom Pippa meets during her volunteer work. But even things with Marvel are rocky – after all, doesn’t she have feelings for Eliot?  

A week before the party, just about everything Pippa worked for has been destroyed, just like Mrs. Lee warned. Her sister Mina needs the money Pippa earned from babysitting. Then, Mrs. Lee gets in an accident and moves into the Park’s living room, robbing Pippa of a venue. Pippa snaps at Buddy and Helen, putting her friendships in jeopardy. Finally, she’s caught with Eliot when she’s supposed to meet Marvel, taking her date options for the party from two to zero. It seems like things can’t get any worse. Then, Pippa remembers Mina’s advice: “Pippa, there is only one person responsible for your future. And that’s you.”  

Pippa comes clean and restores her relationships. Mrs. Lee even gives Pippa the key to her place so she can host her party there. When Pippa admits she’s struggling, the Royals don’t laugh at her like she thought; they rally behind her and help create the best party ever. Pippa learns that asking for help isn’t a bad thing – her friends and family are there to support her however they can.  

Pippa is a great character for middle school girls because everything in Pippa’s life is realistic. She deals with a multitude of issues at the same time, which makes her seem more relatable. Between her home life, school life, romantic feelings, and friendships, she becomes a well-rounded individual that girls can relate to since they will often experience these same troubles in middle school — wanting to fit in, having their first romantic relationship, and struggling to manage new responsibilities. Despite all these conflicts, the plot is straightforward and easy to follow.  

Crush at First Sight is a good, lighthearted read with a positive message showing the importance of relying on others. Pippa wants to seem like she can do everything herself, but in reality, when she struggles, she needs the help of others. Through Pippa’s experience, readers will learn to share their struggles with their friends and family. Instead of asking for help, Pippa says, “[I] buried my insecurities deeper and deeper until my feelings morphed into resentment. I had kept waiting for things to go back to normal, but I refused to take the initiative to make that happen.” When Pippa admits to the Royals that she’s having a hard time, they show her understanding and offer help instead of turning against her. As a further sign of their support, the book ends with Pippa getting a golden scrunchie from the Royals – a sign that they accept her, even if she isn’t perfect. For more holiday fun, grab a cup of hot cocoa and snuggle up with the Celebrate the Season Series by Taylor Garland and Hot Cocoa Hearts by Suzanne Nelson. 

Sexual Content  

  • Buddy and Helen, two of Pippa’s friends, are dating. Pippa sees them kiss once. “I watched as Buddy stepped forward. I watched as Helen brought her face closer to his. And I watched as their lips met.” 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Pippa volunteers at her local Korean Baptist Church. While not religious herself, the church is putting on a play about Jesus’s birth. Pippa is a shepherd.  
  • Pippa’s family sets up a nativity scene for Christmas with wise men and camels.  

Lost in the Storm

Welcome to Dolphin Island. Hurricane season is here, and Abby can’t help but worry about the danger it may bring to the resort and the dolphins who live in the cove. If the wind gets any stronger and the waves grow any wilder, everyone might have to evacuate! Hurricane season doesn’t stop Abby from introducing a new guest named Delaney to her dolphin friends. But when the storm hits, and Delaney’s dad gets stranded in open water, it’s up to Abby and her dolphin friends to lead the rescue! 

Abby befriends Delaney, but the friendship isn’t healthy. For example, Delaney’s father goes out in a kayak even though a hurricane is coming. Delaney and Abby see him leave. Abby wants to tell her parents but doesn’t because Delaney says her dad “would be really mad if he thinks we tattled.” Soon, the girls discover that the stormy weather knocked Delaney’s father out of the kayak, and he’s in the open ocean! After he is rescued, he apologizes and acknowledges, “I put myself in danger, and worse, I put all of you in danger, too.”  

Abby wants to be a good friend but is too willing to go along with others. As a result, Abby keeps secrets from her parents. But Delaney’s secret endangers Delaney’s father as well as the people who have to rescue him. Later, one of the workers at the resort scolds Abby by saying, “It’s not tattling if someone’s life could be in danger.” Abby promises that she learned her lesson and the issue is quickly forgotten. 

Lost in the Storm’s plot is easy to understand, but readers may struggle with the advanced vocabulary. Black-and-white illustrations appear every eight to nine pages. The illustrations focus on the characters and give the reader a visual of the island’s habitat.  

Lost in the Storm builds suspense by speculating about the hurricane hitting the island. In addition, when the storm gets near, Abby’s parrot flies out of its cage, causing Abby and her friends to search for the bird. However, the plot lacks excitement, the characters are underdeveloped, and there is no life lesson. Young ocean-loving readers should leave Lost in the Storm on the shelf. Readers can find a more exciting story that teaches a positive lesson by reading the Purrmaids Series by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Delaney sneaks onto a boat that is searching for her father. When the adults see something in the water, Delaney tries to leave the boat’s cabin, but Abby stands in front of her. Delaney was “shoving at her.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • An adult says, “I’m sorry I acted like a jerk.” 
  • A parrot uses “Great Ceasar’s ghost” as an exclamation once. 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Mexican WhiteBoy

Danny is tall and skinny. Even though he’s not built, his arms are long enough to give his pitch a power so fierce any college scout would sign him on the spot. He’s got a ninety-five mile an hour fastball, but the boy’s not even on a team. Every time he gets up on the mound, he loses it.

But at his private school, they don’t expect much else from him. Danny is brown. Half-Mexican brown. And growing up in San Diego that close to the border means everyone else knows exactly who he is before he even opens his mouth. Before they find out he can’t speak Spanish, and before they realize his mom has blond hair and blue eyes, they’ve got him pegged. But it works the other way too. And Danny’s convinced it’s his whiteness that sent his father back to Mexico.

That’s why he’s spending the summer with his dad’s family. But to find himself, he may just have to face the demons he refuses to see—the demons that are right in front of his face. He may also have to open up to a friendship he never saw coming.  

Danny and his rival-turned-friend Uno become almost inseparable, which allows the reader to see how each teen deals with similar situations. Since they are both biracial, Danny and Uno struggle to fit in. Unlike his Mexican relatives, Danny doesn’t speak Spanish, making him feel as if “he’s not really Mexican. His skin is dark like his grandma’s sweet coffee, but his insides are as pale as the cream she mixes in.” Likewise, Uno struggles with his identity because his mom is Mexican and his dad is Black. Uno feels as if he’s “stuck in the middle.” His parents fight, and “one is pulling his left arm, the other pulling his right. Like it’s some kind of tug-of-war between black and Mexican, and he’s the rope.” The struggle to understand their place in the world is one that many teens will be able to relate to, especially those of mixed race. 

Mexican WhiteBoy also shows the difficulties Danny and Uno have because of their absent fathers. Danny hasn’t seen his father in three years and thinks his father is in Mexico. Danny’s emotional trauma is shown when Danny ruminates on his father’s absence. Danny also writes fictitious letters to his father. While the letters aren’t based on reality, they show Danny’s dream life. Unlike Danny, Uno sees his father once a month. Uno’s domineering father, who’s gotten off drugs and out of trouble, often lectures Uno about how finding God has made him a better person. The father-son relationships add to the story’s emotional depth.  

Matt de la Peña integrates Danny’s love of baseball and pitching into the story. Despite this, Mexican WhiteBoy is not a typical sports story since no baseball games are ever played. However, readers will empathize with Danny, who is trying to answer the questions: Who am I? Where do I belong? At the beginning of summer, he lacks confidence, is depressed, and self-harms. Danny’s relationship with Uno helps Danny find his footing in life and take his place on the baseball diamond. Danny and Uno’s friendship transforms both boys, and they help each other find hope for the future. Mexican WhiteBoy shines a light on the realities of life for many inner-city teens. The gritty scenes don’t sugarcoat the teens’ struggles. Instead, Mexican WhiteBoy conveys the importance of believing in yourself and shaping your own future. For those who’d like to explore another book that shines a light on the issue of self-acceptance, check out Bruiser by Neal Shusterman. Readers who want a book that focuses more on the game of baseball should read Heat by Mike Lupica and Fast Pitch by Nic Stone. 

Sexual Content  

  • Danny’s cousin Sophia introduces him to her friends. When the girls flirt with Danny, Sophia says, “I see my homegirls gonna try and corrupt you, cuz. Better watch it, though, these heinas got mad STDs.” 
  • Danny has a crush on Liberty. Danny’s cousin and her friends gossip about Liberty. Someone says the girl is “sixteen and already droppin’ her drawers for billetes.” 
  • A man keeps showing up to watch Danny pitch. Uno says, “I thought homey was a molester or some shit.” 
  • Danny’s aunt and uncle come home after a night on the town. “Uncle Tommy and Cecilia stumble in reeking of cigarettes and tequila. . . [Cecilia] extends her neck, but when Tommy’s lips get close she pulls back, giggling some more . . . He kisses her neck, reaches a hand up for his wife’s chest.” They disappear into the bedroom. 
  • Uno, Danny and a group of other teens play truth or dare. Danny “watches Flaca, on a dare. . . saunter over to Raquel, take her face in her hands and kiss her while all the guys cheer and the girls laugh. He watches Sofia, on a dare . . . pull up Uno’s black Dickies shirt and leave a dark brown hickey on his already dark stomach.” On another dare, Danny’s cousin, Sofia, and Uno disappear into the bedroom and don’t return. 
  • Danny comes out of the bathroom half-dressed. His cousin, Sofia, asks, “What were you doing in there so long, beating off?. . . It’s perfectly normal you know. I heard ninety-five percent of guys beat off and the other five percent are lyin’.” 
  • Uno kisses Sofia “on the lips.” 
  • After spending time with his crush, Danny gets up to leave. “She grabs Danny’s face in her hands and kisses him on the lips real quick. When they separate, she stands there giggling. Then Danny takes her face in his hands and kisses her.” 

Violence  

  • During a stickball game, Uno throws the ball at another player, Raul, who has just finished batting. “The ball smacks him right in the ass. Raul trips and falls to the ground, clutching the back of his jeans.” 
  • Danny accidentally hits Uno’s brother, Manny, with a bat. Uno “rushes Danny, shoves him with both hands. . . Danny backs up a couple of steps, surprised.” Danny’s cousin, Sofia, tries to stop the fight. “Uno shoves Sofia out of the way and gets in Danny’s face again, pokes a finger into his forehead.”  
  • Before Danny can try to defend himself, Uno is “already stepping forward with all his weight, delivering an overhead right that smashes flush into Danny’s face. Snaps his head back. Buckles his knees.” When Danny falls, he “knows there was a loud crashing sound in his brain.” There is “warm liquid running down his neck. . . Running into his mouth. . . Salty. Smell of copper.” 
  • Danny goes to the hospital because he has “a nasty gash under his left eye” and a dislocated jaw. He needs “five stitches under his left eye, ten to the back of his head. . .” 
  • Danny and Uno are scamming people out of money. After one incident, three guys, including one named Carmelo, attack Uno. “One of the other guys slugs him in the back of the head. Uno spins around, narrowly avoids a wild right from another kid and punches the kid who hit him in the jaw. . . Uno breaks free and pounces on Carmelo. He gets him in a tight headlock, tries to choke the life off of him. But the other guys pull Uno off, hold his arms while Carmelo punches him twice in the stomach . . .” 
  • Danny jumps into the fight to help Uno, who watches Carmelo “rear back and throw a punch right at [Danny’s] face, but he ducks it and the punch grazes the face of Carmelo’s own guy. . . [Danny] swings a vicious right and hits him on the side of the face, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Blood starts coming from the guy’s nose.” Danny and Uno have bruises but no serious injuries. The fight scene is described over two pages. 
  • While at the beach, a man whistles at Danny’s mom. Her husband gets mad and attacks the man. Danny hears “the sound of punches landing and shouting and then sirens and cops shouting. . . the cops handcuffed his dad and pushed him into the back of their squad car. By his face.” Afterward, his father leaves for Mexico and doesn’t come back. 
  • Uno’s stepdad, Ernesto, comes home smelling of tequila. He yells at Uno. “When Ernesto’s been drinking tequila he’s liable to swing an open hand. ‘Course it ain’t the open hand he’s scared of, it’s what he might do in response to the open hand. So instead of killing this man and getting locked up for real, he nods and nods and nods and nods.” 
  • When a girl starts talking to Danny, her boyfriend, Marzel, gets mad. Marzel “rears back to throw a punch, but out of nowhere Uno steps in and blasts the guy from the side. Puts him flat on his back and then stands over him, glaring down. . . Marzel looks up at Uno, touches his bloody lip and holds his fingers in front of his eyes. He stands up slow, swings wildly at Uno, but Uno ducks it, lands two quick and powerful body blows, doubles Marzel over.” A couple guys break up the fight. 
  • Danny’s parents separated when his father hit his mother, but there are no other details. 
  • Danny, his uncle Ray, and other men were driving when a “big hippie guy came walking down the middle of the road . . . Ray hit the gas and ran smack into the guy, a nasty thumping sound against the hood. The guy’s head whipped all forward, and when Ray hit the brakes, he flew from the Bronco like a rag doll.” 
  • The guy got up and “threw a right at Uncle Ray through the open window, but Uncle Ray ducked it, grabbed the guy by the arm and pulled him halfway into the cab and his boys started whaling on him. . . Rico smacked him in the same part of the face so many times, the sound of the blow actually changed. They became muted. Tim delivered blow after blow to the guy’s ribs and stomach.” 
  • When the guy became limp, “Blood was all over the place, on Danny’s face. . . Uncle Ray flipped the Bronco into reverse and backed up. He turned the wheel slightly and pulled forward, ran over both the guy’s legs. Danny could actually hear and feel the bones crush and snap under the tires. . .” Uncle Ray races away when the “guy was completely still and covered in red.” The scene is described over three pages. 
  • While in prison, “the scout” meets Danny’s dad. The scout tells Danny, “One day I got jumped by a bunch of black guys. . . They tried to kill me. Your dad was the only one who stepped in. He beat two of them real bad and the others backed away . . . And me and your dad turned into friends.” 
  • Danny self-harms when he is upset. He digs “into the inside of his forearm with his nails to remind him he’s a real person.” He “holds his left arm against the sink and runs the sharp part of the tweezers across the inside. Goes back and forth in a straight line. Back and forth again. A thin trickle of blood starts creeping out. . . He drops the tweezers in the sink and turns on the water full blast. Washes the blood off. . . But the line of blood comes back even thicker. It’s all over the sink now, too.” 
  • While at Danny’s school, Barker, a rich white kid, insults Uno. Danny “punches Barker in the face. Spins the kid around. . . He takes a step toward Danny and throws a wild right, but Danny ducks it, hits the kid again. Harder this time, in the eye.” A senior breaks up the fight, which is described over a page. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Both the adults and the teens drink often; thus, not all of the drinking is described below. 
  • A girl tells Danny they can hang out and drink “a little white Zin and shit.” 
  • During stickball, there are some “young bucks, los ratas, hanging out on stolen bikes, pulling drags off stolen cigarettes.”  
  • As Uno is walking, he sees “a broken forty bottle lying at the mouth of the gutter. . . Wonders how much alcohol must be flowing through National City’s gutters after an average Friday night.”  
  • Uno’s father goes on a rant about drugs such as Ritalin, Vicodin, and Zoloft. His father says, “Who benefits more from all these prescriptions? The patient or the doctor?” 
  • Uno’s father used to “smoke anything I could roll up in a Zig-Zag.” 
  • While planning a trip, Sofia asks her friends who will be “sneakin’ in the thermos of jungle juice?” 
  • The last time Danny saw his dad, they were sitting together, and his dad had a “beer dangling” in his hand. 
  • Danny’s mom invites a man to have dinner with her and Danny. The man brings a bottle of champagne. 
  • When Danny goes to family events, the adults “are drinking homemade horchata and Pacifico and Bud Light and tequila with lime—always tequila.” 
  • Several of the teens smoke cigarettes. 
  • Danny gets drunk for the first time. “He learns that jungle juice makes him feel light as a feather. That it makes him feel ten feet tall. . . Makes him feel like smiling and talking to anybody and everybody, at any time—though he hasn’t.” 
  • When Danny was little, he was sick. His father stayed home to take care of Danny. However, his dad spent most of the time watching TV and smoking pot. Danny “remembers thinking [the smoke] looked like a magic carpet. And because he was a little high, took from the secondhand, he started wondering what it would be like to ride a magic carpet?” 
  • Uno gives Danny a beer. “Danny cringes as the cold beer washes past his tastebuds, down his throat. It’s only his third time drinking beer—all summer—and he doubts he’ll ever like the taste.” 
  • At a party, “Lolo puts a shot of tequila into Raquel’s belly button, [a guy] slurps it out and bites into a wedge of lime.” 
  • A girl’s “real mom” died of a supposed overdose. 
  • One of Danny’s uncles “breaks up a bud, rolls the weed in a Zig-Zag and licks. He pulls a lighter from his pocket and, out of pure habit, cups a hand over the fire.” 

Language  

  • Both English and Spanish profanity are used often. Profanity includes ass, bitch, chingado, damn, goddamn, fuck, motherfucker, piss, puta, and shit. 
  • Uno’s parents yell at each other. Uno’s mom calls his father “a good-for-nothing black bastard.”  In return, his father says, “Bitch, if I didn’t have the Holy Ghost. . . I swear to God.” 
  • When Uno was young, he got hurt during a baseball game. His father began yelling, “Get up, you little punk-ass bitch! Get your ass up! Ain’t no son of mine gonna lay there crying!” 
  • Jesus, Jesus Christ, God, and oh my God are occasionally used as exclamations.  
  • A rich white kid calls Danny a “wetback.”  
  • When Uno and Danny go to Danny’s school, a rich white boy says, “Now get your black ass outta here.” When Uno threatens him, the boy says, “Bring it, dude! I ain’t afraid of no blacky!” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Sofia’s aunt goes to church. One of Sofia’s friends says, “That old broad is too fat to go to church.” 
  • Uno’s father was a gangster and drug addict before he found Jesus. His father says, “I love you! Just like I love Jesus! He felt powerless, too, you know. Like you and me. When he took the most messed-up suckers and died for them, he died for us!” 
  • Uno’s father said that “studying the Bible taught him to love himself. Taught him to look inward for companionship. Taught him to actually look forward to spending time alone with himself.” 
  • Uno’s father says that suicide is “a deadly sin in two books. God’s and mine.” 
  • Uno tells Danny about his father’s religion. “But sometimes I think maybe God’s down here. In regular everyday stuff. Like the power of a train.” 
  • Uno‘s father says that everyone has “a little piece of God.” 

Tallulah’s Nutcracker

It’s Christmastime and Tallulah finally gets what she’s been wishing for—a part in a professional production of The Nutcracker. She’s only a mouse, but she works as hard as if she had been cast as the Sugar Plum Fairy. 

On the night of the show, everything is perfect. But then disaster strikes! Does Tallulah have what it takes to become a real ballerina? 

Tallulah is a charming character who wants to shine. When she finds out that she will be one of eleven mice in The Nutcracker, “Tallulah hoped that she would stand out.” When the night of the performance arrives, Tallulah looks at the older dancers and dreams of one day being like them. However, Tallulah was just a little bit scared when she first got on stage. She began to dance and “then all of a sudden she stepped on a tall mouse’s tail. . . Tallulah tried to get up, but another mouse tripped over her, followed by two toy soldiers. They all lay in a stunned heap in the middle of the stage.” After the performance, Tallulah hides because she wanted to be the best mouse but instead she “was the total worst.”  

Even though Tallulah hides, the teenage dancers and the dance master find her after the show. Instead of being upset and criticizing Tallulah for making a mistake, they encourage her. The dance master, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Clara all tell their own stories of doing something embarrassing. Their encouraging words are heartwarming, and they help Tallulah learn that “in ballet, embarrassing things happen all the time, but a REAL dancer keeps right on dancing.”  

The story’s winter theme is illustrated in soft blues, while Tallulah’s clothing has pops of red. The beautiful pictures include snowy landscapes, Tallulah’s dance class, and several scenes from The Nutcracker. The children in Tallulah’s dance class are diverse and include several boys, while the illustrations of Tallulah as a mouse are adorably cute. To help readers distinguish the narration from Tallulah’s thoughts, her thoughts are written in large, bold letters. Since each page has two to seven sentences, parents will need to read the story to their children.  

If you’re ready for some Christmas cheer, Tallulah’s Nutcracker is a wonderful picture book that has enchanting pictures and teaches that while everyone makes mistakes, what’s important is that you don’t let that stop you from reaching for your dreams. Whether you’ve read all of the Tallulah books or this is your first, Tallulah’s Nutcracker is sure to enchant. Younger readers interested in dance will enjoy seeing Tallulah’s ballet lessons. However, most readers will relate to Tallulah’s embarrassment and will feel joy when Tallulah realizes, “I’m not the best mouse or a star, but I am a real dancer – at least, I’m going to be.”   

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Charlie Thorne and the Royal Society

Charlie Thorne is a genius. Charlie Thorne is fearless. Charlie Thorne may have finally met her match.

Charlie Thorne is used to being on the run. Ever since she was recruited by the CIA to track down Einstein’s most dangerous equation, Charlie has traveled around the world with former CIA agents Dante Garcia and Milana Moon to prevent history’s greatest discoveries from falling into the wrong hands. But after beating others to the secrets hidden by Einstein, Darwin, and Cleopatra, Charlie and her comrades realize they are not the only ones searching for an immensely powerful discovery of Isaac Newton’s.

From a chase over the rooftops of Cambridge University, to scaling the Sydney Harbour Bridge and skirting a volcanic eruption, Charlie will need to think one step ahead of her opponents in order to follow Newton’s trail of devious clues and keep herself out of the hands of the many enemies who are hot on her tail. 

Filled with high-stakes action scenes, historical facts, and plenty of adventure, Charlie Thorne and the Royal Society is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Along the journey, readers will enjoy deciphering the clues and ciphers leading to Newton’s discovery. In addition, readers will learn about the explorer James Cook, Ferdinand Magellan, and other historical figures. Since Charlie is following in Cook’s footsteps, she also explores the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Newton’s discovery has a surprising twist—Newton discovered an elixir that gave him immortality, but immortality was a blessing and a curse. Newton discusses how immortality affected his life, and when Charlie has an opportunity to use the elixir, she doesn’t take it because “I don’t want to live forever. Someday, I hope I’ll meet someone and have a family with them. I don’t want to outlive them and all my kids and grandkids, too. That sounds a whole lot worse than dying.” Newton makes it clear that the elixir should only be used by someone of great intelligence, like Charlie, so that it is not abused.

The conclusion wraps up the series and leaves readers with this thought: family is the greatest treasure. The Charlie Thorne Series is a must-read for anyone who wants to travel the world. The series will give readers hours of adventure and teach interesting historical facts. Readers can find more adventure by reading the Explorer Academy Series by Trudi Trueit and the TombQuest Series by Michael Northrop. For readers interested in decoding codes and ciphers, take a peek into how ciphers work by reading Spy Files: Codes and Ciphers by Adrian Gilbert and The Usborne Book of Secret Codes by Eileen O’Brien & Diana Riddell.

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • A mob forms outside of Isaac Newton’s house. “An angry laborer threw an empty liquor bottle at the building. It shattered off the wall just below Newton’s window. The other members of the mob cheered, then began to throw things as well: stones, garbage, empty bottles of their own.” Newton flees out the back door.  
  • When Newton flees in a carriage, several men try to stop him. “Two men clung to the outside of the approaching carriage. . . but Newton’s coachman coaxed a burst of speed from his horses at the last minute. . . The vehicle toppled into the street, throwing Newton’s potential attackers into the path of the other two carriages. The horses trampled them. . .” Newton escapes. 
  • Charlie finds one of Newton’s discoveries but a boy, Kenji, tries to steal it. “Charlie threw the book down onto his foot hard enough to make him yelp. . .” Charlie runs away, but two “big” men give chase.  
  • Dante sees the men chasing Charlie and swings a pole. “He swung it like a bat, catching the big man across the chest. . . the blow knocked him back a step but didn’t knock him down.” The man uses the pole like a spear and “charged like a medieval knight, looking to run Dante through.” The man clubs Dante, “knocking him to the ground. . . [the man] prepared to impale him with it.” Someone “clobbers” the man, knocking him out and saving Dante. 
  • In an emergency, Dante tries to take someone’s truck. When the man tries to stop him, Dante “dropped him with a single punch, then stole the keys.”  
  • Charlie is kidnapped by a wealthy man and Kenji’s grandfather, Yoshi. When she wakes up, her “wrists and ankles were bound with duct tape.” Charlie tells the man, “You realize that keeping a teenage girl tied up in your private office makes you look like a pervert, right?” The kidnapper forces Charlie to look for Newton’s discovery.   
  • When Yoshi drinks a potion and passes out, Kenji attacks Charlie. “Kenji clamped a hand on Charlie’s neck, hard enough to make her gasp. He pushed her against the wall. The rough stones jabbed into her back. Charlie struggled for breath, feeling her consciousness start to slip away.” Someone hits Kenji over the head and knocks him out. 
  • When Yoshi awakes, he tries to recapture Charlie. However, Newton helps her flee. Newton attacks Yoshi. “He drove Yoshi backward to a small ledge by a channel through which the lava was flowing. They tottered on the edge, then toppled into the channel. . . A burst of flame flared up as the molten rock consumed them.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • King John keeps wild animals as pets and gives them wine and beer to drink. 
  • Yoshi discovers a vial that he believes is Newton’s discovery. When he drinks it, “his eye bulged. His face turned red. His hands clutched at his throat as he wheezed.” He passes out. 
  • Isaac Newton was in a carriage when “one rioter managed to leap onto the running board . . . He was so drunk that Newton could smell the liquor on his breath.” 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • As Isaac Newton flees, a young scientist says, “God be with you.”  
  • When explorer James Cook went to Hawaii, he was mistaken as a “powerful Hawaiian God named Lono,” and “James and his men were showered with food and gifts.” The natives finally realized Cook was not a god, and a mob killed him. 
  • Newton hid his discovery because “there were many more who might think it was the result of witchcraft—or a pact with the devil—or other dark forces.”
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