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The Memory Thief

Rosie Oaks loves her stories, almost as much as she loves her best friend, Germ. Together, they dream of magical witches, feathered beasts, and haunting ghost stories. Rosie doesn’t know what she would do without her best friend, especially since Rosie’s mother is missing whatever it is that makes mothers love their daughters. Rosie tries to focus on happier things, but one night, she starts hearing voices. Frightened, she goes to her mother, who doesn’t understand Rosie. The next evening, Rosie recruits Germ to help her with the investigation. That night, Rosie’s house comes alive with ghosts and decade-old secrets.  

Reasonably scared, Rosie and Germ run from the ghosts, almost making it out. They come face-to-face with a thirteen-year-old ghost named Ebb. He explains that Rosie did something to activate her sight, which is how she’s finally able to see the ghosts who have been haunting her house all this time.  

Regarding the witches, Rosie comes from a long line of witch-hunters, one of whom successfully killed one of the thirteen witches. The other twelve have been plaguing Rosie’s family for decades. One of the witches, the Memory Thief, can steal memories. On the night of Rosie’s birth, the witch stole her mother’s memories. To save her mother, Rosie must find a way to defeat the Memory Thief. With the help of the ghosts and her human friends, Rosie enters the world of the supernatural, armed with only a sharp tongue and Ebb’s reassurance that her witch-hunting abilities will strengthen in time.  

The protagonist, Rosie, is a role model on a quest to save her mother. She relies on the power of friendship and quick thinking. Rosie has a wonderful best friend, Germ, who sticks with her through thick and thin, providing great emotional support. Her new ghost friend, Ebb, gives plenty of great advice and teaches Rosie how to stand up to bullies like the Memory Thief. Rosie demonstrates how to ask for help and how to be independent while relying on your instincts. She’s deeply afraid of losing her mother and her town to the witches, but she won’t let that stop her from saving everyone.  

Like many fantasy books, The Memory Thief features supernatural elements and a complex magic system that gradually unfolds as Rosie navigates this new world alongside the reader. Despite being populated with witches, ghosts, and other magical creatures, the story maintains a relatively tame tone—even the spectral characters become Rosie’s allies in her witch-hunting quest rather than sources of fear. That said, the magic system suffers from inconsistencies and rules that don’t quite hold together. The book also leaves several threads dangling, though these unanswered questions appear intentional, setting up the sequel, The Sea of Always. 

Readers will love the powerful witches, ghostly magic system, and small band of heroes in The Memory Thief. Rosie navigates a world filled with supernatural creatures—from memory-stealing moths to cloud shepherds and ghosts—all of which complicate her quest to fix what the witches have broken. She’s an inspiring character who grows when challenged, leading by example and standing by her own moral principles. Overall, this is a beautiful story with moments of sweet friendship, powerful bravery, and dramatic losses and victories. 

Sexual Content  

  • None  

Violence  

  • When Rosie describes her best friend, Germ, she mentions a scar on her hand “where—at [Rosie’s] request—[they] both cut [them]selves when [they] decided to be blood sisters when [they] were eight.” 
  • After Rosie removes her mother’s necklace and Rosie’s magical abilities awaken, one of the witches comes after her. She threatens Rosie, “‘Watch for me at the dark moon, child,’ [the witch] calls over her shoulder. ‘At the dark moon, I’ll end you.’” 
  • To get answers about her family, Rosie goes to the ghost who haunts the hospital where she was born. The ghost explains, “‘[Rosie’s] mother only had time to hide one of [her children]. [One] was crying; [the other wasn’t]. [The witches] never knew there were two.’ His shoulders sag as if in release, or surrender, or both. And then he says the only thing that really matters. ‘Twins.’” He insinuates that the witches killed the brother Rosie never knew about. “They took him. Dropped him in the ocean.” 
  • When one of the witches again tries to snatch Rosie, one of the house ghosts, Crafty Agatha, comes to her rescue. But “with a howl of rage [the witch] reaches out for the figure nearest her—Crafty Agatha. A cluster of moths swarms Agatha as she screams. A moment later, the moths fly apart—and Agatha is gone.” Agatha’s spirit dissolves.  
  • To escape from one of the witches, Rosie summons her magical pet bird. “[Rosie’s bird] soars at the witch, opens her beak, and devours [the witch].” The witch dies. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None  

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • This book follows Rosie, a descendant of witch-hunters, as she tries to break a curse on her mother and fight witches with the help of ghosts. The story is full of supernatural creatures and magical events. Since supernatural elements are on nearly every page, not every example is documented below. 
  • The book opens, “In a stone courtyard at the edge of the woods, a ghost with glowing red eyes floats back and forth past the windows of Saint Ignatius Hospital, waiting for a baby to be born.” The ghost watches as a witch curses Rosie’s mother. “Moths fluttering out of [the witch’s] sleeves as she speaks.” 
  • Rosie’s ghost friend, Ebb, is described as “shimmery and glowing bright blue, frowning at me, his eyebrows low. He floats at least a foot off the ground.” After Rosie meets Ebb, she goes downstairs to her kitchen, finding even more ghosts. “A woman stands in the parlor staring at us, a ball of yarn in her hands. A man is just behind her wearing a yellow rain slicker, sopping wet and pale, starfishes stuck to his arms. There is another woman by the couch, very old, all in white. And closest—just inches from us—is a boy with floppy brown hair and a dour expression, like he’s just tasted something rotten. He’s a dreadful sight: maybe thirteen or fourteen, wide brown eyes, a furrowed forehead, pale, his dark hair plastered wetly down around his ears, bluish skin. He glows with a bluish light that casts a dim glow onto the wall behind him.” 
  • Rosie’s mother kept a witch-hunter journal, with instructions and descriptions of witch-hunting magic and tactics. For example, the journal lists qualities of the Memory Thief: “Familiars: Her moths are her weapons and her spies. They spread out all over the world at night and steal from her victims. They can be distinguished by the shifting, sparkling patterns on their wings, which are actually the shifting dust of the memories they have stolen. Victims: A person cursed by the Memory Thief may appear normal, go about their normal lives, but they’ve lost memories of the past, of the people they are close to, even how to love others. At times, entire towns have lost their histories to this terrible witch.” 
  • As Rosie trains to fight witches, she tries to use her mother’s witch-hunting bow and arrow. “But as [the arrow is] flying, something miraculous happens. A shimmer—a puff of something—appears, filmy and delicate but unmistakable, like the trail of exhaust you might see from an airplane. Only this is in a wave of colors and small, diaphanous shapes so exquisitely beautiful, so full of light, so warm and clear and sparkling that just looking at it makes something feel better inside you. The shapes are the shapes my mom has painted on the arrows; the colors are my mom’s colors come to life—as real and unreal, at the same time, as ghosts. They shimmer in the air for a moment, then disappear.” The instrument doesn’t work for Rosie; it only emits magical colors.  
  • As Rosie fights one of the witches, she is aided by magical creatures called “cloud shepherds”. As “the moths are knocked back, the wind is whipping. Patches of fog blow toward the trees. It’s unmistakable: shapes loom in and out of the fog, though I can’t make them out. The Memory Thief takes several stumbling steps backward. And just as the clouds part far above to reveal the last sliver of moon in the sky, it dawns on me: The cloud shepherds are helping.” 
  • Rosie describes the cloud shepherd: “[She] see[s] a face loom out of it, made of mist—a round face that disintegrates and rearranges into a long and thin face, then into a bushy-browed face, and then it has no eyebrows at all. But every face appears to be a kind one. It smiles at [Rosie] gently again and again as it changes. And then a sound weaves through the mist, as if several threads of voices are joining together at once.” 
  • After Crafty Agatha dies, Rosie describes many of the ghosts, having settled their earthly business, leaving for the “Beyond.” “And a moment later, something strange begins to happen all around us. Tiny, glowing spirits of bugs that were killed in the fray, crushed by falling walls and pummeled against trees—fireflies and dragonflies and crickets and ants—begin to float up from the ground, all tiny luminous ghosts rising and surrounded by sparkling pink dust.” 
  • While saving her mother, Rosie discovers her magic witch-hunter power. She is able to summon a magical bird with a flashlight. “As soon as [Rosie] take[s] hold of it, the bright, breathtaking bluebird appears—and then wreaks havoc. She circles the room, tearing down the chandelier above the overturned dining room table, knocks over the one vase that was still standing, and nearly eats Fred the spider as he sits on [Rosie’s] knee.” 
  • When the Memory Thief kidnaps Rosie, she steals some of her memories. Rosie describes it as, “so many memories, all beginning to blur and fade away. [She] feel[s] tears running down [her] cheeks as [she] watch[es] these visions turn to iridescent dust and fall through the air, gathered on the wings of the moths that flutter all around [her]. And then [she] can’t remember why [she’s] crying.” 
  • After Rosie defeats the Memory Thief, memories return to people around the world. “Everywhere, strange, subtle things have happened—stories [Rosie] see[s] on the news: Grandparents who’ve forgotten names and faces suddenly smiling at their grandchildren. Amnesiacs showing up in their families’ backyards. Towns publicly reflecting on histories long forgotten. Even if people don’t see the invisible moths in the sky, dropping dust on them like snow, maybe they feel it. Even the reporters look happy as they relate these stories.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Kate Schuyler

Give Me a Sign

Seventeen-year-old Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that’s what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes—when you don’t feel “deaf enough” to identify as deaf or hearing enough to meet the world’s expectations. She longs for a place where she truly belongs.  

The summer before her senior year, Lilah becomes a counselor at Camp Gray Wolf, a summer camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, as well as those who are blind or have low vision. She hopes to connect with deaf culture. While at camp, Lilah navigates friendships, her first real romance, and camp traditions, all while gaining a deeper understanding of her own identity. What begins as an ordinary summer turns into a transformative experience that pushes Lilah to embrace her identity and claim her place in the world.  

Give Me a Sign unfolds over one summer. Lilah starts as a counselor-in-training, which allows her to slowly learn more sign language, build friendships, and fall in love. One of the strongest elements of the novel is its representation of deaf culture, as Lilah learns more ASL and discovers how empowering it can be to be in a community that understands her. Lilah makes several self-discoveries as she faces microaggressions, doubts, and the fear of not being good enough. Her journey will be relatable for readers who struggle with identity or the feeling of being out of place.  

At camp, Lilah meets other deaf and hard-of-hearing counselors who help her explore what identity and belonging really mean. The most important among them is Isaac, a co-counselor and Lilah’s love interest. Their romance develops slowly as they work side by side and share parts of their lives with each other. Rather than being overly dramatic and steamy, their relationship reflects a realistic first love. Issac’s confidence and self-assurance contrast with Lilah’s doubts. Through their growing bond, Lilah learns that her hearing loss is not something that makes her less than but is an important part of who she is. 

Other counselors play a pivotal role in Lilah’s development too. Ethan, whom Lilah has known since childhood, serves as an unwavering presence, someone she can consistently turn to. His familiarity and steadfast support provide her with a sense of stability, reminding her that she is not alone in her struggles. Mackenzie, however, brings a strikingly different perspective. She often frustrates Lilah by demonstrating superior sign language skills and attempting to “teach” ASL despite never having experienced deafness herself. To Lilah, Mackenzie embodies the privilege of being hearing while inserting herself into a culture that is not her own. This tension compels Lilah to confront her own deepening feelings of inadequacy. 

The pacing of the story is steady and heartfelt, with no major plot twists or drama. Instead, it relies on a satisfying, gradual journey of growth. At first, Lilah worries about not being deaf enough, misunderstandings in her relationship with Isaac, and her fear of stepping out of her comfort zone. These conflicts are realistic and will be deeply relatable for anyone who has ever felt caught between two identities. By the end of the summer, Lilah slowly begins to embrace her deafness as a part of who she is, and she finds confidence and a sense of belonging.   

Give Me a Sign has many positive aspects, such as its representation, hopeful tone, and portrayal of identity. One of the most powerful aspects of the book is how it highlights the difference between merely surviving and truly thriving when you find a community. Ultimately, Give Me a Sign is more than just a summer romance — it’s a story about self-discovery, acceptance, and the courage to be authentic. Readers will walk away with a reminder that community can be a place of empowerment, but the real turning point comes when you allow yourself to step fully into your own identity.  

Sexual Content  

  • Lilah develops a romantic relationship with Isaac, another counselor. Their romance includes kissing and handholding. 

Violence 

  • As Lilah is swimming, a child camper named Cole jumps on her and refuses to let go. It is later explained that he did this because he has a crush on her. “I try to shrug off his hands. But Cole latches on tight, nails digging into my skin.” She tries to push him off, but he ends up ripping off her swimsuit in the process.  
  • Isaac is pushed against a car and restrained by cops after being accused of theft. They refuse to listen to Lilah as she tries to explain that he’s deaf and can’t hear their orders. “[The cop] reaches forward and pushes Isaac’s back against the patrol car, preparing to search him.”

Language  

  • There is occasional swearing, including shit, crap, and damn. 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Rayna Burlison 

The Snowy Day

After breakfast, he puts on all of his warm snow gear and heads outside. As Peter explores the snowy city, he realizes that he can leave patterns in the snow with his feet. He draws lines and shapes before finding a stick to help him draw in the snow. As Peter continues his adventure, he sees the older kids having a snowball fight. While Peter would like to play with them, he knows that he is not old enough to do so. Instead, Peter learns to build a snowman and make snow angels. 

Peter loves playing in the snow so much that when he has to go home, he collects a snowball and puts it in his pocket. As Peter warms up inside, he tells his mom all about his adventures. Peter cannot stop thinking about how much fun he had. However, when Peter goes to bed, he discovers his snowball has melted. He becomes sad as he dreams that the sun has melted all the snow. Luckily, Peter wakes up to new snow, and this time, he takes his friend on his adventures. 

The Snowy Day is told from a third-person point of view, focusing on Peter, a young boy who lives with his mom in the city. While Peter has a few silly experiences, like having snow plop on his head and not being able to play with the older kids, he makes the best of his day. Young readers will relate to Peter, who is having fun and shows that anything can be turned into an adventure. 

The Snowy Day is a colorful and fun read for children of all ages. Peter’s bright orange snow suit is easy to spot among the winter wonderland Keats has created. From bright whites to cool blues, The Snowy Day is told through both its pictures and its words. This story reveals the magic behind a child’s eyes when they are given the chance to explore the world, and Peter’s fascination with the many things he can make with the snow. 

This beloved children’s book is great for anyone ready for adventure. Ezra Jack Keats shows the reader that every day is a fresh start. Peter gets to go on another adventure with his friend because “the snow was still everywhere. New snow was falling!” Even though this book is both written and illustrated quite simply, The Snowy Day teaches that if you use your imagination, you can find joy every day. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Allison Penski 

The Pod and The Bog

Zoey has a special doorbell. Whenever it rings, a magical animal is waiting for help! This time, the visitor is Pip, a friendly frog who was saved by Zoey’s mom when she was Zoey’s age. Pip brings a mysterious, colorful seedpod, which comes from a magical, endangered plant. Pip needs Zoey’s help in identifying the plant from which the seedpod comes and the conditions that allow the plant to thrive. With the help of her mom, her cat Sassafras, and Pip, Zoey uses science —and plenty of trial and error—to learn more about the seeds and help them grow.   

Zoey is a curious character with constant questions. When she first sees the seedpod, she immediately asks, “What is it? Where did you find it?” She writes these questions and her other ideas in her science journal. When Zoey writes in her journal, the words appear on the page in a font resembling a young kid’s writing. This detail will help draw readers into Zoey’s world, as they will feel as though they are watching her jot down the questions and notes. Young readers will be inspired by Zoey’s eagerness to experiment and feel encouraged to ask questions when they don’t know the answer.  

While Zoey’s curiosity helps drive the plot, her mom’s encouraging nature allows Zoey to thrive. As the only other person who can see the magical creatures that arrive at Zoey’s door, she guides Zoey by nudging her towards solutions, rather than solving problems for her. Additionally, when experiments go wrong, Zoey’s mom is the first character to offer Zoey a hug and remind her that mistakes are just chances to learn. This warm, supportive dynamic will remind young audiences that it is okay to falter when experimenting with something new.  

The Pod and The Bog is an excellent choice for young readers interested in science. Zoey conducts experiments with the seeds. At one point, she gives each seed a different amount of water to determine which amount of water helps the plants grow the fastest. Zoey speaks through her thought process as she partakes in these experiments. When she writes notes in her journal, she tells Pip, “Next is our hypothesis. So here is where we make a guess.” Vocabulary words, such as “hypothesis,” are featured throughout the story and presented in a way that allows young readers to understand their meanings. 

Though the majority of the pages only include words, many pages also feature black and white illustrations that break up larger blocks of text. The illustrations add another level of engagement by showing Zoey conducting experiments alongside her magical friends. These drawings make this book perfect for children transitioning from picture books to chapter books, offering visual support while introducing them to longer sentences and more complex storytelling. 

The book also includes a helpful glossary that defines six key terms used throughout the story, such as “bog” and “pollinator.” This feature encourages children to look up unfamiliar words, making the content accessible to readers with varying vocabulary levels. 

The Pod and The Bog blends magic, science, and encouragement to remind young readers that persistence pays off, even when things don’t go as planned. Through Zoey’s curiosity and resilience, children learn that every mistake offers an opportunity for discovery. Her journey inspires young readers to ask questions, embrace experimentation, and find joy in the learning process. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • Only Zoey and her mom can see the magic animals that ring their doorbell.  

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Madeline Hettrick 

Return of the Padawan

Roan Novachez returns for his second year at Jedi Academy, eager to finally begin his starfighter pilot training. At first, things are going well. He reunites with his friends and even takes a field trip to the ice planet Hoth. Soon, trouble arises as his star pilot training class proves to be more challenging than he had anticipated. To make matters worse, Roan’s closest friends, Pasha and Gaiana, start ignoring him, leading him to wonder what he did wrong.  

In a similar format to the first book, Return of the Padawan is told through Jeffrey Brown’s illustrations. Roan’s diary entries, sketches, comics, newspapers, and poster clippings fill every page, and are just as charming as in Jedi Academy. The book is mostly split between Roan’s journal entries and his comic strips, the former featuring more words per page than the latter. Roan’s doodles continue to be humorous, relatable, and full of heart. The scrapbook style helps bring the characters to life and engages reluctant readers.  

Return of the Padawan is an excellent example of how problems can arise from simple misunderstandings. During gym class, Roan accidentally hits Gaiana in the face with a ball. Later, when Roan is unable to find her during the school dance, Gaiana assumes that he is ignoring her. From that point, Gaiana starts ignoring Roan. Roan’s friendship with Pasha also takes a tense turn. During a visit to Pasha’s home planet, Roan accidentally rips a museum’s ancient text, angering both Pasha and his family. The tension deepens when Roan sees Gaiana and Pasha holding hands in the hallway, making him feel even more isolated than before. 

Roan discovers Gaiana has been ignoring him because her father is sick. Afterward, Roan makes the effort to speak with her, owning up to his rude and selfish behavior, and asking about her father’s health. Gaiana is thankful for the gesture. He showcases his growth further during the lightsaber fencing tournament, when bullies Cyrus and Cronah give him the opportunity to cheat, but he ultimately chooses not to. Pasha asks him about this after the tournament, to which Roan replies, “It would’ve been cheating. Cyrus and Cronah were the ones who blinded you. . . when it came down to it, I didn’t want to be like them.” Roan’s actions highlight the value of integrity over a hollow victory.  

Overall, Return of the Padawan is a worthy sequel to Jedi Academy, offering a compelling continuation of Roan’s journey to become a Jedi Knight. Middle-school readers will find Roan’s story to be especially relatable regarding their own friendships. And much like the first book, you don’t have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy this heartfelt adventure. 

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • During gym class, Roan accidentally hits Gaiana in the face with a ball. An illustration of Gaiana getting hit, as well as sporting a black eye, is included. 
  • There are lightsaber training and fencing sequences with minimal violence (i.e., clashing sabers). No one is hurt in these sequences, though Pasha is noticeably more aggressive with his swings during his duel with Roan, leading Roan to wonder, “Is he trying to hurt me?” Moments later, bullies Cyrus and Cronah use a light to blind Pasha, helping Roan cheat. They tell Roan to “strike [Pasha] down.” Roan instead allows Pasha a few moments to recover before continuing their duel, which Pasha ultimately wins.  

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • While there is no overtly rude language, the characters Cronah and Cyrus are known for their verbal insults. Roan explains, “Every time I post on Holobook, it seems like Cronah and Cyrus have to say something mean to me. . . They’re jerks to pretty much everyone on Holobook, but if you say anything, they notice you and write even MORE mean stuff.” 
  • For instance, Cronah and Cyrus leave mean comments such as, “You couldn’t smell them because of how bad YOU stink, Roan,” “You’re a horrible pilot, so you can use more training for sure,” and “I think Roan was bit by a krayt dragon, and it made him stupid.” 
  • Characters use words like “stupid” and “jerk.” 

Supernatural Content 

  • The Force can be interpreted as a supernatural entity, allowing the user, among other abilities, to lift things with their mind. For example, an article in the school newspaper, The Padawan Observer, reads “Master Yoda was pleased with his class, except that ‘lifting things with the Force all the time, too many students were.’” 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

by Nicholas Paragano 

Diana and the Underworld Odyssey

Princess Diana has finally proved her worth to her mother and is approved to start Amazon warrior training. As the Chará festival winds down, Diana is sad to say goodbye to her best friend, Sakina, but excited to begin preparing for the real world. Then, a mysterious alien intruder kidnaps Sakina. As Diana tries to rally the Amazons to save Sakina, their impossible-to-find island is attacked by extra-terrestrial enemies hell-bent on capturing Diana too.  

The Amazons eventually force the alien ship to flee from the island, but Diana’s mom, Queen Hippolyta, is worried for her daughter’s safety, so she sends Diana to the island of the gods with Diana’s protector, the goddess Artemis, and Diana’s new friend, the dragon Liara. Yet, as Diana begs the gods for help, they ignore her insights and version of events, trusting Hades even though he is clearly working with the aliens and their boss, Zumius. Frustrated, Diana leaves the room and meets Imani, another superpowered kid being hunted by these aliens. When Imani is soon kidnapped, Diana decides that only she can save her friends.  

Undaunted and determined, Diana is a powerful, curious protagonist who fights to save her loved ones, no matter the challenge. With the help of the goddess, Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, Diana obtains the tools that allow her to reach the Underworld and escape intact. The journey is treacherous, full of untrustworthy beings and monsters attempting to lure her off her path, but pure-hearted Diana is unwavering. On the way, she also makes new friends and allies who strongly oppose kidnapping children and thus choose to go against their king, Hades, and follow Diana’s leadership. Diana knows that the gods won’t choose Diana over Hades. She knows she’s the only hope the kids have of escaping the Underworld, so she faces every monster with a brave face and a need to expose the truth of Hades’s misdeeds.  

While Diana’s character growth is well-developed, several other elements of this book fell a little short. Namely, Hades is an obvious and flat villain—he doesn’t have a motive or any substantial explanation of his actions. Diana identifies him as the one behind the kidnappings right away, and it doesn’t feel plausible that no one would listen to her or guess that it could have been him. That said, the magical landscapes are wonderfully described, and the problems Diana faces challenge her to think outside the box and adapt to her surroundings—a skill that every kid needs to learn sooner or later. Overall, the novel is worth reading, especially considering the strength of Diana’s character.  

Readers who enjoy powerful female superheroes, Greek mythology, and cleverly independent kids will love the fun battles, magical relics, and beautiful landscapes of Diana and the Underworld Odyssey. Diana encounters all sorts of magical creatures on her journey into the Underworld, from sirens to skeletons to three-headed dogs, all making for creative entertainment. Diana is a fierce and kind character who grows when challenged, leads by example, and stands by her own moral principles. Overall, Diana and the Underworld Odyssey is a sweet story with an inspiring message: stand up for what you believe in, even if no one hears you. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Diana’s best friend, Sakina, is kidnapped, Diana spots the kidnapper escaping out the window. Diana attacks the intruder. “Diana angled her sword and attacked square at its midsection. But then her stomach dropped. Though the sword had speared straight through the fabric cloak, it was as if she’d sliced thin air.” She eventually lassos the intruder with her Lasso of Truth, but they escape, and Diana is unharmed. The scene is approximately five pages.  
  • As Zumius’s minions try to kidnap Diana again, the Amazons attack the ship. Their assaults fails so Diana shoots a cannon at Zumius’s airship. “Diana pushed down on the lever. Instantly the cannon deployed. The force of the recoil sent Diana tumbling to the ground. The metal ball shot into the air, glinting in the sunlight. Diana watched nervously as the cannonball struck the underbelly of the airship with a clang before falling into the sea. Diana’s heart skipped a beat. There was an enormous dent in the airship. The vessel was swaying in midair!” They fired multiple times, and eventually the ship left.  
  • While Diana is on the gods’s island, she makes a new friend, Imani. Imani is being hunted, like Diana, and during a walk in the woods, the two friends are attacked by the same kidnapper who took Sakina. Diana fights the person off with a makeshift vine lasso. “But before she could take a step, the [kidnapper] had kicked off the vine. Wielding it like a whip, [their opponent] lashed out at Imani and struck her in the stomach. Imani wheezed and lurched forward. The attacker dashed toward her and grabbed her elbow. Hoisting her over its shoulder, it fled with astonishing speed toward the boat.” Diana is uninjured. The scene is approximately six pages.  
  • During her voyage into the Underworld, Diana encounters a Hydra that attacks her. “With a flick of its tail, the Hydra hurtled the boat hundreds of feet into the sky. Diana spun through the air and began to fall. She hit the surface of the water hard and plunged into the ocean. Her body stung from the force of impact; her face burned as salt water filled her mouth and nose.” She is uninjured. 
  • During the Underworld voyage, Diana also meets a Siren who tries to kidnap her. Diana’s dragon friend, Liara, fights the Siren. “Before Diana could do anything, Liara bit the Siren’s hand. The woman’s smug smile faded instantly. ‘Get off me!’ [the Siren] screamed. She waved her hand feverishly to shake Liara off, but the dragon had clamped down with all her might.” Diana escapes unharmed. 
  • When Diana finds Sakina and Imani, she rescues them from their cage, but the guards interrupt them. The guards attack and try to force all three of them into the cage. “One of them raised a hand and swiped its sword in Diana’s direction. Diana ducked as a burst of cold wind shot at her. It hit the stalagmites next to her and froze them into icicles. The three girls instantly fell to the ground, thick shards of ice missing them by mere inches. Diana shakily stood as another attack launched. Before she could leap out of the way, it hit her square in the chest.” The three friends escape unharmed. The whole scene is approximately ten pages. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • On her journey into the Underworld, Diana encounters a Hydra. “As [the Hydra’s] enormous heads grew near, practically surrounding Diana, she held her breath. One whiff of its poisonous fumes would kill her.” She escapes the Hydra before it can drug her.

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • Every page of this novel exhibits some kind of supernatural content. However, the magic is primarily wielded by Greek gods without spoken spells, just the wave of a hand. Magic is also present in the landscape, such as the magical island of Themyscira, which is hidden from the eyes of men. The monsters encountered include talking skeletons, Sirens, Hydras, mer-people, dragons, sentient stone creatures, and the gods.  
  • Diana is a superhero, complete with superpowers and magical relics, like the Lasso of Truth. She fights monsters and gods.  
  • Magical landscapes appear many times, including the Underworld, Themyscira, and the island of the gods. An example is when Diana is in the Underworld, and she watches as a cage magically transports everything inside of it to Hades himself. “The cage began glimmering and shaking. It vibrated faster and faster. Diana flinched as something shook in her satchel. The bar fragments were trembling and glowing. The cage shook for a full minute and then fell silent.” 
  • While Diana is fighting her kidnapper, they throw some kind of magical powder at her. “Instantly, the figure shot a hand up as a whirring sound bellowed from deep within its cloaked body. Before Diana could react, a burst of metallic-gold powder sprang from one of its sleeves. The powder coated the book [Diana had thrown at her attacker], which froze in midair and then burst into flames. Within seconds it fell to the floor, transformed into ashes.” 
  • Hades is helping an alien kidnap superpowered kids to create an army. When Diana meets Artemis, the goddess explains that many kids have already been taken. “Aristaeus can wield the wind with his hands and control bees. Lumierna can break metal as easily as they can snap a twig. They’re not as strong as their father yet, but quite capable for a child. Only two children have managed to outmaneuver the [aliens]: Diana and a child named Imani.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Princess Diana grew up among the Amazons, a community of warrior women who worship the Greek gods. She meets, fights, and even collaborates with many of them. The Greek gods or references to them appear on nearly every page. For example, Diana describes how “the sun shone brightly upon the beaches of Themyscira, the golden glow shimmering as though Zeus himself had struck the island with a lightning bolt.” 
  • An example of Diana’s interactions with the gods is when Diana meets the council of the gods while trying to find a sanctuary from her kidnapper. “When Diana turned in her seat, she shuddered. The figure standing in the doorway was broad-shouldered and tall, practically as tall as Zeus himself. He wore a green toga. A monocle sat on his left eye, his right hand grasped an iron staff, and his face was twisted into a scowl. It was Hades, god of the Underworld.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

The Bicycle Spy

Marcel loves riding his bicycle, whether he’s racing through the streets of his small town in France or making bread deliveries for his parents’ bakery. He dreams of someday competing in the Tour de France, the greatest bicycle race. But ever since Germany’s occupation of France began two years ago, in 1940, the race has been canceled. Now there are soldiers everywhere, interrupting Marcel’s rides with checkpoints and questioning.  

Then Marcel learns two big secrets, and he realizes there are worse things about the war than a canceled race. When he later discovers that his friend’s entire family is in imminent danger, Marcel knows he can help — but it will involve taking a risky bicycle ride to pass along covert information. And when nothing ends up going according to plan, it’s up to him to keep pedaling and think quickly. . . because his friend, her family, and his own future hang in the balance. 

Told from Marcel’s point of view, The Bicycle Spy shows the effect of World War II by focusing on Marcel’s parents and classmates. Marcel’s love of the Tour de France gives the story a unique perspective and allows him to become friends with Delphine, who shares his passion for the event. Marcel and Delphine also connect because they both have a secret: Delphine is Jewish, and Marcel’s parents are part of the French Resistance. When Delphine’s true identity is revealed, Marcel and his family show bravery and don’t hesitate to help Delphine’s family escape France.  

Marcel is an extremely likable protagonist who worries about everyday things, such as completing his homework, winning a bike race against his friends, and avoiding trouble at school. When he discovers that his parents are helping the French Resistance, Marcel is determined to help the cause. However, he often feels pangs of guilt when he has to lie, even though he realizes that dishonesty is the only way to keep people safe from the Germans. Even though Marcel fears the German soldiers, he doesn’t let this stop him from delivering messages for the Resistance.  

When Delphine’s family is in danger, Marcel is trusted to deliver a message that will help them escape. Even though this means riding his bike a long distance in freezing weather, Marcel is determined to save his friend. “The ride to Porte-Vendres was punishing. He was exhausted, and very, very cold. But then he thought of the riders in the Tour de France. Surely they got tired, hungry, and cold, too.” Marcel gains the strength to continue by thinking about the men who have competed in the Tour de France, as well as the danger that Delphine’s family faces. Marcel’s journey is full of danger and suspense, which makes the book difficult to put down. 

The Bicycle Spy shows how ordinary people helped the Jews escape Hitler’s clutches. Since the story is told from Marcel’s point of view, readers gain insight from a child’s perspective. This allows readers to understand Marcel’s fears and concerns without having graphic descriptions of violence. Reading The Bicycle Spy will encourage children to do the right thing, whether it’s standing up to a bully, helping a friend, or supporting their family.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • The German soldiers appear in Marcel’s classroom. “Two officers had come into the room, their shiny black boots heavy on the floorboards, their armbands with the thick black swastikas threatening. Even more threatening were the enormous black guns they carried so casually looped over their shoulders.” An officer talks to the teacher, who shows him the list of students in the class. Then the men leave. 
  • When Marcel encounters German soldiers, he wonders, “What would they do if they knew about his parents being in the Resistance? Drag them from the bakery? Force them to answer questions? Shoot them?” 
  • One of Marcel’s classmates, Thierry, dumped the contents of Delphine’s satchel. When she went to pick up her pen, “Thierry’s big foot got there first. There was an ugly crunch as he ground it under his heel.” Thierry saw a picture of Delphine and her brother and said, “You’re a Jew. . .  A dirty, stinking Jew!” Delphine is so upset that she leaves school and never comes back. 
  • Thierry accuses Marcel of helping “‘a Jew hide. Or maybe even escape and you know what that means.’ He made his hand into the shape of a pistol and pointed it to [Marcel’s] head.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Marcel saw a German soldier who “pulled out a cigarette and lit it.” 
  • When Marcel goes into town, he sees a man at a café smoking a cigarette. 

Language  

  • Some of the kids call each other names, such as shrimp, loser, jerk, idiot, dope, and liar. 
  • Marcel is riding a bike when a cat runs in front of him. Marcel exclaims, “zut alors,” which means “damn then.”  
  • When Delphine moves to town, one of her classmates asks, “Is your family rich or something? Like all those Jews who are wrecking the country?” Marcel didn’t understand why the comment upset Delphine. 
  • Marcel’s classmate, Thierry, calls Delphine a “dirty Jew” several times. 
  • Marcel’s mother refers to the Germans as “devils.” Later, Marcel’s father refers to Hitler as the devil. 
  • When returning home after a “punishing” bike ride, Marcel “races like the devil.” 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • When Marcel learns that Delphine is Jewish, he thinks, “Everyone he knew was Catholic and went to the church of St. Vincent de Paul on Sundays and saints’ days, or holidays like Easter and Christmas.” 
  • Delphine and her parents pretend to be Protestants because her father “thought that would be easier” than pretending to be Catholic. 
  • Marcel needs to take a hidden note to someone working for the Resistance. He prays, “no one had spotted him and wondered where he was going and why.” 
  • The school closes so the town can celebrate Saint Francois-Xavier. “Everyone would be in church” to honor the saint. 
  • After Delphine and her family flee, Marcel’s mom says, “I am praying that they are [safe].” 
  • When Marcel’s father doesn’t come home, Marcel goes to search for him. Marcel’s mother says, “Go with God.” 

The Astonishing Maybe

Gideon just moved to Nevada, and all he wants to do is go back to New Jersey. He definitely doesn’t want to spend a whole summer with only his little sister Harper for company. However, when he sees his neighbor roller skating in her driveway with a blanket-cape around her neck, his determination to be miserable for the whole summer wavers. The neighbor, Roona, soon sneaks her way into Gideon’s life, introducing her own brand of whimsy and magic into Gideon’s more practical life. She encourages him to stretch his boundaries by taking longer bike rides and telling scary truths.  

Roona is determined to find her father. She lives alone with her mother, and all she knows is that her father saved her life and is now in the Air Force. After earning Gideon’s loyalty, she recruits him to her mission of traveling to his base near Las Vegas. When they lie to their parents and make it to the base, Roona learns that her father is in prison for setting the fire that he saved her from. With her worldview shattered, her belief in her own magic starts to fade, and it’s up to Gideon to bring it back to her.  

Gideon narrates the story, which allows his relationship with Roona to take center stage. His perspective is skeptical at first, but Roona’s quirky behavior wins him over, and he becomes a good friend who is willing to do almost anything to help Roona, even if it hurts their friendship. Roona, through Gideon’s eyes, is a fierce friend, opinionated about everything, and the first person that he can really be vulnerable with. Most importantly, she believes in a type of magic that Gideon would never have seen without her. Readers will relate to Roona and Gideon’s struggles and find themselves rooting for them. But it is their love for each other that brings heart into the story.  

The book’s frantic pace mirrors both Gideon’s anxiety and Roona’s desperation. Despite this urgency, the novel includes tender moments where Gideon and Roona share secrets with each other, gradually building trust throughout their journey. Roona’s belief in magic creates confusion for readers—partly because Gideon remains skeptical, and partly because Roona uses magical thinking to interpret her mother’s struggles, making it difficult to distinguish between literal and metaphorical elements. It remains unclear whether or not the magic is real.  

The Astonishing Maybe includes discussions of depression, suicide, overdoses, and child abuse. While difficult to read at times, these topics are essential for readers to understand as they navigate friendships and the complexities of growing up. Because the book is written from Gideon’s perspective, these topics are presented in a way that children can understand. For example, Roona’s mother’s depression is explained through Roona’s youthful perspective, focusing on her mother’s tears and the “Mean Reds,” which Roona describes as “when she just wants to be someone else. Somewhere else. But she doesn’t know why.”  

The Astonishing Maybe offers valuable lessons for young readers about loyalty and empathy in friendship. Throughout the story, Gideon faces difficult choices about how far he’s willing to go to help Roona while maintaining her trust and ensuring her safety. Although the ending feels somewhat hurried, readers will find the conclusion satisfying and will find themselves cheering for both Roona and Gideon from beginning to end. Readers will be moved by the message of doing anything to help a friend and to keep them safe.  

Sexual Content  

  • After Gideon goes to the movies with Roona and her mother, he thinks that he is “caught somewhere between mildly in love with both of them and half-dead with shock at my own nerve.” 
  • Gideon and Roona hold hands. Gideon thinks, “I’d never held a non-relative girl’s hand before. I’d never even thought about it. But I reached for hers, because I couldn’t stand how alone she looked.” 
  • Roona hugs Gideon after her mom has to go to the hospital. Roona goes to Gideon’s house. “Dad moved out of the way for her and she came right to me and wrapped her arms around my neck.”

Violence  

  • Before the book starts, Roona’s mother is depressed and tries to kill herself. Roona tells Gideon, “My mom almost died when I was in the third grade. . . She took too much medicine.” 
  • When Gideon was four, his mother left him alone at a gas station. “You aren’t supposed to remember much about being four years old, but I remembered. I didn’t get lost. She forgot me. We stopped for gas halfway to Grandma Ellen’s house in Philadelphia and she let me out to stretch my legs. After she filled the tank, she got back in the car and drove away while I stood on the curb between the pumps.” Gideon’s mother eventually remembers him and returns.  
  • When Roona was a baby, her house caught fire, and she was trapped. Her dad saved her. She describes, “I was bundled in [my blanket] like a burrito when our house caught fire. My dad busted in and picked me up, right out of the flames.” She was unharmed.  
  • Gideon discovers that Roona’s father set the fire that almost killed her. An online article says, “Curtis Mulroney, 25, was arrested today in Las Vegas after a three-day manhunt. Mulroney is suspected of arson. Authorities suspect the Logandale plumber of starting a house fire after a drunken argument with his wife. The Mulroneys’ infant daughter was sleeping in the house. There were no injuries.” 
  • Gideon tells a story about a man talking to his little sister at the park. “I saw some guy talking to her. A grown-up.” Gideon was worried something might happen to her, but the man left, and his sister was too young to realize what was going on, but Gideon thought the man was trying to kidnap or hurt her. 
  • After Roona’s mother overdosed, Roona stayed with her aunt. Her aunt hit her with a stick, and Roona shows Gideon the scars. “And [Gideon] saw two raised scars, long and narrow, running across her lower back. . . She used a stick she keeps under her bed.”

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Before the story begins, Roona’s mother overdosed. This is mentioned multiple times. 

Language    

  • Profanity is used rarely. Profanity includes crap, damn, and shit.  
  • Roona calls Gideon a jerk once. 
  • Gideon calls Harper stupid once. 

Supernatural  

  • Roona believes that her mother’s emotions seep into what her mother bakes. When she’s sad, Roona says her mom’s tears “got into the pie,” which would make everyone who ate it cry.  
  • Roona tells a story about a birthday party where her mother’s tears got into the cake. “So sad that she filled our house with her tears.” Everyone at the party started crying when the cake was served.  
  • Gideon starts to believe that Roona and her mother actually have magic. “I didn’t think I believed in magic, until it was right in front of me, fragile as a soap bubble. Maybe. And what if it was true?” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Abigail Clark

Dodsworth in Tokyo

Dodsworth, a distinguished mouse, and his witty and rascally friend — a white duck known only as “the duck”—are visiting Tokyo. Join this charming duo as they tour the Land of the Rising Sun, learn about cultural customs, and explore the city landmarks of a fictional, early 20th-century Japan. Along the way, they encounter a bustling city filled with a menagerie of impeccably dressed animal characters. 

From the moment their plane glides over Mount Fuji, Dodsworth begins to worry that the duck will cause trouble. Ever the cautious one, Dodsworth tries to keep his curious friend in line. “We should be on our best behavior here,” he reminds the duck. On their first evening walking in the park, they come across a child playing with a wooden toy. Later, the duck finds the toy abandoned and makes it his mission to return it to the owner. 

At first, things seem uneventful as the pair shares a sushi dinner, visits a museum, and takes a bus tour. But after a rickshaw mishap, a koi pond misadventure, and an outrageous display at a local festival, Dodsworth finds his patience wearing thin. In a moment of exasperation, Dodsworth sighs, “This won’t end well.” Will they manage to keep the trip on track—or will a surprising twist remind them what makes their friendship so special? 

In this charming early reader, a lighthearted story unfolds, featuring themes of humor, friendship, and staying calm in the face of adversity.  Readers also learn more about the endearing duck, including the ironic fact that he can’t swim. Comically, the duck adores sushi and is uncharacteristically polite while enjoying it. Readers will chuckle at the duck’s love for Japanese desserts, his clumsy attempts at bowing, polite conversation, his surprisingly impressive kendama skills (a traditional toy with a handle and ball connected by a string), and his perfectly executed sumi-e painting technique. Dodsworth even uses the duck’s love of sweets—specifically wagashi—as a bargaining tool for good behavior. “If you’re good, wagashi. If you’re not, no wagashi,” he says. The strategy almost works . . . until it doesn’t! 

Dodsworth in Tokyo is ideal for readers with a strong interest in Japanese customs and culture. While the inclusion of Japanese words and advanced vocabulary may present a challenge for younger readers, Egan’s cheerful watercolor and ink illustrations featured on every page offer helpful context clues to support comprehension. Character expressions in the illustrations also enhance emotional understanding. For example, when Dodsworth wades waist-deep into a pond to retrieve the duck, who had ignored the tour guide and fallen in, his furrowed brow says it all: “Dodsworth was soaked, and he was not happy.“ A helpful feature of the story is that most Japanese terms are explained within the text. Some visuals help decode unfamiliar terms, such as arigato and Asakusa. Although Dodsworth is a series, the books can be read independently, as each one follows a unique storyline. The story is well-suited for fluent readers who are ready to follow multiple plotlines.  

Young readers and their parents will relate to Dodsworth’s constant apprehension and the duck’s well-meaning mischief, which seems to follow them throughout their journey in a city defined by “customs and manners and order.” The traditional wooden toy kendama serves as a recurring motif in the story, reappearing in the final scene as a symbol of restitution, helping the duck win the hearts of both Dodsworth and the locals. No matter what chaos unfolds, readers can’t help but root for this lovable character! 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Wild River

Daniel Redmayne is fast asleep on the first night of a white water rafting trip, when he’s awoken by screams. The dam has failed. The river is surging, and their camp will be under water in a matter of moments. As the shrieking roar of the river rushes closer, the kids scramble to higher ground. They make it; their counselors do not. 

Now they’re on their own, with barely any food or supplies, in the middle of the Montana wilderness. Do Daniel and his four classmates have what it takes to stay alive until they can get rescued? Alone in the wild, they forge powerful bonds—but develop dangerous disagreements. If nature doesn’t break them, they might just destroy each other. 

Wild River doesn’t waste any words building the characters’ backstories. Instead, it quickly thrusts the five teens into the dangerous wilderness with little knowledge to help them survive. The kids quickly form two groups—Daniel, Imani, and Mia form one group while Tony and Deke go off on their own. Each group is determined to take the one backpack that contains food and other supplies. However, readers will quickly find Tony and Deke to be short-sighted, reckless, and mean, which makes it easy to dislike them. And since the story is told from Daniel’s point of view, readers will empathize with him and his two friends, who know the importance of working together.  

The story’s short chapters often end in cliffhangers that propel the narrative forward. The teens’ fight to survive includes encounters with dangerous animals, unforgiving terrain, and each other. Since each new danger is suspenseful and realistic, readers will have difficulty putting the book down. Plus, there are enough surprises to keep readers guessing what will happen next.  

Early on, Daniel, Imani, and Mia are pitted against Deke and Tony. Deke bullies others and doesn’t care about anyone else’s survival. At one point, Daniel says, “I’m wondering about bullies. Who they are and why they act so mean. Have they been bullied, too, or do they just enjoy it? Can they change?” The book’s only flaw is the conclusion. In the end, the kids forgive Deke for his horrible behavior, and they all become lifelong friends. This is unrealistic, and readers will wonder whether Deke will become a better person or whether his bad behavior will return once they reach safety.  

As the kids become friends, they each reveal a secret about themselves. Daniel reluctantly shares his father’s struggle with bipolar disorder. After a brief discussion, Imani and Mia show their support in a non-judgmental manner. Throughout the book, Daniel thinks about how being bipolar affects his father, but the topic is not explored in detail. Despite this, the book emphasizes that there is no shame in having a mental illness.  

Wild River is perfect for fans of survival stories such as Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. The story focuses on the action and danger associated with being stranded in the wilderness, giving it a fast pace that will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Daniel, Imani, and Mia show the value of teamwork and perseverance; they wouldn’t have survived without working together. Surviving the wilderness allows the kids to form an unbreakable, lifelong bond that will help them navigate any future struggles they face. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • When a dam fails, the two adult supervisors help the kids get to safety, but the adults are “both gone.” 
  • One of the boys worries about getting too hungry. He says, “The Donner party ate each other, that’s how hungry they were. . . A wagon train of settlers heading west. They got stuck in the mountains, snowed in for the winter with not enough food. So they improvised.”  
  • Mia refuses to give the pack containing food to Deke. Suddenly, “Deke charges like a linebacker attacking a dummy. And I’m the dummy, slammed to the ground so hard it knocks the wind out of me. . . Tony pushes Mia down and snatches up the backpack.”  
  • After getting the backpack, Tony is gloating when “he loses his balance, he drops the pack, and tries to regain his footing, but it’s too late. Tony falls over the edge. He screams all the way down. . . Tony lies at the bottom of the ravine, twisted and broken between two boulders.” 
  • Afraid Deke will attack and try to take the food again, the girls tie Deke to a tree. 
  • When the kids cross a bear’s path, the bear gets agitated. “This bear comes at Deke like it’s been shot from a cannon. It crashes into Deke’s legs, sending him head over heels to the ground.” The bear flees, leaving Deke “down on the ground, with both hands around the lower part of his right leg. Holding tight as blood gushes from between his fingers.” Imani bandages Deke’s leg.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Daniel’s father has bipolar disorder. “Mostly his medication helps keep him on the level, but not always.” 

Language  

  • Occasionally, bad language is used, such as freaking. 
  • There is some name-calling, such as jerk and loser. 
  • Imani calls Deke a “stupid fool.” 
  • Deke gets angry and yells at Daniel. Deke says, “Are you mentally ill? That’s it! That’s the only explanation. You’re a mental defective, like your wacky dad.” 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • After Tony dies, Daniel says a prayer. “God, if you hear this, please welcome Tony.” 
  • Daniel covers Tony’s body with rocks. Before leaving the area, the group bows their heads as Imani says a prayer. “God, we want you to know that Anthony Meeks wasn’t bad, not in his heart. He did stupid things sometimes, but please forgive him. We do. We forgive him. Amen.” 

Faraway Things

In Faraway Things, beachcombing—the search for treasures along the shore—serves as the gateway to a story rich with wonder, adventure, loss, and discovery. The protagonist, a boy named Lucian, stumbles upon a cutlass, a type of sword with a curved blade, famously linked to sailors and pirate tales. He eagerly claims it as his own. It is the most magnificent faraway thing he has ever found! “That’s what his father had called whatever washed up from across the sea: faraway things.” 

Before long, a ship captain appears on the beach, looking for none other than his lost cutlass. Lucian must choose between returning the sword to its rightful owner and accepting a gift in exchange. In a surprising twist, his act of letting go of the cutlass opens the door to an unexpected, joyful discovery. 

Faraway Things is a picture book, and Dave Eggers’s delicate writing style invites the reader into a story where fragments of Lucian’s past are gradually unveiled throughout the narrative. This encourages critical thinking and delivers a new depth of understanding. There is a sense of wonder in the simple plot of a boy finding a lost sailor’s sword and immediately feeling attached and protective of it. “The next day, Lucian spent his time in the tide pools, on the bluff and in the coves, always with his cutlass in his hand or fastened to his side.” 

But this faraway thing has more to reveal—most importantly, the identity of its rightful owner. “It was silver and gold and copper and was finely etched all around. It was the kind of sword he’d seen in books…” The moment the ship captain appears on the beach, the mystery begins to unravel, and the story takes an adventurous turn. 

Dave Eggers’s writing style relies on subtext, where parts of the story are implied rather than stated outright. This technique invites readers to make discoveries on their own. For example, there is an implied loss. Lucian often thinks about his father even in his sleep: “…and when he dreamed, he dreamed of his father.” There is also an implied reason the ship ran aground. Upon meeting Lucian on the beach, the captain asks, “What happened to the lighthouse?” The implication is that the lighthouse, set against this windswept shore, is no longer functioning. 

Like drawing a circle and returning to the starting point, the story’s narrative connects two seemingly unrelated facts into a purposeful revelation. Lucian’s adventure includes a visit to the ship and a delightful tour of the ship’s stateroom. In exchange for returning the cutlass to its rightful owner, Lucian accepts a gift of his choosing that proves deeply symbolic. Though it is hard for him to part with his spectacular faraway thing, the lantern he receives in exchange reveals broader significance. Readers come to understand that Lucian’s late father was a lighthouse keeper, and the extinguished light symbolized his loss. Relighting the lamp renews that legacy, allowing Lucian to honor his father and embrace a brighter path forward. Share another heartwarming story with a young reader by checking out Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry and City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Maureen Lowe 

That’s Not What Happened

Three years ago, Leanne (Lee) Bauer, a high school senior, survived the Virgil County High School massacre. Lee was one of six survivors, and ever since the tragedy, a story has been going around that her best friend, Sarah, died while declaring her faith. But that story isn’t true, and Lee knows it. The main conflict arises from Lee’s dilemma: whether to remain silent for the sake of others’ comfort or to tell the truth about what really happened, even if it means angering her community and losing people she cares about. Her desire to set the record straight shows her quiet courage and need for justice, even as she wrestles with guilt, isolation, and the weight of being a survivor. This conflict forces readers to think about how far they’d go to speak the truth in a world full of falsehoods. 

That’s Not What Happened has a powerful and emotionally driven plot that focuses on Lee’s wish for all survivors to write letters about their experiences in order to keep the truth of the events alive. The story is told entirely from Lee’s point of view, but she includes the letters of the other survivors to provide a more in-depth look at their perspectives. This structure emphasizes how the truth is often fragmented and how every perspective adds complexity.   

Lee is an emotionally complex character, and her desire to tell the truth makes her admirable. She hopes to keep an honest record, rather than letting myths spread through the public. This journey causes her to face ridicule, as well as her own pain and trauma. She risks losing friends, facing violence, and reliving the death of her best friend. She struggles with guilt, isolation, and the pressure of being one of the survivors, making her voice personal and grounded.  

The other survivors include Miles, Denny, Ashley, Eden, and Kellie. Each brings a unique perspective to the event. Kellie, who was in the bathroom with Lee and Sarah during the shooting, is the one who professed her faith to the shooter. Because of her dark and edgy style, no one believed her. Instead, the public assumed it was Sarah and idolized her for it, leaving Kellie to deal with ridicule and hate for “lying.”    

Ashley, another upperclassman, was left paralyzed and in a wheelchair after the shooting. She became extremely religious and defended the story of Sarah. She was the one who started the story in the first place. She swears she heard Sarah declaring her faith. Kellie and Ashley don’t interact in the present or much in the past, but their conflicting truths create tension throughout the novel. Readers can sympathize with Kellie for being ridiculed by her community and for telling the truth. They can also sympathize with Ashley for clinging to a story that gives her pain meaning.  

Before the shooting, Miles was about to be expelled for constantly fighting and breaking rules, but now he’s seen as a hero for covering Ashley’s body and keeping her from being shot again. Despite his rough edges, he’s compassionate and brave. Throughout the story, he begins to form a romantic relationship with Lee. This romance is significant because it demonstrates that healing can enable one to start loving again. Their relationship adds a quiet hope and calmness to the otherwise heavy narrative, reminding readers that life continues even in the wake of tragedy.  

Now in college, Eden has become a powerful advocate, giving speeches about gun safety. Behind this, however, she struggles with alcoholism, using it to cope with the pain and memories. Denny, a blind student, experienced the shooting differently from everyone due to his lack of sight. His trauma is uniquely portrayed because he heard the terror around him but did not see anything, showing that trauma is not just visual and that disability shapes, but does not lessen, a person’s experience or strength.  

By showing each character’s unique perspective, That’s Not What Happened demonstrates that, no matter how simple the truth may be, telling it can come at a great cost. Together, these characters illustrate how people can experience the same event in vastly different ways and how trauma can profoundly shape someone’s life. This diverse cast allows readers to see the far-reaching impact of violence from multiple perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding.  

That’s Not What Happened deals with the harsh aftermath of a school shooting. It’s worth reading for any teens and adults who want a deeper exploration of grief, trauma, identity, and courage. The journey and characters are powerful and realistic. The book also examines the influence of public perceptions on survivors, faith, and identity, as well as the emotional consequences of a tragedy. Its main message is that truth matters, and courage isn’t always based on physical heroism; sometimes it’s just telling your story. That’s Not What Happened challenges readers to examine how narratives are shaped, and consider who has the right to speak them into existence.  

Sexual Content 

  • Lee is asexual. “I’ve known for a while that I’m on the asexual spectrum. . . There are boys I’ve had romantic feelings for, but I’ve never had any desire to do more than hold hands or maybe kiss.”  
  • Lee tries to explain being asexual in terms of food, and Miles replies, “So . . . sex is eating.” 
  • On the day of the shooting, Sarah and Lee were in the bathroom. Sarah was attempting to cover the hickeys left by her boyfriend. “If [Sarah’s parents] found out I got a hickey behind the shop building when I was supposed to be at an FCS meeting. . . ” 
  • Eden has a girlfriend named Jenny, and they’re affectionate towards each other. “Jenny kissed her on the cheek.” 
  • Lee teases Miles after she accepts his prom proposal. Lee said, “Don’t put down my truck just because you’re sad about not getting laid.” 
  • Miles and Lee kiss. “I stepped closer to him again and then slowly, gently, pressed a kiss to his lips.” 

Violence 

  • The story focuses on the aftermath of the events of the Virgil County High School massacre, a school shooting that took nine lives. It is consistently referenced throughout the novel. “I was one of the girls in the bathroom with [Sarah] the day she was murdered. And I–Leanne Bauer–am one of the six witnesses who survived the shooting.”  
  • In a scholarship essay, Denny recounts his experience of the shooting. “I didn’t know what the popping sound was. I just knew it was loud. . . Even when the bullet went through my arm, just below my elbow, it didn’t register. I felt the pain and knew I was bleeding, but still couldn’t connect the dots.” 
  • When visiting the school with detectives, Lee recounts the shooting. Lee “kept picturing the inside, the light tiles darkened with blood. Gunshots and screams. They were like sounds, but I knew I wasn’t hearing them.”  
  • Lee attempts to tell Sarah’s parents the truth about what occurred during the shooting. She describes how she and Sarah “were in the stall, and she was holding my hand, and he just. . . he shot her. He didn’t talk to her.” 
  • Ashley recounts her experience of the shooting while outside the bathroom. “Not until I looked down at the sliver of the classroom visible between [the shooter’s] feet. And saw blood spreading across the carpet . . . I felt something hit me–hard–in my lower back.” She was shot in her spine, paralyzing her legs. 
  • Tara grabs Lee’s wrist while at prom and tells her, “It should’ve been you who died in the bathroom that day, Lee.” 
  • Lee recounts Sarah’s death. “The short version is that he found us and shot twice over the edge of the stall. One bullet hit the wall, near my head, and the other hit Sarah, who was killed instantly, her limp body collapsing into my arms.” 
  • Random students confront Lee while at a party and corner her, causing her to have a panic attack. The students, including Peter, were shouting at her for the “lies” she was spreading. Lee “tried to rush forward, but Peter caught [her] by the shoulders and shoved [her] back against the wall.”  
  • Miles recounts a fight he had with another student after the student brought up Miles’ dad’s mugshot: “I jumped out of my seat and threw a punch right at his face. He ducked, and I missed, but I tried again.” The fight doesn’t escalate due to Coach Nolan stepping in.  
  • Miles talks about watching Coach Nolan be shot and killed while trying to talk down the shooter. “Before Coach Nolan could even finish that sentence, there were two bullet holes in his chest.” 
  • Kellie talks about the shooting from her point of view. “I heard the gunshots. It only took me a second to know what I was hearing. The screams made it abundantly clear.” 

Language  

  • Denny tells Lee, “You look like crap.” 
  • Miles tells Lee, “I kicked his ass.” 
  • During an argument, Jenny tells a guy, “My mom’s white, dumb-ass.” 
  • A random student calls Lee a “bitch.”  
  • Several times, someone is called a bitch.  
  • When talking about the shooter, Kellie says, “I am the one who talked to the asshole.” 
  • Other profanity is occasionally used, including crap, damn, and hell. 

Supernatural Content 

  • The fictional game Dungeons and Dragons, which contains supernatural beings, is mentioned. “[Jenny] had no idea [her] mom was such a nerd, but it turns out she grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons and is a bit of a snob about fantasy.” 
  • Jenny and Eden write a fictional comic that features magic. “Calliope is our baby. Our weird witch baby.”

Spiritual Content 

  • The central conflict is the false story that Sarah declared her faith before dying. Sarah’s mother said, “She was here to remind us all of what a good Christian should be. Her story will inspire so many people.” 
  • God and Jesus are referenced multiple times by various characters. For example, Sarah’s mother uses God as a comfort, saying, “I just have to keep reminding myself that God has a plan.” 
  • Miles and Lee discuss heaven. Miles asks, “You don’t believe in heaven?” Lee replies by saying, “I mean, I want to. Most people around here do.” 
  • The Virgil County Baptist Church is mentioned a few times. 
  • Ashley discusses her complicated relationship with God. Before the shooting, she was going through a rough patch, and she didn’t understand why God wasn’t helping. “I saw my friends and classmates and even my own family not being as good as I was, not being the kind of Christians I thought they ought to be, but that didn’t seem to matter. They seemed happy, and I wasn’t.” 
  • A priest confronts Lee, trying to get her to stop talking about Sarah. The priest says, “I hope you change your mind, but in the meantime, my congregation will be praying for you.” 
  • Another student at Virgil County High School named Tara tells Lee, “Hell is exactly where [Lee’s] going.” 
  • Lee and her mother are openly anti-religion. Lee says, “My lack of religious inclination comes from my mom. She was raised Baptist, but after the way her congregation treated her when she got pregnant at 16, she lost interest in organized religion.” 
  • Kellie discusses her religion. Kellie went to “the tiny little Methodist church in the next town over. . . no one from school went there. I thought that it was safe.” She believed she wouldn’t face more ridicule than she already had, since no one from her school attended that church. 

by Rayna Burlison 

Zane and the Hurricane

I never thought a mutt like Bandit could get me in so much trouble. Don’t get me wrong, he’s the best dog in the world, what happened wasn’t his fault, even if it nearly got me killed. Bandit didn’t cause the hurricane, okay? And it wasn’t his idea for us to go all the way from our home in New Hampshire to the heat and smells of New Orleans. 

It was supposed to be a vacation, a chance to meet family in a city I’d barely heard of. And then disaster struck. The world turned upside down and inside out—and that was before the flood. 

I need to warn you right now, there’s some really gross stuff in this book, stuff so awful it made a dog hide his nose. And things so terrible I wanted to close my eyes. But we saw it all, me and Bandy. The good and the bad, the dark and the light. Acts of astonishing courage. Acts of cowardice and cruelty, of generosity and greed. Acts of terror and tragedy, tears and laughter.  

My name is Zane Dupree, and this is my story. 

Zane’s story focuses on the effects of Hurricane Katrina, but it is also a story about family. When Zane travels to meet his grandmother for the first time, he doesn’t think it’s important for him to learn about his father, who died before Zane was born. However, as his grandmother shares stories, Zane comes to realize that knowing your family history is important. When the hurricane separates Zane and his grandmother, Zane meets other people who talk about Zane’s father when he was a teenager. While Zane’s story highlights the importance of family and community connections, the hurricane overshadows this theme. 

While traveling away from the hurricane, Bandy jumps out of the car, and Zane follows him. This leaves Zane alone when the hurricane hits. Afterward, Zane is rescued by Tru, an African American man, and Malvina, a young Black girl. The three canoe through New Orleans’ wreckage and along the way, they face danger from a drug boss as well as the security for a rich area of town. These dangers reveal the discrimination and hardships that Black people faced during Hurricane Katrina. The story examines the disparities between the poor and the wealthy, as well as the differences between people of color and white individuals.   

Zane and the Hurricane lacks a cohesive story. Instead, Zane’s travels through New Orleans give quick flashes of how different people were affected by the destruction. However, each person has such short scenes that readers will be unable to connect with them. Likewise, when Zane discovers his father’s secret, the moment is anticlimactic because the father’s personality is never developed. The lack of character development and numerous dull moments make Zane and the Hurricane a story best suited for readers interested in Hurricane Katrina. Although the story is fictional, it incorporates many facts and ends with four pages of “interesting facts about New Orleans and the Great Flood.” Readers interested in the destructive nature of hurricanes can be swept away in the pages of Hurricane Rescue by Jennifer Li Shotz and Carrie and The Great Storm by Jessica Gunderson. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • Zane never met his father before he died. Zane is upset that “he did something stupid like get himself run over by some old gumby before [he was] born.” 
  • Tru, an African American man, and Malvina, a young Black girl, rescue Zane from a flooded house. They canoe to a rich part of town that isn’t flooded. Men with guns swarm them. “The guns swing in our direction, until all you can see is the black holes at the end of the barrels.” When Tru doesn’t get down fast enough, “one of the shotgun men plants a shiny black combat boot on his chest and shoves him to the ground.” 
  • Malvina screams at the man and grabs him. “He pulls her off the way you’d flick at a bothersome bug, and hands her to me. I can feel her heart slamming in her chest, and the tightness of her anger.” 
  • Before questioning Zane, the man with the gun “smiles an evil kind of smile, touches the end of the shotgun barrel to my chin, and says, very softly, ‘Bang. You lied.’” 
  • Zane and Malvina are pushing the injured Tru on an office chair. They come to an overpass where police officers are telling everyone to turn back. “Malvina keeps going. . . with the dog following close behind. . . And then cops in armored vests swarm from behind one of the cars, taking aim. . . Malvina shoves the chair forward, as if she’s trying to ram through the barricade. . .” 
  • Zane’s dog, Bandit or Bandy for short, jumps at “the men with guns as if he’s a big bad wolf instead of a twenty-pound mutt. A shotgun explodes. . . And then Bandy is slammed to the pavement like he’s been hit by a shovel, and he isn’t moving. Because they shot him, there on the bridge.” A vet takes the group, including Bandy, to her house. Everyone survives. 
  • A woman who knew Zane’s father, Gerald, tells Zane a story. Gerald’s brother James “found a paper bag on the playground, and inside the paper bag was a gun. Stashed there by a drug dealer. . . James showed off the gun to his big brother, fooling around.” Gerald takes the gun and accidentally kills his brother, James. 
  • Dylan, a “drug boss,” is “killed by one of the underage kids who worked for him selling drugs.” When Zane’s grandmother finds out, she says, “The wages of sin is when people do unta you wahat yoa did unta them.”

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Dylan, a known “drug boss,” tries to kidnap Malvina so she can sell drugs for him. Dylan says Malvina’s mom owes him. Tru says, “He done Malvina’s momma a few favors, if givin’ her drugs is a favor.” 
  • Dylan wants to add Malvina to his crew. Dylan “own[s] a bunch of fourteen-year-old boys, dealing his dope on the corners.” 
  • After Bandy is shot, a vet gives Bandy a sedative so she can clean his wounds. 
  • The vet also gives Tru antibiotics. “The medicine is for large dogs, but she says it will work just as well on humans.” 

Language  

  • Various characters rarely call others names, including fool, stupid, hellion, and jerk. 
  • Several times, Zane calls himself names, including moron, crud bucket, rotten crud, and dumb-butt dipstick doodlebrain. 
  • Bandy jumps out of the car, and Zane follows him into the path of the hurricane. Zane berates himself, thinking, “There’s no way to stop my brain from going over it again and again, every mistake, every stupid thing I’ve ever done or said.” His brain says, “Zane Dupree you are a fool, you are the dumbest human being on Planet Earth. . . [you] ran away to save your stupid dog.” 
  • Zane’s grandmother uses “Lawd have mercy” and “Oh my Lawdy” as exclamations once. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • When Zane meets his grandmother for the first time, she says, “The Good Lawd has given me a great gift. Thank you Lawrd! Praise be!” 
  • When Zane asks his grandmother how old she is, she says, “I’m zactly older than dirt.” Then she tells Zane, “It’s bad luck to brag about her age because the Good Lawd might be listening and have cause to remember that she’s long past her sell-by date.” 
  • The news says that a hurricane might be heading for New Orleans. Zane’s grandmother says, “We can’t know that, child. Nobody knows but the Lawrd, and He’s not sayin’. . . Here’s what we gone do. Tomorrow morning we go to church and see what da Lawd provide.” The next day, they go to New Mission Zion Baptist Church. 
  • While at church, the pastor says the Lord’s Prayer and then he says, “I pray we will be in attendance next Sunday, and that the sun will be shining and that no harm will have come to us, or this ward, or our little church. . .” Then the congregation prays. The church scene is described over one page.  
  • A young girl sings “Jesus loves me.” 
  • Tru is injured and has a fever, but they can’t find help. A cop gives him a bottle of water and tells Zane and Malvina, “Might better pray.”  

Heist Royale

After surviving and almost winning the entire Thieves Gambit game, where she competed against other teenage mastermind criminals, Rosalyn can’t seem to escape this life. As a result of her loss, Rosalyn had to give up a year of her life to save the lives of her entire family. She has been forced to work with her ex-lover turned enemy, Devroe Kenzie, whom she hates, after he blindsided and betrayed her during the previous Gambit game. For six months, they have been traveling the world, completing mission after mission for the organization that runs the elite game.  

When the current leader of the organization faces doubt about Rosalyn’s capability to run it, a new Gambit game erupts. Two teams are formed, one in alliance with the current leader, Count, and the opposition team eager for fresh leadership. Rosalyn is dragged back into competing, only this time with a much higher personal stake. Whoever wins two out of three missions gets to decide who will be the future leader of the organization, and thus, if Rosalyn’s family will be protected from execution. However, she is also competing against the one person who despises her family more than anything: Diane Kenzie, Devroe’s mother.  

Diane proves to be a ruthless adversary, not only sabotaging Rosalyn’s team’s success but also directly threatening Rosalyn’s safety by targeting her personally. Can Rosalyn beat Diane’s team and protect her family’s lives?  

Heist Royale is the sequel to Thieves’ Gambit and continues Rosalyn’s story after her experience competing in the Gambit. Rosalyn’s character continues to evolve as she develops new friendships and learns how to navigate them. New tensions also form between her and her mother, and her connection with Devroe becomes more complicated as the story unfolds. Her struggles with these changing relationships can be relatable to any reader facing similar situations, especially those learning how to practice loyalty and awareness in friendships.  

Diane Kenzie is a relentless woman who will stop at nothing to destroy the Quest family. Her hatred began after Rhiannon Quest not only beat her during the Thieves Gambit game but also betrayed her. Years later, when Devroe and Rosalyn competed against each other in the Gambit, they seemed to form a connection. Despite his relationship with Rosalyn, Diane uses Devroe to hurt the Quest family, proving just how manipulative she is. Furthermore, her calculated plotting against Rosalyn throughout the missions displays her lingering grudge and pain.  

For those interested in an action-packed and fast-paced story, the Thieves’ Gambit Series is the perfect book for you. The author maintains the suspense and thrill that can be seen throughout the first book, Thieves’ Gambit. In this story, the author includes romance between two different couples, their love stories consisting of high tensions and many arcs. In addition, common themes of trust, betrayal, and personal growth are prevalent throughout. Thus far, there are only two books published in the Thieves Gambit series, but there is word that Lewis is working on a third book.  

Sexual Content   

  • Taiyo and Mylo, members of Rosalyn’s team, must make a scene to escape getting caught during one of their missions. They pretend to have a fight and to really sell it, “Taiyo closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to Mylo’s.” 
  • Rosalyn and Devroe share a passionate moment in a private room in the casino. Rosalyn describes, “Before I could stop myself, I slipped into his lap. He jumped, sitting up as I fully straddled him. . . his hands settled on my hips. . . His lips crashed into mine. . . He devoured me, and I devoured him, drinking every drop I could get. He tasted like champagne and mint and everything I remembered from our airport kiss all those months ago. . . His hands on my hips pulled me even closer, like he was having the same thought as me, a perfect synchronicity.”  
  • Rosalyn and Devroe are relaxing on a beach after all of their missions have been completed, and they sit together on a lounge chair. “I shifted around. Devroe’s arm stayed snug around me. I drew him in for a soft kiss and slid a pair of Ray-Bans I’d stolen for him over his eyes.” 

Violence     

  • A mysterious group chases Rosalyn on the streets of Brazil, and she has to fight them off. “I grabbed [the woman who was following me by her] scarf and yanked hard, pulling her totally off-balance. She crashed to the ground. . . Fast steps crunched over the sidewalk. . . The link of my meteor ball unraveled. The weighted ball at the end cracked right into [another man’s] nose, drawing a splatter of blood. With him distracted, I sent an aggressive kick into his knee. He screamed. A bone cracked, and he dropped to a broken knee. I sent another kick into his chin, keeling him over.” 
  • Diane, Devroe’s mother, has a heated exchange with Rosalyn in New Orleans, as Rosalyn is trying to steal the very object that Diane has been hired to protect. Rosalyn explains, “I tried to shove [Diane] back. She grabbed my hand and twisted. I winced. My breath caught as she grabbed me by the braids and tugged so hard, she might have ripped some out.” Although no one is injured, Rosalyn realizes that Diane had chained her to the fireplace so that Diane could have a head start.   
  • Rosalyn and Diane have another tense confrontation. “[Diane] twisted my arm behind my shoulders and pulled me away. . . Diane parried my fist away, then executed a well-placed kick behind my knee. I doubled over, and she yanked me back into the curtained space.” While no one is injured, both Rosalyn and Diane are determined to complete their mission.  
  • Rosalyn and her team, including one member named Kyung-soon, seemingly win the game when Diane appears out of nowhere and grabs hold of Rosalyn. “My head snapped around as something cut Kyung-soon off. A hand covered her mouth and a snap sounded before a stick was pushed under Kyung-soon’s nose. Quicker than I could push the assaulting hand way, Kyung-soon was knocked out cold. On instinct, I dropped to catch her, but an arm snaked around my neck, pulling me in tight. Yelling, I clawed my nails in the arm. Until the all-too-familiar feeling of a chilly barrel [of a gun] dug into my side.” Diane had Rosalyn in a chokehold, threatening to hurt her. She does not hurt her but uses Rosalyn’s life as a bargaining chip. 

Drugs and Alcohol     

  • Rosalyn stumbles into Baron, one of her opponents, at the casino. “Baron [was] sipping a fruity margarita, legs crossed on a suede bench.” 

Language     

  • Profanity is used occasionally. Words such as bitch, asshole, bastard, pissed, and prick are used.  
  • Noelia, one of Rosalyn’s friends and teammates, explains her brother’s anger towards her, saying, “he’s still calling me Witch Bitch.” 
  • Deep in the mountains, Rosalyn is on her next mission. “I was unreasonably pissed at whatever asshole architect dropped this lab at the edge of the water.” 
  • Kiah, the casino owner, suspects Rosalyn of cheating and thus challenges her to a game. “Instead of [using] the glass elevators, he opted for the curving glass staircase, much to the woe of my feet, dying inside these heeled boots. The bastard probably did so on purpose.” 
  • As Noelia’s dad scolds her over FaceTime, Rosalyn inserts herself into the conversation and stands up for Noelia. Afterwards, Rosalyn says, “Sorry. I should have asked before butting in, but your dad was being a prick, and I’ve really had it up to here.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Leela Kowalski    

Book of a Thousand Days

Dashti is not afraid of being locked in a tower for seven years. As a mucker and member of the lower class, she is simply content to have a stable food supply. Besides, Dashti swore an oath to serve Lady Saren, the youngest daughter of the Lord of Titor’s Garden (the name of their realm). So, when Lady Saren refused the proposal of Lord Khasar, leader of Thoughts of Under, and was imprisoned by her father for treachery, Dashti had no choice but to follow her.

But being trapped in a sunless, rat-infested, and highly guarded tower takes its toll on Dashti and Lady Saren. Dashti tries to use mucker healing songs to soothe her lady, but nothing seems to help Saren.

Khan Tegus of Song for Evela, Lady Saren’s chosen betrothed, visits the pair, but Saren cannot bring herself to speak to him through the small hatch in the tower. Instead, she calls upon her maid, Dashti, to speak in her place, and Dashti is forced to commit the grave sin of impersonating a member of the gentry. Her talks with Khan Tegus are soothing, but he soon stops visiting. Instead, Lord Khasar visits the tower and threatens Saren and Dashti. He says that Saren can either agree to marry him and be rescued, or she can wait out the seven years of imprisonment. Saren chooses the tower.

Thanks to Dashti’s resourcefulness as a mucker, the pair eventually escapes. However, the world they return to is not the one they left behind: Lord Khasar has completely destroyed Titor’s Garden. Dashti must find a way to save Lady Saren from Lord Khasar’s dark intentions and reunite her with her love, Khan Tegus. The two of them hide their identities and work as servants in Khan Tegus’ castle. Dashti’s healing songs soon earn her a higher position as the Khan’s scribe. As she takes control of their desperate situation, Dashti begins to understand her own astonishing talents and comes to believe that even a low-born maid can find true love.

Book of a Thousand Days is based on the Grimm fairy tale, Maid Maleen, and is loosely inspired by the culture and customs of medieval Mongolia.  Told through Dashti’s diary entries, the book is filled with reflections on her time as a maid, which makes the story immersive and realistic. Dashti’s voice is strong, unique, and exemplifies her era and class. Her narration offers just enough explanation of her world’s rules and customs to keep readers informed while omitting enough to prevent the diary entries from becoming too expositional. Readers will learn a lot about the muckers, the gentry, Ancestors, and the traditions that connect all three.

 One of the most interesting elements is Dashti’s character growth. She begins as a meek and obedient member of the lower class who wholeheartedly believes in the superiority of the “gentry.” However, as she spends more time with Lady Saren, Dashti gains confidence and self-respect. Since Dashti is a compassionate, determined, and very likable narrator, readers will find her growth deeply rewarding.

Book of a Thousand Days also includes small illustrations of Dashti’s doodles. Not only are the illustrations well-crafted, but they also allow readers to see the world more closely through Dashti’s eyes. Additionally, a hand-drawn map of “The Eight Realms” is included to help with worldbuilding.

Split into two parts – life during the tower and after – Book of a Thousand Days teaches about resilience, resourcefulness, and the strength of the human will. True power comes not from being born rich but from having the determination to survive.

Sexual Content

  • Dashti is not conventionally attractive due to birthmarks on her face, and her mother raised her to believe that her ugliness kept her safe from men. Her mother told her the story of Bayar, a beautiful woman from her village: “A lord fell for her beauty, got her with child, then left both girl and baby in the mud and never returned.”
  • While in the tower with Saren, Dashti says that they often hear voices outside, “shouting saucy things at [them].”
  • Dashti and Lady Saren hear men’s voices from outside their tower talking about Lady Saren. One stranger says that the imprisoned lady is, “Just ripe for the picking,” and they begin trying to break in. Dashti and Saren remain silent in fear, hoping the men will leave, and they eventually do.
  • After leaving the tower, Dashti leads Lady Saren away from Titor’s Garden and into Song for Evela. In the streets of Song for Evela, Dashti comments, “There were people everywhere. . . fighting and kissing and eating and just talk, talk, talking.”
  • When Khan Tegus is wounded in battle, Dashti is called in to sing healing songs for him, and the two of them have a tense moment. “He watched me while I sang. He looked at my eyes. My heart felt so big, it hurt against my ribs. At last I felt some shame and started to pull away, but he put his hand over mine on his chest to hold me there longer.” This romantic scene lasts for about two pages.
  • To ensure Lady Saren’s continued safety, Dashti tells Khan Tegus and other leaders that she is the lost Lady Saren. After she “reveals” her identity, Dashti and Khan Tegus share a tender moment. “And all the while, Tegus held my hands to his face. I didn’t mean to stroke his cheek—my thumb moved of its own accord, I swear. He smiled up at me, and my face felt hot.”
  • Nudity is mentioned multiple times as the most extreme act of vulnerability. To convince Lord Khasar to trust her, Dashti approaches him on the battlefield completely nude.
  • While Dashti is pretending to be Lady Saren, Khan Tegus proposes to her. “His cheek was next to mine. He pulled me closer, his warmth so wonderful, my skin stung against his touch. And he kissed my neck, behind my ear.” In a lovestruck daze, Dashti agrees to marry him.
  • Khan Tegus clandestinely kisses Dashti (whom he still believes is Lady Saren) after they are engaged. “He looked to see if we were alone, picked me up, hurried around a corner, and kissed me. Kissed me long.” This scene ends with them kissing once more and lasts for a page and a half.
  • Khan Tegus and Dashti are wed. They kiss before their vows: “Then he kissed me on the mouth, though there were five chiefs in the room. . . I put my arms around his neck and kissed him back.” Later, after the ceremony, Dashti excitedly thinks of the rest of the night and the future of their marriage. “I plan to laugh and laugh and dance and maybe I’ll kiss him again, kiss my khan, right in front of the whole world.”

Violence

  • When Lady Saren’s father locks her and Dashti in the tower for seven years, he tells them, “And if you try to break your way out, I’ve told the guards to kill you on sight.”
  • Dashti’s old literacy teacher used to throw candlesticks at his students “when his back pinched him sour.”
  • Dashti ritually cut her finger while taking “the oath of a lady’s maid,” a ceremony that certified her to serve Lady Saren.
  • The day that Dashti met Lady Saren and learned that she would be locked in a tower, she witnessed Lady Saren’s father slapping her. The lord slapped his daughter twice unprovoked, and when Dashti agreed to join Saren in the tower, Saren’s father slapped Dashti, too. Reflections on this event last for five and a half pages.
  • In the tower, Dashti makes a rat trap using cheese, paper, and nails. The next morning, she finds a rat’s “body stuck inside the spikes with one nail up through its chin.”
  • Lady Saren expresses her terror towards Lord Khasar, the man her father wants her to marry: “In this tower, I’m a tethered goat left out for the wolf, and now he’ll take me and marry me and kill me.”
  • When Lord Khasar visits the tower, Dashti does not pretend to be Lady Saren. Lord Khasar takes Dashti’s hand through the small hatch and slaps it against the wall three times. Dashti describes, “It stung like a log full of hornets.”
  • Dashti speaks to a tower guard, and he tells her, “You’re not coming out of that tower, miss, not unless that lord from Thoughts of Under breaks you out, and then he’d snap a maid’s neck and toss her to the dogs, more than like.”
  • Lord Khasar decides to “burn” Lady Saren out of the tower, and he sends burning chips of fire into her prison. Over two pages, Dashti and Saren frightfully stomp out the fires that Lord Khasar gleefully sets. Saren is eventually reduced to “hysterics,” and Dashti is left to fight the fires on her own.
  • As vengeance for the fires, Lady Saren dumps her and Dashti’s full chamber pot down the hatch and onto Lord Khasar.
  • A giant wolf attacks Dashti through the tower’s hatch. Its mouth is “smeared with blood,” and it snaps at her from the opening. My Lord, Dashti’s pet cat, jumps at the wolf and attacks it. Dashti hears “horrible growls from the beast, and a yelp from the cat,” but she does not see what happens. She later learns that the wolf was Lord Khasar himself, and she sees “three thin white scars down his cheek, like the marks a cat might leave.”
  • After My Lord the cat leaves the tower, Dashti reflects on his hunting abilities. “When he attacked a rat, he was deadly fast, going straight for a fatal bite on the back of the neck.”
  • Dashti and Lady Saren hear men outside the tower plotting to break in and assault Saren. Dashti makes a plan to defend her lady and herself against the men using a broken shard of a kitchen knife: “I will find their pig parts and cut them out before they touch me!”
  • Dashti and Lady Saren walk through desolate villages, and they later learn that Lord Khasar is responsible for murdering many citizens of Titor’s Garden and causing others to flee. Traders tell them that Lord Khasar “[w]iped [Titor’s Garden] out entirely” and is advancing on other kingdoms.
  • Qacha, a mucker who is employed in Khan Tegus’ kitchen alongside Saren and Dashti, “laughs when Cook knocks her head with a spoon.”
  • Khan Tegus called Dashti into his chambers to help his chief of war survive a fatal wound. “The first thing I noticed was a man lying on the floor and bleeding, bleeding fast.” The man, Batu, was wounded by an assassin, sent by Lord Khasar, who was trying to kill Khan Tegus. Batu loses a lot of blood over multiple days, but Dashti manages to save him with her healing songs.
  • Saren asks Dashti to kill her. She says, “Please, I can’t do it myself, I’ve tried. I’m too afraid and I’ll do it wrong.” Dashti refuses.
  • A servant named Osol gets angry at the chief of animals, pushes her to the ground, and kicks her. For this, he is hanged.
  • Khan Tegus leaves the palace and returns “wounded, a tenth of his warriors dead.” Dashti is able to help him with her songs.
  • Lady Vachir, ruler of Beloved of Ris, who becomes Khan Tegus’ betrothed in Saren’s absence, asks Dashti to use her songs to help with her back pain. When it does not work, Dashti blames Lady Vachir, and the lady slaps her.
  • Saren discusses her father’s abuse with Dashti. She says, “He might slap me, just for show. He never slapped me when we were alone, only in front of people.”
  • When Saren first visited Lord Khasar as a child, he shapeshifted into a wolf in front of her and killed a goat. “[Lord Khasar’s war chief] held my head and made me watch while the wolf devoured the animal.”
  • Dashti’s “song of the wolf” forces Lord Khasar to shapeshift in broad daylight, and the wolf attacks her. “He pounced, landing on my leg, and I heard a crunch before I felt pain. . . I turned my head as he lunged. The sides of our skulls collided. I could taste blood.” Her ankle is broken.
  • Lord Khasar’s warriors turn against him when he becomes the wolf. They shoot him with arrows, and he begins “tearing out the throats” of the soldiers. Several men die trying to stop the wolf, but Lord Khasar eventually sustains enough arrow injuries to kill him. His corpse falls on Dashti and further wounds her broken ankle. This fight scene lasts for two pages.
  • Dashti is caught attempting to escape the castle, and she is arrested for impersonating Lady Saren. “Hands were on my arms and legs, pulling me to a chopping block in the center of the yard, and they were none too gentle with my broken ankle.”
  • Lady Vachir declares, “By the ancient law of the Ancestors. . . it’s my right to take the life of anyone who interferes with my lawful betrothal.” She later yells, “I demand [Dashti’s] blood!”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • In the tower, Dashti and Lady Saren consume bad grain and begin seeing things that aren’t there, like wolves and orange fire. Dashti reflects, “My mama warned me once that if eating stored grain makes you see things that aren’t really there, then it’s gone bad, touched by Under, god of tricks.”
  • On their journey towards Song for Evela, her surroundings make Dashti homesick for her life as a mucker, and she calls herself “drunk with wishes.”
  • Dashti explores a market in Song for Evela and sees “skins of wine.”

Language

  • The word hell is used once. Lady Saren’s father tells Dashti, “What a hell you walked into, though it can’t be worse than your own home.”
  • Rather than referring to a god, people refer to Ancestors, either as a whole or individually. Dashti does this frequently in her writing. For example, Dashti blesses Lady Saren for protecting her from Lord Khasar, saying, “the Ancestors bless her.” Dashti also writes, “He watched her for a moment, and I swear by Titor and his dogs. . .”
  • When Dashti walks into Khan Tegus’ chambers, he exclaims, “Lord Under but you startled me.” This phrasing is used frequently.
  • After slapping his daughter, Lady Saren’s father calls her a “wench.”

Supernatural

  • Muckers like Dashti sing “healing songs” and other mystical tunes that can affect the people around them. Songs exist for nearly any ailment, and even Dashti, said to be especially effective with them, does not know every song. Whatever impact the songs have relies on the singer’s ability to visualize the songs working and the recipients’ willingness to be affected. Healing songs for specific body parts often require physical contact.
  • Dashti sings a healing song for Khan Tegus that alleviates the pain from an old leg injury. She thinks afterwards, “Some say hearing the songs makes them tickle inside, some say they feel as if they’ve suddenly gone hot to cold or cold to hot. Some say it’s like dreaming while awake, or swimming while dry.”
  • Dashti remembers when a “travelling shaman” visited her family. Shamans are religious and mystical beings who sometimes serve as healers. Dashti writes, “If he turned into a fox, as I’d always heard shamans can, I was determined not to miss the sight.”
  • Dashti sings “the song for stone hearts” to encourage the tower guards to have some kindness towards her and Lady Saren.
  • Unsure of what makes Lady Saren so depressed in the tower, Dashti continuously tries many healing songs on her. She records, “I try new songs on her, I combine songs.”
  • While listening to a storyteller in Song for Evela, Dashti recalls “the story of the skinwalkers” that she had heard during her time as a mucker on the steppes. She writes, “First, a skinwalker offers his spirit as barter to a desert shaman, then he must kill a close relative—the more he loves the person he kills, the greater his power will be.” After the murder, the skinwalker obtains a “predator spirit” from the shaman and is granted the ability to shapeshift into that predator/animal.
  • Dashti uses her songs on Cook, her superior in Khan Tegus’ kitchen, to ease the pain that she can sense within her. Dashti combines “the tune for body aches” and “the words for common pain,” and she eventually adds in “the song for heartache” as well. Cook is deeply calmed by Dashti’s abilities.
  • After Dashti helps Cook, her fellow servants and she talk about the mucker songs. Qacha, another mucker, tells her friend Gal, “The songs nudge things to be what they really are—a healthy body, a heart as calm as a baby’s in the womb.” Dashti says that there is no real power in the songs, but Qacha disagrees.
  • Not knowing she is the servant from the tower, Khan Tegus calls upon Dashti to use her mucker songs on his wounded leg. While working, Dashti can “sense the pain lifting from him fast.” She writes, “The more I work his leg, the better it remembers what it felt like to be whole and uninjured.” She heals him again later when he is wounded in battle.
  • Qacha tells Dashti about when an assassin threatened the life of Khan Tegus and a shaman “took fox form and leaped between the khan and the assassin.”
  • Khan Tegus calls Dashti into his chambers to encourage his injured chief of war’s soul to keep living. Dashti does not sing a healing song but rather “a play song, one the mucker children sing in the spring, racing in a circle.” She sings more happy songs to remind the chief of war of joyous life, and the man gradually gets better.
  • Lady Saren tells Dashti that Lord Khasar is a skinwalker who can shapeshift into a wolf. Lord Khasar’s chief of war, Chinua, once told Saren that Lord Khasar “had made quite a bargain with the desert shamans and now was the greatest hunter in all the realms.” Khasar keeps his shapeshifting a secret and only does it at night.
  • Dashti decides to bring forth Lord Khasar’s wolf persona during the day to reveal his secret powers to his troops. On the battlefield, she sings to him “the song of the wolf,” which can encourage the wolf within him to emerge. Dashti touches his boots to make the song more powerful, and it works. As Dashti is singing, Khasar is slowly forced into his wolf form. “I can say that his face thrust out, his back hunched with fur, his clothing tore, his armor bent and groaned before popping off. He dropped down on all fours, and where Khasar had stood, a wolf now growled.”

Spiritual Content

  • People of the Eight Realms worship the “eight Ancestors” and the “Eternal Blue Sky.” This group is called “the sacred nine.” Each of The Eight Realms is named to honor an Ancestor, and each Ancestor is a god/goddess of a different physical thing or concept. Each of the Eight Realms has eight chiefs for the eight Ancestors, though one ancestor, Under’s, has chiefs that are invisible and never seen.
  • The realm “Vera’s Blessing” is named for Vera, goddess of food. Dashti prays to Vera to thank her for their tower’s food storage and to help keep them fed.
  • The realm “Beloved of Ris” is named for Ris, god of roads and towns. Dashti prays to him to help her and Lady Saren “find home.”
  • The realm “Song for Evela” is named for Evela, goddess of sunlight. Dashti prays to her while in the sunless tower to return her to the sunlight.
  • The realm “Carthen’s Prayer” is named for Carthen, goddess of strength. Dashti prays for Carthen to make her and Lady Saren strong enough to break down the walls of their tower.
  • The realm “Pride of Nibus” is named for Nibus, god of order. Dashti appeals to Nibus regarding her status as Lady Saren’s loyal maid.
  • The realm “Goda’s Second Gift” is named for Goda, goddess of sleep. Dashti prays that Goda will keep Under asleep so that he does not threaten their chances of survival in the tower.
  • The realm “Titor’s Garden” is named for Titor, god of animals. Dashti remarks that even Titor “can’t force a cat to change his mind.”
  • The realm “Thoughts of Under” is named for Under, god of tricks. Dashti blames Under for their rat infestation in the tower.
  • When Dashti and Lady Saren are locked in the tower, Dashti quickly works her prayers into her morning routine. “First thing, I splash a drop of milk in the north corner, facing the direction of the Sacred Mountain, and say my prayers. By tradition, I should dribble the milk on the soil, not stones, but it’ll have to do since the metal flap faces south.” Dashti also prays to her mother at night.
  • Dashti believes that, when a person dies, their “soul climbs the Sacred Mountain.” They join the “Ancestors’ Realm,” a version of heaven.
  • Dashti has been taught that the power imbalance between the gentry and the common folk is sacred. The gentry themselves are said to be descendants of “divine ancestors” and favorable in the eyes of the gods. Dashti closely follows the rules laid out for her as a lady’s maid so that she can appease the Ancestors.
  • When Dashti and Lady Saren find other people for the first time since leaving the tower, Dashti calls it a “heavenly sight.”
  • Certain sins make one unable to join the Ancestors’ Realm. When Lady Saren asks Dashti to kill her, Dashti responds, “If I did such a thing, there’d be no place for me in the Ancestors’ Realm, nor for you either. We’d wander in the gray beyond the borders forever, with nowhere to sit and no milk to drink, and I’d never see my mama again.”
  • Lord Khasar lays siege to Titor’s Garden and Goda’s Second Gift, and he changes the name of Thoughts of Under to “Carthen’s Glory” to appeal to the goddess of strength. Lord Khasar’s indiscretions against the Ancestors lead Dashti to think that, “Animals, sleep, and trickery will not be his friends” on the battlefield.
  • When Lord Khasar “offered his soul to the desert shamans” to obtain the powers of a shapeshifter, he barred himself from the Realm of the Ancestors. Dashti writes that his soul “can never climb the Sacred Mountain.”
  • When Dashti is in prison for impersonating a gentry, she thinks of the Eternal Blue Sky instead of praying. She reflects, “How can a body be too sad with the highest sky blue?”

by Gabrielle Barke

Star Wars: Jedi Academy

All his life, Roan Novachez has dreamed of being a starfighter pilot, following in both his father’s and older brother’s footsteps. After finishing primary school on his home planet Tatooine, Roan is crestfallen when he receives a rejection letter from Pilot Academy Middle School. Fearing his only option is to attend Tatooine Agricultural Academy, an unexpected opportunity presents itself: Roan receives an invitation to attend the prestigious Jedi Academy on Coruscant. Though it’s not what he wanted, Roan’s family accepts the offer to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi. 

Star Wars: Jedi Academy is a charming, lighthearted adventure that can best be described as Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets a galaxy far, far away. Much like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jedi Academy is told through diary entries, comic strips, notes, and sketches, which cover every page and are drawn by Roan himself. Jeffrey Brown’s combination of humorous doodles and writing makes Jedi Academy charmingly relatable, showcasing Roan’s emotions and bringing life to the many diverse supporting characters, making the text more engaging for reluctant readers. Along the way, Roan faces many challenges and experiences that middle school students can relate to—making friends, dealing with bullies, crushes, and finding his place in a new environment, all with a Star Wars twist.   

Roan’s primary challenge is his Force training, as he initially struggles to lift even the smallest of objects, a skill that his classmates mastered years ago. Despite his internal anxiety, Roan has many people at the Academy who support him: his friends Pasha, Bill, and Gaiana, and his teacher, Master Yoda, who is a constant source of wisdom and encouragement. Roan’s many mistakes teach readers that making mistakes is paramount to growth. This makes the end of the story, where Roan can lift several large boulders at once, even more triumphant.  

Overall, Star Wars: Jedi Academy is an incredibly fun, humorous, and surprisingly genuine book despite its fantastic setting. Young readers will find Roan Novachez’s story to be relatable and informative to their own middle school experiences, even with all the lightsabers, starships, and aliens present. With plenty of clever references to the movies, Star Wars fans will be especially entertained, but you don’t have to be a Star Wars fan to appreciate Roan’s journey, which feels anything but alien.  

Sexual Content  

  • Not long after arriving at Jedi Academy, Roan develops a crush on one of his classmates, a girl named Gaiana. Before leaving for summer vacation, Gaiana gives Roan a kiss on the cheek. 

Violence 

  • There is minimal violence in the lightsaber training and fencing sequences of the book. No one is hurt. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None 

Supernatural Content 

  • The Force can be interpreted as a supernatural phenomenon. As defined in the Jedi Academy’s brochure, “The Force is an invisible energy field created by all living things. The Force gives a Jedi his power, allowing him to do extraordinary things like moving objects with his mind.” 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

by Nicholas Paragano 

Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix

Between tight corsets, expectations of marriage, and the crushing weight of being misunderstood, Oliver Bennet feels trapped in his 1813 London life. While the rest of the world believes he is a young woman by the name of Elizabeth, he is actually a boy who wants nothing more than to be accepted as himself. To make matters worse, his mother pressures Oliver to find a husband and become the perfect wife—a prospect that makes Oliver’s stomach churn. When he meets Mr. Darcy, a harsh but intriguing young man who is rude to “Elizabeth” yet charmed by Oliver, he develops confusing feelings that may be the push he needs to live as his authentic self.  

Oliver begins to get to know Darcy by living a double life. As his true self, Oliver feels a growing attraction to Darcy and the world of men, which he is finally able to enter. While playing the part of “Elizabeth,” Oliver increasingly worries that his identity will be discovered, particularly with the mounting aggression of his male suitors. As the two young men grow closer, Oliver considers the complexities of two men falling in love and begins to imagine something beyond his wildest dreams: could he find love not as an obedient wife, but as himself?  

In this thought-provoking twist on Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride & Prejudice, the character of Lizzie Bennet is filled by a young transgender man fighting for freedom from the constraints of being labeled a woman. Oliver’s two identities make for a fascinating and complicated dynamic between him and Darcy, particularly because Darcy does not know the two are one and the same. Oliver and Darcy form an endearing bond based on respect and admiration, which soon grows into something deeper and more passionate.  

Oliver’s friend Charlotte and sister Jane, two of the few people who know about his true self, become important confidantes, along with Oliver’s father. As a woman who loves women, Charlotte is able to relate to Oliver’s difficulty fitting into the rest of society. Oliver’s close relationships with his sister and father mirror the close relationships from Austen’s original novel. The two are able to help support Oliver in his difficult journey of revealing himself to his family, and especially his mother, who puts a lot of pressure on him to be a proper lady. Fans of Pride & Prejudice will find these background characters familiar enough to be comforting, yet different enough to be interesting.  

Novoa certainly takes liberties with the story in terms of adaptation. The way he writes a trans character in a Victorian setting feels rather contemporary, particularly knowing there are so few records of real transgender people from the time period. What the story lacks in faithfulness, though, it makes up for in queer representation and joy. Reading about Oliver’s experience is a great way for readers to gain a deeper understanding of the trans experience. His struggles with gender dysphoria, fear of coming out, and leading a double life are struggles that are also relevant in today’s world. This gives an already romantic and delightful read a deeper layer of importance.  

Sexual Content  

  • Though not explicitly sexual in nature, there are several references to parts of Oliver’s body that make him feel dysphoric—particularly his chest. For example, “Mrs. Bennet yanked on the lacing of the stay pressed tight beneath his breasts” and Oliver “gritted his teeth as the cinching fabric pushed his chest up and forward—accentuating a shape that made him utterly nauseous.”  
  • There are a few references to Molly Houses, or places for non-traditional people like Oliver to gather and be authentic. Though they are harmless in reality, Oliver says they have a reputation of being “scandalous sex dens.”  
  • While dancing together at a Molly House, Darcy kisses Oliver, “a taste at first, then again with slightly more pressure.”  
  • A later kiss is described as follows: “Oliver pulled away, just slightly, the warmth of Darcy’s breath spreading over his nose and mouth. Darcy opened his eyes, his heated gaze searching Oliver’s.”  

Violence  

  • While considering having to marry a man who would treat him as a wife, Oliver makes a vague reference to harming himself. He thinks that “he would prefer far darker ends” to marrying Mr. Collins, one of his suitors.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Occasional profanity is used. Profanity includes arse, bastard, and hell.  
  • Oh God and similar phrases are used as exclamations occasionally.  

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • While walking through thick mud, Oliver “swore at the heavens above and hells below.” 

by Edie Meehan 

The Soccer Surprise

The culmination of the soccer season is upon Franklin Elementary School, and the MVP club, which comprises five best friends, is helping the girls’ soccer team prepare for their big game against the Wilton Warriors. However, Kat, one of the members of the MVP Club, is struggling to nail down her soccer shots, and she fears that she’ll cost the team a chance at victory. To make matters worse, the town is threatening to demolish the field house, a community center for the sports fields, to build new offices. Can the MVP club save both the field house and win the big game? 

The Soccer Surprise is an exciting story packed with energy, mystery, and teamwork. Told from a third-person perspective, the tale centers on five members of the MVP Club—Max, Alice, Nico, Luke, and Kat—and their involvement in their school’s sports and community activities. While the book attempts to provide each member of the club with appropriate attention, most of the character development revolves around Kat, who struggles to handle the big moments in her soccer games. However, the five characters display exemplary character and fortitude in the face of struggle, and their ability to work as a team to solve problems is admirable. Add in the childhood joy of elementary school students, and the tale takes on a very jovial and relatable tone. 

The book gives a positive perspective on the lessons of hard work and self-belief. Early in the book, Kat continually misses game-winning shots and sees herself as a bad soccer player. However, with the help of soccer superstar Alex and her shooting tips, Kat manages to improve her skills and change her self-perception, allowing her to score the winning goal at the end of the book. These lessons are exemplified when Kat exclaims that she couldn’t have done it without Alex, and Alex responds by saying, “I only showed you the shot. You’re the one who did it. Keep working on your skills like that and maybe you’ll be able to play on the Breakers when you get older!” This story reminds readers of the power of self-image, demonstrating that even the most challenging tasks can be made easy with practice and the right mindset. 

Alongside these lessons, The Soccer Surprise’s fieldhouse plotline also teaches the power of advocacy and voice. When the MVP kids learn that their beloved fieldhouse is slated for demolition to make way for new offices, they decide to launch a fundraiser to transform it into a new community activity center. Through their determination and combined voices, they convince the building’s owner to keep the site, demonstrating the importance of fighting for what matters in life. It’s a lesson that can encourage readers to take a stand for what they believe is right. 

The Soccer Surprise is divided into ten small chapters, with each chapter typically comprising eight to ten pages and containing a couple of hand-drawn illustrations. Although the story doesn’t present difficult vocabulary, its paragraphs and sentences are longer and more complex, making it a little challenging for newer readers. At the end of the story, a brief section offers real-life facts about soccer and showcases some cool soccer skills. It also includes a sneak peek of the next MVP book to keep readers interested. Like its predecessor, The Soccer Surprise continues the MVP’s adventures in sports with action-packed scenes and important lessons, making it a fabulous addition for early chapter book lovers. 

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • The fieldhouse mysteriously catches on fire while the MVP Club is practicing soccer, and forces Max, one of the MVP Club members, to call 911. “Everyone turned to look. Bright and yellow flames were shooting out of the right side of the field house!” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

by Caleb Kleinmann

Build It! Jump It!

Build It! Jump It! is a fast-paced and exciting story about a young girl named Ace who loves building. Ace utilizes her mechanical skills, bravery, and creativity to design and build her skateboard and a ramp. Ace plans to complete some impressive jumps, but then she goes too fast and falls. Ace will have to try again, but will she ever be able to rocket up the ramp? 

The focus of the story remains entirely on Ace, allowing her personality to shine. Ace is an admirable character, particularly for children interested in building, inventing, or tackling challenges. Her confidence and problem-solving mindset make her an inspiring character who shows that taking risks and working hard can be fun and rewarding. 

Readers will admire Ace’s ability to imagine, design, and build something with her own hands before gathering the courage to test it herself. Throughout her attempts, Ace occasionally falls down, but each time, she gets right back up, showing persistence and resilience. These moments are critical to the story’s message that failure is not the end but rather part of learning. Her journey will inspire readers to approach challenges with confidence, knowing that mistakes can be a valuable learning experience. 

The simple plot is engaging with manageable stakes, yet the story is energetic and empowering. A few background characters are featured at the skatepark cheering for Ace. These characters add realism to Ace’s environment without introducing new characters for readers to remember. The book teaches perseverance, problem-solving, and confidence in a straightforward, action-driven way. The inclusion of building steps and mechanical terms subtly introduces young readers to engineering concepts in a simple and accessible way. 

The Racing Ace Series employs short sentences with bold fonts and varied text placement to maintain a quick pace throughout the story. This approach makes the language accessible and easy to follow, perfect for young readers who are just beginning to build their reading stamina. 

The text features repetition of words and phrases to build rhythm and emphasize Ace’s determination. Phrases like “Go, go, go!” and “Turn, turn, turn!” add a sense of urgency and encouragement to her journey, creating momentum that propels readers forward. 

The full-color illustrations are bright and dynamic, reflecting Ace’s energetic personality. Each page is designed to keep readers engaged, matching the thrilling speed and resilience of Ace’s journey. The illustrations add clarity to the process, giving readers both visual and narrative understanding of how her project comes together. 

Build It! Jump It! is perfect for young readers interested in building, skateboarding, or stories about characters taking on big challenges. The overall message is that creativity, courage, and hard work can help you achieve your goals. Build It! Jump It! shows readers that with determination and resilience, they can overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Rayna Burlison 

Amazing Arctic Animals

Why does an Arctic hare have tiny ears? To conserve heat! How does a walrus feel around for food on the bottom of the sea? With its whiskers! Learn cool facts about the arctic fox, the beluga whale, the snowy owl, and more in this book. 

Amazing Arctic Animals takes readers to the coldest place on earth—the North Pole—where they will learn about the animals that make the Arctic home and the adaptations that allow them to survive during the harsh winters. For example, “Fur, fat and feathers are just a few of the Arctic animals’ adaptations. Each animal has its own special way of living in the coldest place on earth.” When each new animal is introduced, a chart gives basic facts such as the baby’s name, size at birth, favorite foods, and enemies. 

As a Level 3 Reader, Amazing Arctic Animals is a perfect nonfiction book for the transitional reader who can read multisyllable and compound words, can read prefixes and suffixes, can identify story elements, and understands different points of view. Level 3 Readers are a step towards fluency.  

Young readers who want to learn more about Arctic animals will find all of the facts amazing. They will learn how each animal spends its time, what it eats, and its enemies. The illustrations on each page allow readers to get a close look at the animals—some are furry and cute, and some are graceful swimmers. Like the animals visiting the Arctic each summer, readers will find the harsh land beautiful and the animals amazing. Readers eager to learn more about animals should read What If You Had an Animal Tail!? by Sandra Markle. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Retro

Luna Iglesias didn’t mean to create a social media firestorm by posting a nasty video of her ex-friend Samantha, but she did and cruel comments from across the internet drove Samantha to attempt suicide. Luna feels absolutely horrible. And apparently, so does Limbo, the social media company on which the comment was posted. To set things right and teach about the dangers of social media, Limbo creates a competition for Luna and her classmates to compete in—the Retro Challenge. The idea is simple: students give up all electronics made post-2000 and embrace a “retro” lifestyle. If students can manage to go retro for the whole school year, they get a full-ride college scholarship.

Luna joins the challenge, hoping to redeem herself and make it up to Samantha. And things seem to be looking up after Luna goes retro. She develops tight bonds with some of the other retros, people she otherwise would never have befriended. She enjoys attending retro events and dressing in vintage clothing. Maybe being unplugged was exactly what her life needed, because without her phone, she feels alive.

As Luna traverses the Retro Challenge, the good times are disrupted by suspicious events. A stalker leaves Luna threatening messages. The popular kids, the Goldens, try to sabotage the challengers. The students who fail the challenge disappear. Clusters of dead animals appear in the woods. Soon, Luna realizes that Limbo’s challenge may not be what it seems. Suddenly, it’s up to Luna and the retros that are still left to figure out what’s really going on and determine if Limbo is a friend or a foe.

Luna is a bold, bright main character who realistically embodies teenage spunk. Her unique voice provides eccentric and often meta commentary about how fictional teenagers are portrayed in media, making her an interesting narrator. She’s also a realistic narrator, as she faces realistic teenage issues, like the mishandling of social media. Her youthful recklessness is a deliberate character flaw that makes her feel like an authentic teenager who isn’t malicious but makes a mistake that has serious consequences. Despite this flaw, Luna is a caring and loyal character who forgives others. She believes in redemption, and that gives her a lot of power as a protagonist.

Retro’s array of side characters brings a lot of flair, and all of them have side stories that are easy to get invested in. Luna’s crew is a sweet example of the found family trope, giving a safe space to characters who are all struggling with different things such as clinical anger management, the loss of parents, and the inability to go to college. One of them, Kilo, the mysterious, punky loner, is a standout, with a gut-wrenching backstory that concludes with a serious tug at the heartstrings. Aside from Luna’s friends, the popular bullies known as the Goldens are also given a surprising amount of depth that humanizes them and reminds readers that teenagers often struggle with hidden issues.

The most unique element of Retro is that it’s set to a playlist of old songs—each chapter set in the past is named after a song that is supposed to fit the vibe of the chapter. Readers can access the playlist created for the book on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music. This is a genuinely enjoyable gag that makes the read more exciting and will likely introduce younger readers to new music.

The “pause” chapters are set in the present and don’t have a song attached to them. They disrupt the book’s flow with an off-putting change in writing style. In general, Retro’s biggest flaw is that it continuously spoils itself by outright telling readers that something bad is going to happen soon. For example, Luna tells the reader that one of her friends is going to disappear before they do. This tactic doesn’t allow suspense to build, and readers are never truly surprised.

The “retro” aesthetic of the props, events, parties, and settings of the book makes for a fun, sometimes cheesy, read. Readers won’t have a hard time having fun alongside the characters. The book starts slowly, but when things get going, they zoom. The action scenes towards the book’s end are a lovely thrill, and the ending manages to be satisfying while still maintaining an element of realism. The only unrealistic element is that Luna and her friends don’t have any symptoms of withdrawal after giving up technology, making it too easy for them to ditch social media.

Retro confronts modern-day issues, using not just the characters and plot but also the flashy retro settings to emphasize and strengthen the book’s messages. The book’s main purpose is to warn about the dangers of social media. It tackles cyberbullying and highlights how the companies behind media platforms can be problematic because they encourage bad behavior and objectify people. But Retro doesn’t just cover social media problems—it addresses the concepts of intention vs. impact, body image issues, the danger of secrets, and even immigration, as Luna’s mother is on a work visa that gets threatened. The book ultimately takes an optimistic approach to the future, demonstrating that younger generations can change things for the better if they band together.

Retro is a bright, entertaining blast from the past with lovable characters, colorful settings, and action scenes that enhance the reading experience. That said, the book struggles to generate suspense due to a spoiler-prone narration style, its slow start, and jarring perspective changes. Still, the positive elements of the book outweigh the flaws to provide readers an entertaining—though at times rocky—read.

Sexual Content

  • While shopping, Luna is trying on a pin-up girl Halloween costume and catches her crush Axel staring. “As I slipped into a skintight corset, I caught Axel staring from the next aisle over.” She admits that she likes his gaze. “I pulled my top down a little more. Maybe I wanted him to keep staring. Maybe I liked it.”
  • At the Halloween party, Axel and Luna dance, and Axel touches Luna’s body romantically. “I felt his hands and how they advanced—touching my body, gripping my waist, controlling the tempo entirely. . . His chest was pressed close to mine. Our lips were getting closer.”
  • Axel and Luna have their first kiss in the movie theater. “I pulled away. He pulled me back. He pulled me in for a kiss. And what a kiss.”
  • A Golden’s member, Jade, sexually blackmails Luna with a video of her kissing Axel. Jade narrates what happens in the video. “You and him, getting hot and steamy in the projector. The lights go out. He pushes you against the wall. Bodily fluids are exchanged.”
  • Luna’s close friend Mimi casually kisses their other friend Nika.
  • While on the bus, Luna kisses Axel. “Just touching him made adrenaline course through my body. . . Then I grabbed his face, pulling him for a kiss.”
  • Axel and Luna dance and kiss at a house party. “He touched my hips. Caressed my neck. I smelled his cologne. He spun me to face him, and when the beat dropped, he kissed me. Intense, hot, sweet. That kiss was everything and more.” The scene lasts two pages.
  • In Axel’s bedroom, Axel and Luna make out. “I pulled off his shirt. . . My heart pounded. My forehead pressed against his. The only way to fuse with everything he was. . . I wanted all of it.” It’s implied that they have sex. The scene lasts two pages.
  • Luna and Axel make out in their school’s darkroom. “Axel pulled me up onto one of the tables and slowly caressed my hips. I put my wrists around his shoulders in the dark. I kissed him hard. Red heat pounded against our bodies.”
  • Axel surprises Luna by taking her to a drive-in movie theater, and she kisses him. “I grab Axel by the face and pull him in for a kiss. A kiss that has been building up inside me for so long, one that makes me lose track of time.”

 

Violence

  • The book begins with Luna locked in a room, covered in blood for unknown reasons. “But here I stand, soaked in mud, blood stained across my diamond disco dress . . . And the blood is dried on my hands.” This scene lasts two pages.
  • When she was younger, Mimi recalls, “[she] almost drowned” at a waterpark.
  • Luna’s close friend, Samantha, attempts suicide by eating pills. “After her mom fell asleep, Samantha would take a pill for every [mean] message she’d seen that day. Finishing the entire bottle — of thirty-seven pills.” Samantha spends time in the hospital and an outpatient psych program and makes a full recovery.
  • Jade thinks Axel cheated on her, so she throws a rock at him. “Axel dodged it in the nick of time. It collided with the windshield.” Axel did not cheat on Jade.
  • Axel instigates a fight with Vince, a Goldens member, after Vince joins Jade in accusing Axel of cheating on her. “Axel’s hand pulled back and curled into a fist. The blow connected with Vince’s nose, a shot so heavy that it sent him to his knees.” Vince’s nose is injured.
  • Luna and her retro friend Kilo discover dead animals littering the woods. “They lay in a small field of grass. Lifeless animals — a family of deer, sprawled in the woodlands, slain. We got closer. There was no blood, and their eyes were still open.” Luna later discovers other dead animals and figures out they’d been electrocuted.
  • Vince gropes Mimi at a party. “Vince bumped into Mimi, doing one of the lowest things you could do to someone. Because his hand drifted to the butt of her dress.” She then pushes him into the pool.
  • While trying to escape imprisonment, Luna punches one of her captors. “I throw out an elbow, connecting with a guard’s face. I hit him so hard.” It’s unclear if the guard is injured.
  • Luna notices “lacerations” on Kilo’s hands. “When his palms turned upward, I saw that the skin was all cut up and dried with blood.” He tries to hide this. Later, it’s revealed that the cuts are from burying the dead animals they found.
  • Kilo reveals that his “parents died in a car accident. We were hit by a drunk truck driver, and I was the only one who survived.”
  • Luna discovers that Vince has body dysmorphia and has been starving himself/throwing up food to lose weight for his wrestling goals. “‘I have to lose weight to qualify for the next wrestling tournament.’ Vince gagged, coughed, and suddenly threw up.” Axel knows about Vince’s issues and softly chides, “Maybe that’s true. . . but you’ve been purging yourself again, and it’s not only for wrestling.”
  • Jade tries to drug Luna in order to stop Luna from having fun at Axel’s house party because Axel started dating Luna after he broke up with Jade. When Luna finds out, she “slapped her across the face. With such force that she stumbled back and her cheek pulsed red.”
  • To help Luna escape, a character hits her captors. “And that’s when they’re both clocked over the head. With a cane. The guards stumble to the ground, knocked out cold.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Alcohol is present at many parties that are thrown and consumed by underage individuals. Drugs are used in a number of contexts, including for medicinal and harmful purposes.
  • Samantha attempts suicide via overdose by “finishing the entire bottle—of thirty-seven pills.”
  • Luna finds a video on her phone of a very drunk Samantha, which she posts on the internet. “[Samantha] was dressed like a Disney princess, but drinking like it was Pirates of Caribbean. . . I had never in my life seen a princess so wasted.”
  • Kilo throws a bottle of whiskey into the fire, but it’s unclear if he had drank from it or not. “[Kilo] approached slowly, his hands shaking with fear, holding a brown paper bag—and from it he pulled out a bottle of whiskey. . . Kilo threw the bottle into the fire.”
  • At a house party, tons of students are drinking, including Luna and her friends. When they first arrived, Luna’s retro friend, Darnell, brought them alcohol. “Darnell came flying down the spiral staircase, handing us red cups filled to the brim. ‘Some naughty hydration for my ladies,’ [Darnell said].” This party scene lasts seven pages.
  • At the house party, Samantha declines a drink because of the medication she’s taking as part of her recovery from her suicide attempt. “If I mix booze and all these pills I’m taking, I’ll probably turn into a leprechaun.”
  • When Luna heads to the Goldens’ hangout, she sees “bottles of booze” on the ground.
  • Vince cruelly jokes about Samantha’s overdose, saying, “We don’t sell pills here. At least not your type.” Samantha responds, saying, “Xanax. . . that’s what I took that night. Thirty-seven pills.”
  • At the Winter Formal Dance, a female student sneakily drinks from an alcohol flask and admits she’s tipsy before offering Luna a swing. Luna declines.
  • Jade reveals she tried to drug Luna by putting something in her drink, though Mimi ended up getting drugged because she swapped cups with Luna. “I was trying to drug Luna. . . It wasn’t a date-rape drug or anything. . . I just wanted to scare you and ruin your night.” She eventually apologizes, and Luna forgives her.

Language

  • Profanity is used rarely. The profanity includes hell, ass, damn, and bitch.
  • Bodily vulgarity is used on occasion, including the words genitalia, vagina, and penis. Ass is mostly used in this context.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Luna describes the creepy woods using a biblical comparison. “The abandoned forest was like a twisted Garden of Eden.”
  • Luna discusses the concept of Limbo in relation to the afterlife. “Traditionally, [Limbo’s] the place where souls are trapped before getting assigned to heaven or hell.”

by Sarah Leberknight

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life

Seventeen-year-old Salvador Silva enters his senior year overwhelmed by anxiety about the future. He faces typical teenage pressures—graduation, college application essays, and choosing where to attend school—but also grapples with deeper questions about his identity and growing anger at the world around him.   

His unique family situation complicates Salvador’s internal struggles. As a white teenager adopted by his gay Mexican father, he often feels caught between worlds, never quite fitting in. When classmates remind him he’s not “really” Mexican, the pain of not belonging cuts deep. This alienation intensifies when a bully named Enrique targets him, making cruel jokes about his father’s sexuality. 

The novel is written from Salvador’s point of view, allowing readers to understand his inner thoughts and struggles. This point of view also provides context about the secrets he is keeping from his friends and his dad. Although Salvador’s adoptive family’s dynamic is stable and supportive, he still struggles to control his fear and anger.  

Despite these challenges, Salvador isn’t alone. His close friends, Sam and Fito, provide crucial support, though they’re fighting their own battles with difficult family situations. The three teenagers find strength in their friendship and in Salvador’s father, who serves as a stable, caring presence in their lives. 

With guidance from his dad and his beloved grandmother, Mima, Salvador learns to navigate the transition to adulthood while processing his complex emotions about identity, belonging, and family. Together, this unconventional support system helps him and his friends find healthy ways to cope with change and discover who they want to become.  

Salvador is a relatable character who realizes that bad things happen in his life, and he must be prepared to face difficulties. This includes the death of a loved one, learning to regulate his emotions, and making choices. Salvador’s friends deal with similar issues as they struggle with dysfunctional and abusive families. Despite their difficulties, the three teenagers lean on each other for support and help one another in times of need.   

The plot of the novel is not overly complex, but it tackles very serious and heavy topics such as love, death, and identity. The Inexplicable Logic of My Life highlights the complexities of relationships between parents and their children, as well as the dynamics between friends. It also showcases the many forms of love, whether it be familial or friendship. However, the overarching theme is that family can come in many forms.   

Sexual Content  

  • Salvador’s friend Sam has an argument with her mom where her mom says, “If you don’t watch yourself, little girl, you’re going to wind up dancing around a pole, half-naked, surrounded by salivating dirty old men.”

Violence  

  • While walking home after school, Enrique approaches Salvador and says, “Your dad’s a faggot.” Salvador hits him. Salvador describes, “I remember feeling the pain in my own fist just after it hit Enrique Infante’s face. . . seeing all that blood gush from another guy’s nose made me feel alive.” Enrique has a broken nose after the incident. 
  • While getting a Coke at a gas station before school, a guy calls Salvador a “pinche gringo.” This results in another fight. Salvador “punched him. No thinking involved, just a reflex. Punched him right in the stomach. . .” There are no grave injuries. 
  • A boy calls Sam a “bitch” while Salvador is with her. “And just like that, I took a swing at him. He fell back, but my punch didn’t stop him. He put up his fists and started going for me.”  
  • Salvador witnesses a group of boys bullying a classmate and intervenes. “. . . I had this guy by the collar and was shoving him against a chain-link fence. I was right in his face and I was telling him, ‘I’m gonna kick your ass from here to Canada.’” 
  • Salvador’s friend, Fito, gets kicked out of his home after not allowing his mom to steal his money. He says, “[My mother] had this demonic look on her face, and then she just starts hitting me and saying all sorts of shit.” 
  • Salvador threatens Sam’s ex-boyfriend after seeing them speaking post-breakup. Sam slaps Salvador to get him to back off. “That’s when I felt Sam’s slap. She slapped me so hard I fell back.” 
  • Upon hearing the news of his mom’s death, “Fito started hitting himself. I mean, he was punching the hell out of his chest . . . and he wouldn’t stop hitting himself.” 
  • During Fito’s mom’s funeral service, Fito and Salvador get into a violent fight with Fito’s brothers after they insult Salvador’s dad. “Fito had his brother on the floor and was punching his lights out. And then his two other brothers jumped in. . . next thing I knew, I’d joined the fight, and I was pulling one of Fito’s brothers off him and I was punching him in the stomach – then in the face. . .” Fito has to go to the ER for his injuries afterward, but no one else is seriously injured. 
  • In a letter left for Salvador by his late biological mother, she states, “[Your biological father] slapped me with the back of his hand and sent me flying.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Fito’s mom and brothers struggle with drug addiction. “[They] had all dropped out of school in favor of mood-altering substances, following in their mother’s footsteps. When I met [Fito’s] mother, her eyes had been bloodshot and glazed over, and her hair was all stringy and she smelled bad.” 
  • Salvador’s dad smokes on their back porch multiple times.  
  • Sam’s mother dies in a car accident because she drove under the influence. 
  • Salvador’s father tells Sam, “When you and [Salvador] were about six years old, your mother got arrested for driving while intoxicated.”  
  • Salvador remarks that “Fito lives in a crack house.” 
  • Sam and Salvador drink two bottles of wine while his dad is away. Salvador says, “I wanted to know what it felt like to be drunk.” 
  • Salvador’s uncle offers Fito and Sam beer. Sam and Fito drink it, but Salvador does not. 
  • Fito’s mom dies, and the newspaper reports it as “an apparent drug overdose.”  
  • At his grandmother’s funeral, Salvador drinks, “chugging three beers on an empty stomach . . . no bueno.”  
  • In a letter left for Salvador by his late mother, she describes her younger days. “I was an incredibly self-destructive young woman. I loved to party, I loved to drink, and I loved drugs.” She also states, “I got hooked on alcohol and cocaine.”

Language  

  • There is heavy cursing in both English and Spanish, as well as the use of homophobic slurs. Profanity includes faggot, fuck, fucking, shit, puto, pinche, bitch, cabrón, maricón, pocho, etc. 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Salvador, his dad, and Sam state they are attending Mass to appease Salvador’s dying grandmother.  
  • Salvador mentions that his grandmother is Catholic. He says, “I didn’t consider myself a very serious Catholic. I mean, my dad was gay, and the Catholic Church was not big on gay people.” 
  • When his grandmother is sick, Salvador “took out my rosary and prayed. Mima had given it to me when I made my First Communion.” 
  • Salvador thinks about religion, but “I didn’t care about sin or about God.” 

by Gabie Rivas

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

As a member of one of the wealthiest families in the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is destined for greatness. At the top of his class, Coriolanus excels in his studies at the Academy, charming students and faculty alike. But underneath this guise of wealth and class, Coriolanus hides a shocking secret. The Snows are broke; their fortune lost due to the war that plagued Coriolanus’s childhood. If anyone discovered the Snows’s true financial situation, they would be disgraced. But Coriolanus sees a path to success. The 10th annual Hunger Games, a televised competition in which children from the twelve districts that serve the Capitol are selected to fight to the death, is approaching. If Coriolanus successfully mentors the winning tribute in the Games, he will win a prize great enough to pay his university tuition.  

When Coriolanus is assigned to mentor the female tribute from District 12, his hopes of winning the prize diminish. Nobody from District 12, the poorest and most downtrodden of the districts, has ever won the Games. But when Coriolanus’s tribute, Lucy Gray, enthralls the audience by serenading them shortly after being selected to compete in the Games, Coriolanus holds out hope that he can put her on a path to victory. As affections grow between Lucy Gray and Coriolanus, Coriolanus must decide how far he is willing to go to protect her and win the prize. Despite the bloodshed and brutality, will the Hunger Games offer Coriolanus a chance at power, wealth, and love? Or will the pressure send Coriolanus down a path of destruction? 

Coriolanus is a deeply complex character that will have readers rooting for him against their better judgment, as fans know that this character will grow up to be the main villain in the Hunger Games trilogy. Initially, Coriolanus is motivated by a desire to provide for his family and have a successful career. He is shown as being caring toward his cousin and grandmother, although there are hints that a darker side to him lurks beneath the surface. As the story progresses, this darkness becomes more apparent as Coriolanus reveals himself to be callous, calculated, and manipulative. Behind his generous acts lies a calculated effort to cultivate his public persona and climb the ladder of success. Eventually, Coriolanus has fallen so far that he kills and betrays his own loved ones to benefit himself. Readers will find themselves disturbed by Coriolanus but will be interested in seeing this gifted boy with great potential transform into a corrupt and cruel man. 

The story of Coriolanus’s fall from grace and rise to power is driven by interesting supporting characters. Coriolanus is drawn to Lucy Gray, who looms large at the center of this tale, showcasing her talents, wit, and will to survive through her actions both within and outside the Hunger Games arena. Lucy Gray serves as a foil to Coriolanus, as her free spirit and creativity contrast with his rigidity and reliance on order. Coriolanus’s treatment of Lucy Gray reveals flaws within his character, such as how he treats her as a means to an end and believes that he can control her. Much like the fictional audiences within the book, readers will be charmed by Lucy Gray. 

Coriolanus is often irritated by his classmate Sejanus Plinth, a rebellious and emotional boy who, much to Coriolanus’s dismay, is characterized by his sympathy for the tributes and the districts, and his anti-Capitol ideals. At the Academy, Coriolanus is tormented by the jaded Dean Highbottom, who seems to be the only faculty member not to have fallen for Coriolanus’s charms, and the sinister Dr. Gaul, who delights in creating mutated animals. These characters help to drive Coriolanus’s decisions and behavior, while serving as a unique contrast to Coriolanus himself.   

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is centered around human nature and asks if humanity is inherently good or inherently evil. Opposing viewpoints are presented, as Sejanus believes that the tributes behave brutally in the arena due to their circumstances, while Dr. Gaul insists that mankind is inherently violent. Coriolanus’s opinion on this matter shifts as Dr. Gaul mentors him. This debate relates to questions about whether the Capitol should exercise the amount of power it currently holds. Sejanus believes that the Capitol is cruel and oppressive to the districts, while Dr. Gaul believes the people living in the districts are naturally brutal and must be controlled. While reading this novel, readers will consider both viewpoints and explore why each character has certain beliefs.  

While The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes can be read independently, fans of The Hunger Games trilogy will appreciate familiar surnames and settings like the Capitol and District 12. Set 64 years before the original series, this prequel introduces new characters while maintaining Suzanne Collins’s distinctive style—though uniquely written in third person rather than first. Unlike the survival-focused original trilogy, this novel centers on power and perception as Coriolanus obsesses over his family’s reputation and control. The book matches the trilogy’s tone and maturity level, though its large cast of characters may challenge some readers.  

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an entertaining and shocking novel that promotes introspection. The moral and philosophical questions raised in this novel will stick with readers, as will the engaging plot and characters. Longtime fans will be interested to see the nefarious President Snow, portrayed as a young protagonist, rise to power. At the same time, new readers will be enthralled with this fast-paced plunge into the Hunger Games universe. This is a must-read novel that teaches important lessons about the dangers of complicity, violence, and selfishness. It encourages readers to think outside their comfort zone and consider new perspectives. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an interesting, memorable, and important installment in the Hunger Games series. 

Sexual Content  

  • Before Lucy Gray goes into the arena, Coriolanus and Lucy Gray say goodbye. They share a kiss. Coriolanus describes it as “a real kiss on the lips, with hints of peaches and powder. The feel of her mouth, soft and warm against his own, sent sensations surging through his body.” 
  • After Coriolanus and Lucy Gray reunite in District 12, they kiss. “Then, almost shyly, she kissed him, sending shock waves through his body.”
  • Lucy Gray and Coriolanus kiss a few more times during scenes they share together. The kisses are described simply. For example, “She greeted him at the back door with a kiss.”

Violence  

  • The mayor of District 12 hits Lucy Gray in the face after she slips a snake down his daughter’s dress. The mayor “made a beeline for [Lucy Gray], and struck her in the face so powerfully that she was knocked to her knees.” The mayor attempts to hit her again, but is stopped, and Lucy Gray recovers. 
  • During the war, Coriolanus witnessed his neighbor cut the leg off a maid’s corpse. Coriolanus watched as his neighbor “carved the leg from the maid, sawing back and forth with a terrifying knife until the limb came free. He wrapped it in the skirt he ripped from her waist and then bolted down the street that led to the back of his townhouse.” The neighbor and his family ate the leg. 
  • Coriolanus gets into a fight with a boy as they are riding in a truck together. “The boy’s hands came up fast, encircling Coriolanus’s throat with his long, scarred fingers and slamming him back. His forearms pinned Coriolanus’s body against the bars. Overpowered, Coriolanus resorted to the one move that had yet to fail him in schoolyard scuffles, driving his knee up hard into his opponent’s crotch.” The boy releases Coriolanus, and the fight stops. Both boys are unharmed.   
  • Coriolanus’s classmate, Arachne, taunts the tribute with food, so the tribute kills her. “Coriolanus could see the tribute’s face darkening, the muscles tightening in her neck. He could see something else, too. Her fingers sliding down the bar, darting out, circling the handle of the knife . . . In one movement, the tribute yanked Arachne forward and slit her throat.”  
  • After a tribute kills Arachne, Peacekeepers shoot the tribute. “The bullets pierced her body, slamming her into the bars. She slipped into a heap as her blood commingled with Arachne’s.” 
  • Coriolanus’s friend, Clemensia, is bitten many times after she is asked to retrieve papers from a tank full of snakes. Clemensia “yanked her hand from the tank, but not before half a dozen neon snakes sank their fangs into her flesh.” The venom from the snakes makes Clemensia very ill, but after several weeks, she recovers. 
  • While the mentors and tributes are touring the arena where the Hunger Games will take place, bombs go off. “Burning debris rained down on [Coriolanus]. Something struck his head hard, and the heavy weight of the beam landed diagonally across his back, pinning him to the ground.” Lucy Gray helps free Coriolanus from under the beam, and he recovers from his injuries.  The bombs kill several people. 
  • Marcus, a tribute who escaped from captivity before the Hunger Games began, is recaptured and beaten. He is chained to a beam in the arena, visible to viewers before the start of the Games. “At the center of the structure, Marcus hung from manacled wrists, so battered and bloody that at first Coriolanus thought they were displaying his corpse. Then Marcus’s swollen lips began to move, showing his broken teeth and leaving little doubt he was still alive.” He remains chained to the beam as the Games begin.  
  • A tribute named Lamina kills Marcus, presumably out of mercy. Lamina “swung down, and drove the ax blade into the curved side of Marcus’s neck. Once. Twice. And on the third time, in a spray of blood, she succeeded in killing him.”  
  • A tribute named Dill dies of tuberculosis. “Dill’s body convulsed with a final, violent bout of coughing, and a gush of blood soaked her filthy dress.” 
  • Sejanus, upset with Marcus’s death, goes into the arena. Coriolanus is sent in to retrieve Sejanus. While in the arena, Bobbin, a tribute, attacks Coriolanus. Coriolanus “spun around just in time to see Bobbin bringing down his knife. The blade glanced off his body armor and sliced his left upper arm.” Coriolanus retaliates: “Coriolanus’s fingers closed around a two-by-four, and he brought it up, catching Bobbin in the temple hard, sending him to his knees. And then he was on his feet, using the board like a club, bringing it down again and again without being sure where it made contact.” Coriolanus beats Bobbin to death with the board, and he and Sejanus escape the arena. 
  • A tribute named Coral kills another tribute with a trident. “After a brief chase along the bleachers . . . Coral killed her with a trident to the throat.” 
  • A tribute named Jessup contracts rabies and attacks Lucy Gray. To deter him, Coriolanus and his friend send bottles of water into the arena using drones. “Jessup froze, and his eyes bulged with fear. As the drones closed in on him, he pawed at them but failed to connect. When they started releasing the bottles of water, he lost all control. Explosive devices could not have elicited a stronger response, and the impact of the bottles smacking into the seats whipped him into a frenzy.” As Jessup tries to evade the bottles, he falls over the edge of a wall. “The sound of snapping bones that accompanied his landing surprised the audience, as Jessup had landed in a rare pocket of the arena with good audio.” The fall kills Jessup. 
  • Coral kills Lamina during a fight. “After Lamina managed to block the first few jabs with her ax, Coral wove the trident in a twisting move that distracted the eye before it plunged into her opponent’s abdomen.”  
  • Coral kills a tribute by stabbing him in the back with a trident. “Coral drove the second trident into his back.” 
  • A tribute named Wovey dies after drinking a poisoned bottle of water. “After a few gulps she sank back against the wall and gave a small belch. A thin stream of silverish liquid trickled out the side of her mouth and then she went still.  
  • Venomous snakes bite a tribute named Circ. “Circ stumbled over a rusty, old spear and the snakes overtook him. A dozen pairs of fangs pierced his body. . . Circ struggled to breathe for about ten seconds before he died.” 
  • A tribute named Mizzen is swarmed by malfunctioning drones while he stands on a beam high above the ground. Because of this, “he lost his balance and plummeted toward the ground, snapping his neck sideways on contact.” Mizzen dies from the fall. 
  • A tribute named Teslee is killed by another tribute that sneaks up on her with an ax. Teslee’s attacker “seemed to appear out of thin air, making a gigantic leap into the frame and bringing his ax down on Teslee in one fell swoop. She had barely taken a step when the blade connected with her skull, splitting it open and killing her instantly.” 
  • A tribute attacks Lucy Gray with an ax, and she defends herself by putting a venomous snake on him. When the tribute noticed the snake, he “tore something from the back of his neck. His hand shot into the air, fingers gripped tightly around the bright pink snake. Then he collapsed to his knees and smashed it into the ground, again and again, until he fell dead in the dirt, the lifeless snake still clutched in his fist.” Lucy Gray escapes unharmed. The tribute and the snake die.    
  • A man named Arlo was hanged because he killed three people. “The clap of the trapdoor release and subsequent twang of the rope cut him off mid-word, drawing a gasp from the crowd. Arlo dropped fifteen feet and seemed to die instantly.” 
  • The mayor of District 12’s daughter, Mayfair, overhears a group of people conspiring to run away with stolen weapons. Thinking that she will turn the group in, Coriolanus shoots and kills Mayfair. “Coriolanus reflexively reached for the Peacekeeper rifle and fired toward Mayfair’s voice. She gave a cry, and there was the sound of her collapsing to the floor.” 
  • After Mayfair is killed, her boyfriend, Billy Taupe, becomes violent. . . “Without hesitating, Spruce shot Billy Taupe through the chest. The blast carried him backward, and he crumpled to the floor.” 
  • It is discovered that Sejanus was conspiring to free a woman from prison. “As the drumroll began, Coriolanus squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could block out the sound as well. But he heard it all. Sejanus’s cry, the bang of the trapdoors, and the [birds] picking up Sejanus’s last word, screaming it over and over into the dazzling sun.” 
  • Snakes bite Coriolanus. “He’d just registered the snake when it struck, uncoiling like a spring and digging its teeth into [his] forearm.” Coriolanus recovers from the snakebite. 
  • Coriolanus, thinking that Lucy Gray is going to kill him, tries to shoot her. “He estimated her to be about ten yards away, lifted the rifle to his shoulder, and released a spray of bullets in her direction.” Her fate is left ambiguous, and both the reader and Coriolanus are unsure if she is alive or dead after this attack. 
  • Coriolanus kills Dean Highbottom by mixing rat poison in a painkiller called morphling and leaving it for Highbottom to use. “There was nothing to make Dean Highbottom suspicious of [the morphling] when he pulled it from the trash and slipped it into his pocket. Nothing when he unscrewed the dropper and dripped the morphling onto his tongue.”    

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Coriolanus drinks a sip of posca at a school banquet. Posca is “a concoction of watery wine laced with honey and herbs.”  
  • Dean Highbottom is addicted to morphling. Coriolanus notices that Highbottom is under the influence of the drug at a school banquet. Coriolanus says Highbottom “presented himself to the students with all the verve of a sleepwalker, dreamy-eyed and, as usual, doped up with morphling.” 
  • Coriolanus and his friends trade baked goods for a bottle of moonshine. “They ended up in possession of a quart bottle of clear liquid so potent the stuff made their eyes water.” 
  • Lucy Gray and her band play in the market, and the audience is described as “companionably drunk.” 

Language    

  • After she is selected to compete in the Hunger Games, Lucy Gray sings a song that includes the line “you can kiss my ass.” 

Supernatural  

  • Lucy Gray and her band perform a song about a girl, and it is ambiguous if the girl is alive, dead, or a ghost. After Coriolanus hears this song, he thinks, “Oh, a ghost story.”

Spiritual Content  

  • None

by Kelly Barker 

Savvy

When a child in Mibs Beaumont’s family turns thirteen, they gain a savvy, an inherited superpower that can range from mundane to magnificent, such as her mother embodying effortless perfection or her brother creating life-threatening hurricanes. With no idea what her savvy will be, Mibs needs all the support she can get, but just two days before her thirteenth birthday, a car crash changes everything.  

Suddenly, Mibs’ dad is in a coma, and her mom is out of state watching over him, leaving Mibs without parental support on her big day. But in her darkest moment, Mibs’ thirteenth birthday brings the solution to all her problems. Her savvy is to wake people up. Convinced only she can save her dad, Mibs will do anything to reach him as soon as possible. Mibs becomes a secret stowaway in the back of a delivery driver’s van, along with her brothers, Fish and Samson, and her neighbors, Bobbi and Will Junior.  

But as she travels across the country, Mibs realizes she may be in over her head, and her savvy may be another power entirely. While her father’s health may be out of her control, the journey teaches Mibs more about herself and her personal relationships with others. She feels like an outsider in her small town, but maybe she is just looking for belonging in the wrong place.  

Mibs is a brave and headstrong young girl, determined to save her dad no matter what obstacle stands in her way. However, in pursuit of her goals, she occasionally makes dangerous and ill-conceived choices. For example, Mibs hitchhikes a ride in the back of a stranger’s van without telling any adults. While the driver, Lester, turns out to be a good person, Mibs did not know that at the time. Readers may disapprove of her reckless decision-making, as her actions could have endangered not just herself, but also her brothers and neighbors. However, considering the stress of her situation and her naiveté at such a young age, Mibs remains a deeply sympathetic character that is easy to root for. 

Will is a year older than Mibs and serves as her love interest. In contrast to Mibs’ classmates, who often tease and isolate her, Will does not make Mibs feel strange and “freakish.” Instead, he makes her feel rather special and gifted. He is kind and clearly has romantic feelings for Mibs. Even when she feels too young to reciprocate, Will accepts the rejection in stride and remains positive and supportive, teaching readers the importance of accepting others’ boundaries.  

Will’s older sister, Bobbi, fills a somewhat antagonistic role. She is a stereotypical angry teen, prone to lashing out at others without justification. For example, she makes fun of Mibs’ birthday dress and kicks Fish. While her antics may annoy some readers, Bobbi has occasional moments of vulnerability, such as thinking about her loneliness, that make her rebellious nature come off as insecurity rather than genuine meanness. Readers will learn to not judge someone by their appearance because they may be going through hidden struggles.   

Savvy is told from Mibs’ point of view. She acts like an authentic thirteen-year-old, who occasionally makes misjudgments that the reader will know are wrong long before Mib catches up. For example, Mibs hears Bobbi’s thoughts, and it becomes clear her savvy is not “waking others” but mind reading. Yet, for a significant chunk of the book, Mibs ignores the evidence in favor of what she wants to believe. Despite her good intentions, Mibs ends up accomplishing the opposite of her goal – to protect her family. The desire to help a loved one clouds her judgment, ironically putting more loved ones (her brother and friends) in danger. 

While Mibs’ personal relationships are the heart of the book and keep the reader emotionally invested in the story, they are not the main focus. Savvy is a journey of self-discovery. Mibs learns what her power is, both in terms of her savvy and her independence. For a book about superpowers, the stakes are relatively low. Instead, the conflict derives from a much more intimate, personal scale, allowing the reader to understand Savvy’s characters better. Savvy feels like a realistic, grounded portrayal of how a family would handle superpowers. They go about their daily lives, occasionally receiving assistance and experiencing societal ostracization along the way, but they are mostly normal people.  

This book has won the Newbery Honor and was a runner-up for the Indian Paintbrush Book Award, with its success extending to two spin-off books. Although this book was published in 2010, it remains relevant today due to its timeless story. Through a flawed yet compassionate protagonist, Savvy tackles mature themes, such as the loss of a parent. He demonstrates a girl growing into herself while avoiding the pitfalls of growing up too quickly.  

Sexual Content    

  • Will Junior has a crush on Mibs, as seen through his attentiveness. For example, Mibs observes that “Will always seemed to be walking on our heels or watching us when he was supposed to be praying. One time he even gave me his own cup of juice.”  
  • Likewise, Mibs has a crush on Will Junior, as seen through her jealousy. Mibs states that she doesn’t “like the way Ashley kept staring at Will, or the way her staring at him bothered” her.  Ashley is Mibs’ mean classmate.  
  • In a pool, Will Junior kisses Mibs, then her brother asks Will to stop. Mibs describes, “Then [Will Junior] moved forward and his lips touched mine, quick and awkward with the taste of chlorine and salt, like maybe he’d just slipped and bumped his face into mine accidentally.”  
  • Mibs later tells Will Junior that she likes him, too, but is unwilling to be in a relationship due to their age. He supports her decision and decides to wait for her.  
  • Will Junior was born out of wedlock and then secretly raised by his grandparents. Mibs describes, “I might have been wrong in believing that Will Junior was Bobbi’s brother. Will had a secret. Now I knew his secret.”  

Violence    

  • After drawing on Will Junior’s hand, Mibs discovers that when ink touches a person’s skin, she can read their mind. Mibs panics, so Fish attacks Will Junior. Fish “spun him around, clocking him hard and fast in the eye with his fist. . . Bobbi joined the scuffle, climbing over the seats and throwing herself at Fish, scratching his cheek with her fingernails.” The fight ends when Fish finally understands why Mibs is scared and spits “a big, thick wad of juicy spit right into Will Junior’s hand. ‘Eww, man!’ Will hollered out in disgust.” The comedically chaotic fight lasts three pages, with no characters getting injured aside from scrapes and bruises. 
  • The group takes a detour at a restaurant, where they encounter the manager, Ozzie, being rude to one of the waitresses. After Ozzie fires the waitress and throws her final paycheck across the ground, Samson “leaned forward from his hidey-hole behind the counter and bit The Great and Powerful Ozzie hard on the leg.” The extent of Ozzie’s injuries is unknown, as the group immediately flees the scene. However, Samson’s mouth is not bloody, so readers can assume they were superficial.  

  Drugs and Alcohol    

  • None 

Language   

  •  None   

Supernatural   

  • Mibs and her family have supernatural abilities. For example, Mibs can read minds and Fish can create storms. Mibs once reads Will Junior’s mind, where he hints at having a secret.   

Spiritual Content    

  • The van driver, Lester, delivers Bibles, and Will Junior’s grandfather is a pastor.   
  • Overwhelmed with her new savvy, Mibs begs God to take it away. “I tried making a deal with God. I vowed that I would eat my green beans without complaint. . . If only I could stop hearing voices when someone nearby had ink on their skin.”   

by Kerry Lum   

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