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Mayday at Two Thousand Five Hundred

Fourteen-year-old Jay Cooper is enjoying the view from his Uncle Rex’s Cessna when a low-flying 757 speeds past them. Caught in its wind turbulence, their small plane is shaken violently, knocking Rex unconscious and leaving Jay blind from a head injury.

With fuel running out fast, Jay drifting in and out of consciousness, and the plane heading straight for a mountain range, this high-flying adventure shows the importance of faith as Jay faces numerous unseen dangers.

Mayday at Two Thousand Five Hundred is an exciting survival story that shows how one teen’s bravery allows him to survive a dangerous situation. The story focuses on Jay, who is blinded when his plane is caught up in wind turbulence. Despite his injury, Jay stays calm. When Jay is instructed to crash land the plane into Puget Sound, he realizes that he is unlikely to survive, and his uncle will surely die. Despite this, Jay believes that God “knows what’s best. We just have to put ourselves in His hands and let Him take it where He wants to take it.” Jay is only able to succeed because his trust in God allows him to focus on the situation at hand, and not be consumed by what-if questions. Jay’s determination to safely land the plane and save his uncle’s life is admirable.

Even though much of the story focuses on Jay’s conflict, there are many people who guide Jay. When another pilot witnesses the accident, the pilot follows Jay’s plane to give Jay directions, so he does not crash. Jay is also in contact with air traffic control, his father, and other members of his family. The media also appears and broadcasts Jay’s dilemma. The varying points of view create suspense as well as highlight the unknown dangers that Jay must face. Readers will get caught up in the story’s drama and will root for Jay to successfully land the plane. 

Mayday at Two Thousand Five Hundred is a suspenseful story that will capture the reader’s attention from the very start. While the story highlights Jay’s trust in God, the lesson is integrated into the story and never feels preachy. Readers will be biting their nails wondering what new difficulty Jay will have to overcome. Fans of survival stories should put Mayday at Two Thousand Five Hundred at the top of their reading list. Readers who are eager to read more survival stories should also read the classic book, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and The Raft by S.A. Bodeen.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • Several of the characters pray short prayers. For example, when Chuck sees his friend’s plane begin to spiral, he prays, “Dear Lord, please wake him up, nudge him, get him on the controls.”

Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen

Eight-year-old Jasmine Toguchi is a flamingo fan, tree climber, and top-notch mess-maker!

She’s also tired of her big sister, Sophie, always getting to do things first. For once, Jasmine wishes SHE could do something before Sophie—something special, something different. The New Year approaches, and as the Toguchi family gathers in Los Angeles to celebrate, Jasmine is jealous that her sister gets to help roll mochi balls by hand with the women. Her mom says that Jasmine is still too young to join in, so Jasmine hatches a plan to help the men pound the mochi rice instead. Surely her sister has never done THAT before.

But pounding mochi is traditionally reserved for boys. And the mochi hammer is heavier than it looks. Can Jasmine build her case and her mochi-making muscles in time for New Year’s Day? 

Jasmine is determined to prove that she is strong enough to pound mochi. In order to get her wish, she comes up with some unique and silly ways to get more muscles. However, Jasmine will also need to convince her family to break tradition — after all, pounding mochi is only for boys who are ten years or older. While Jasmine appeals to her father, he doesn’t give her a quick answer. Instead, before making his decision, he talks to the other family members to get their approval. In the end, Jasmine discovers that pounding mochi takes a lot of strength and hard work. She’s disappointed that she was only able to lift the heavy hammer one time. Despite this, Jasmine’s family showers her with praise because “you’re the first under-ten-year-old and the first girl to pound mochi in our family.”  

The story is accessible to fluent readers who are ready for a book with multiple plots. Black and white illustrations appear every two to three pages and show Jasmine’s daily life. Many of the illustrations show the characters’ facial expressions, which will help readers understand the characters’ emotions. Another positive aspect of the story is that difficult words are explained within the text. For example, Jasmine explains that her mom is an editor. “An editor reads other people’s work and fixes the words.” For more fun, the back of the book has a recipe for microwave mochi. Even though Jasmine Toguchi is a series, the books do not need to be read in order because each book focuses on a new storyline.  

Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen is an entertaining chapter book that teaches the importance of controlling one’s emotions. For instance, Jasmine has a cousin named Eddie, who often teases her. To control her anger, Jasmine uses a counting strategy that works…most of the time. Jasmine can do this because her family members have taught her healthy communication skills. 

Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen will encourage readers to work towards a goal — even those that seem unlikely to happen. Because the story focuses on Jasmine, young readers will feel as if they have made a new friend. Readers will also adore Jasmine’s spunky attitude and understand her determination to do something before her sister. In the end, Jasmine is an admirable character not because she has muscles, but because, “You’re strong. . . You believe in something and you don’t let anyone change your mind.”  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Eddie makes fun of Jasmine, she “forgot to count to ten again. My foot flew out from under me and kicked the ball. Smack! It pounded Eddie in the back.” Afterwards, Eddie leaves the room. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Jasmine’s cousin Eddie is mean to her. He calls her “Jasmine Pee” and says she’s a weakling. 
  • When Jasmine ignores Eddie, he asks, “Are you so dumb you can’t make conversation?” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None

The Miracle of the First Poinsettia

It is la Noche Buena, Christmas Eve, and soon festivities will be taking place in the mountain village that is Juanita’s home. But as she wanders through the colorful marketplace, Juanita feels lonely and sad. This year, her father is out of work, and their family has no pesos for parties or gifts. How can she enter the church for midnight mass with nothing—not even the tiniest present—to give to the baby Christ Child?

As her family prepares for the holiday, Juanita is embarrassed that she doesn’t have a gift to present to the baby Christ Child. However, when an angel statue speaks to Juanita, the young girl trusts the angel and plucks the weeds from around the statue. At first, Juanita was “frightened and confused. She wondered how she could bring such plain weeds to the Baby Jesus.” However, Juanita follows the angel’s instructions and takes the weeds into the church. As Juanita walks down the aisle, the weeds miraculously turn into poinsettia flowers, which today grow in abundance in Mexico.

The Miracle of the First Poinsettia explains the story behind the first Poinsettia. Each illustration uses the dark red tone of the flower to bring traditional Old-World Mexico to life. Even though the illustrations are enchanting, young readers will have a difficult time sitting still through the entire story. Because of the text-heavy pages, which have up to 15 complex sentences, parents will need to read the book to their children. To highlight Mexican culture, Spanish words are used within the text. Each Spanish word appears in italics and a glossary appears at the back of the book to aid non-Spanish speakers. 

The Miracle of the First Poinsettia is a beautiful story about the wonder of Christmas. At first, Juanita focuses on the gift-giving traditions. Even though Juanita does not have a gift to give, her mother reminds her, “Ah, mi hija, you give gifts all the time. You gave your galletas to your brothers. You sang songs for Papá. You bring such joy. To us, you are a gift!” Through her difficulties, Juanita learns that “a gift from the heart is the best gift of all.”

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • The story focuses on the Christmas season and the miracle of the first poinsettia.

Heroes of the Water Monster

Edward isn’t sure about this whole “step-brother” thing, especially now that his dad is moving in with his girlfriend and her preteen son, Nathan. Their new place in Arizona may be nice, but relocating is already hard enough due to their family’s Navajo—also known as Diné—heritage. According to the Diné, children lose communication with the Holy Beings once they hit puberty, and Nathan’s already started the process of becoming a man. For most people, this is part of growing older, but Nathan has become the guardian of a young water monster named Dew. Nathan’s ability to see her is fading, so he quickly has to entrust Dew’s care to Edward.  

To make matters more complicated, Dew’s older sister, a powerful water monster named Yitoo, is coming to The Fourth World—Earth—to teach Dew the traditional songs of the water monsters. Having been away in the Third World for nearly 150 years, Yitoo’s return is ruined when she discovers that something is wrong in the Fourth World. The waters from her river are depleted and the environment is suffering. Alongside Dew, Edward, and Nathan, Yitoo travels the length of her river to find the source of the cutoff. To her dismay, the city of Pheonix, Arizona has redirected her river to service the population’s waterparks, golf courses, and sprinkler systems. This frivolous use of her precious resource prompts her to vow revenge on humankind. 

Together, Dew, Edward, and Nathan team up to stop Yitoo from using her water monster power to unleash a massive hurricane on the Phoenix area. They meet other creatures and people from Diné creation stories who give them advice and special gear for their final confrontation. Eventually, the team of friends is able to stop Yitoo before she can punish humanity. As Nathan sees Dew, Yitoo, and the other Holy Beings for the last time before growing up, he and Edward promise to keep their Diné heritage alive and work towards a future where humans treat the natural world with respect.  

Heroes of the Water Monster’s plot is a straightforward save-the-world type of story, but the traveling between different worlds and mythical creatures can be confusing at times. As for the narrators, the story switches between the perspectives of Nathan and Edward. Nathan’s point of view is more mature and forgiving towards others, while Edward is more impulsive and childish. Edward is also half Diné, half white, which creates interesting tension as he struggles with his mixed identity. The difference between the narrators gives a unique perspective on the events of the story, especially when Edward and Nathan disagree on whether or not to help Yitoo. Because Edward and Nathan are both likable and thoughtful narrators, the reader understands why each boy feels the way they do. Despite their different ages, both Edward and Nathan had valuable input and opinions on the story’s events. 

Heroes of the Water Monster is an interesting tale filled with many cultural references. If readers have no prior experience with Navajo/Diné culture, this story may be a bit difficult to read. However, in order to understand the story, some readers may need to use the glossary provided at the end of the book.  

The main theme of Heroes of the Water Monster is generational trauma, which is showcased through the water monster Yitoo. While Yitoo is the villain in the end of the story, she is also Edward and Nathan’s friend. She has lived for hundreds of years, which means that she lived through the forced relocation of the Diné. She exhibits the rage that displaced people experience when they are horribly mistreatment and the destruction of the sacred environment they once called home.  

At first, Edward and Nathan don’t know if they have a right to stop Yitoo, but they realize that they have a shared history, and a shared future, too. While they may not be the legendary Twin Heroes who defeated fearsome creatures of legend in Diné stories, they do have the power to impact the world their descendants will inherit. A Holy Being advises Nathan and Edward that, “It stands to reason that a Modern Enemy would surrender to Modern Heroes.” 

Thus, the modern heroes, Edward and Nathan, work to convince Yitoo and themselves that they can’t hold the current population responsible for what their ancestors did. A better future isn’t achieved through revenge, but by educating and making changes for the better. Edward, Nathan, Yitoo, and Dew all have to grapple with their identity and the painful past that comes with it. In order to heal, they have to accept the past as part of their identity and use their grief in constructive ways. Edward’s father says, “We Diné, like all Indigenous Nations, have a past filled with heartbreak and devastation. But we also have a brilliant, shining future.” 

Sexual Content  

  • Janet, Nathan’s Mom, and Ted, Edward’s Dad, greet each other. “Janet . . . walked into [Ted’s] arms. They kissed.”   

Violence  

  • Occasionally, the Diné’s forced relocation is discussed. These stories mention some of the abuse, murder, torture, and death of the Diné at the hands of the U.S. government. One story mentions two brothers whose parents were killed in front of them. “From the cornfield, the boys saw their dad arguing with a soldier. The other solider pointed their rifles at the mom and dad. . . [They] covered their eyes but still heard the loud shots.”  
  • After killing their parents, the soldiers kill all their livestock and force the boys to walk to Fort Defiance, Arizona where they are imprisoned. They were almost fed poison, but were saved by a handful of nurses who tossed their food on the ground. “[Those] who had eaten the rations became deathly ill. . . The sick were left to die. . . The rest were forced to march in many long lines eastward. . .” 
  • On the trail, there was more hardship and death. Those who fell behind were killed. Elderly, young kids, and even pregnant women. The Diné were also forced to swim across a river, and one of the brothers drowns. “The elderly and the young people around them struggled against the strong current. . . A sound more disturbing than the screaming of the drowning grew. It was silence. Many bodies sank beneath, did not rise again, and drifted downriver. Halfway across, the river took [the] younger brother.” 
  • Yitoo describes her perspective of the aforementioned story: the forced relocation of the Diné crossing her river. “One by one, the Diné walked down the hill and into the river. The elderly and youth struggled around the strong current. Blankets of water smothered them. I did my best to calm the waters. But I couldn’t sing. I was too shocked at everything around me. . . A curtain of bubbles arose from all the violent thrashing of the drowning. Their screams quieted. Their bodies became cold. When I’m alone, I still hear their screams. When I sleep, I dream of the faces of those who sank beneath the river and did not rise again.” 
  • When Nathan and Drew try to stop Yitto from attacking Phoenix, Yitoo attacks them with her water. “A rope of water wrapped around [Nathan’s] waist and Dew’s neck and pulled them into the crater. Warm water invaded every atom of Nathan’s being. . . He couldn’t stop the invisible force yanking his waist. . . Just then, Dew appeared in front of him. With a mighty jaw snap near his belly button, she severed the pull.”  
  • Edward, Nathan, and Dew are attacked by a Guardian when visiting a sacred mountain that takes the shape of a mountain lion. The Guardians are creatures meant to protect the mountains from intruders. “Edward yelled in horror as in seconds a mountain lion with velvet fur, the color of sunflower petals, had already snuck up on them. It leaped into the air and landed in front of them with an earthquaking thud. . .  Its tree-thick tail slammed into Nathan’s chest, sending him flying yards away from them. The Guardian lifted a paw and slapped Dew across her jaw. Dew dizzily walked forward and then was pinned under the Guardian’s other paw. . . Then the most horrifying thing happened. The Guardian bit down into the back of Dew’s neck. Dew squealed a blood-curdling wail that made Edward nauseous. Dew’s body went completely silent and limp.” Dew survives.  
  • The final fight between Edward, Dew, Nathan, and Yitoo lasts nearly 30 pages. Much of the confrontation is conversation, but it does get violent when Yitoo fights back against Edward, Nathan, and Dew. Yitoo has impenetrable armor that protects her for the majority of the fight, but the armor is weakened when the boys use one of the Sacred Arrows against her, and it breaks open a spot in Yitoo’s armor that Edward stabs. “Edward jabbed the tip of the knife against Yitoo. Immediately, ribbons of lightning raced across Yitoo’s body. They covered her entire body from head to tail, shoulders to toes, and entered her throat as she howled in pain. Even if she wasn’t his favorite Holy Being, [Edward] hated hearing how much pain she was in. Still, he held the knife on to her. More and more bolts of lightning raced from the tip of the knife throughout her massive body. But finally, after a few seconds that felt like an hour of seeing Yitoo squirm and spasm, the lightning disappeared and her entire body fell against the ocean, creating one last final wave. . . Yitoo lay limp, and smoke emerged from her mouth.” This does not kill Yitoo, and she is exiled to the Fifth World.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Nathan’s Uncle Jet, who is briefly mentioned, deals with PTSD which led to his alcoholism and depression. He is not shown drinking during the story. 

Language    

  • Yitoo calls the behavior of “The Pale People,” a term for white colonists, “damnable.” 

Supernatural  

  • Water monsters are a type of Holy Being that play a large role in the story. They are creatures of legend that inhabit bodies of water. They have many powers, including controlling water, turning it to ice, using it to travel long distances and more. They use these powers frequently, which is done by singing.  
  • Yitoo and Dew are both water monsters. Water monsters look like lizards. Edward describes Dew as “a tiny Komodo dragon” with “diamond designs like a Diné rug” on her back and stomach. They can also speak.  
  • Nathan learns water monster songs, which gives him some control over water. Water monsters are also able to control their size by taking in or expelling water, such as when Yitoo grows herself into a massive size to create the hurricane.  
  • Yitoo can keep her water as jewelry and unleash it at will.  
  • Nathan has a ring made of turquoise that allows him to communicate with all beings. He uses it to speak to the water monsters. Later, Edward gets one too. 
  • Two Holy Beings called Jet Stone Boy and Jet Stone Girl meet Nathan. They have crystal-like skin and travel on a rainbow. 

Spiritual Content  

  • There are countless references to Diné beliefs. The main ones include creation stories, Holy Beings, and the water monsters. The Diné language is also used frequently, which can be translated using a glossary in the back of the book.  
  • Some of the Holy Beings include Spider Woman, a legendary weaver, Father Sun, who created the universe, Mother Earth, Moon Lady, and Tall Woman. 
  • In addition to the Holy Beings, which are typically good or neutral beings, there are evil beings called Enemies who, in Diné legend, are defeated by the Twin Heroes, two Holy Being brothers who fought the Enemies. Edward gives examples of the Enemies: “Thunderbird, who could summon dangerous lightning storms; and Wild Boar, who could run at unheard-of speeds to hunt humans for hundreds of years.”  
  • One of the references in the story is to the Third World, Fourth World, Fifth World, and Celestial Realm. The Third World is a realm where Holy Beings, such as the water monsters, come from.  
  • Yitoo came from the Third World. She was the first water monster to come into the Fourth World, Earth. “Yitoo was the first one. She’s so powerful that she bit into the ocean of the Third World and brought that water [to the Fourth World].” The Fifth world is a mystical land beyond these worlds that Yitoo travels to when she is exiled. 
  • Diné Bikéyah is the term for the holy land of the Diné, located between the Four Sacred Mountains.  
  • Three times in the story, sweetgrass is discussed. The burning of sweetgrass is a native ritual practice used to purify the spirit. “Nathan asked Yitoo for some of her energizing sweetgrass. She happily provided some from her medicine bag. . . Nathan lit the tips of the sweetgrass and then immediately blew them out. A thin trail of smoke wafted in the air. Both Nathan and Edward inhaled. The delicious smoke flowed into their nostrils. . . The dark shadows underneath Edward’s eyelids disappear[ed] and his posture straighten[ed]” 
  • Edward and Nathan climb one of the sacred mountains, Tsoodził. After sprinkling corn pollen on the ground as a sign of respect, Edward says, “Ted had said that only medicine folk were allowed to set foot on the mountains to gather sacred medicine and sands. The medicine folk had to sing ceremonial songs the entire time they were on the mountain to protect themselves and as a gesture of respect.” Each of the scared mountains are protected by a Guardian, a powerful creature meant to kill intruders.  
  • Edward and Nathan obtain two objects when visiting the Celestial Realm, the Obsidian Armor and Sacred Arrows. The arrows can create various magical effects, such as a bright light or a rainbow, and the Obsidian Armor will protect the wearer against Holy Beings and fit them perfectly.  

Amy’s Very Merry Christmas

It’s holiday time in the ninth book of the Critter Club Series, and Amy is especially excited for Christmas. Her dad and soon-to-be stepmom and stepsister are visiting. Plus, there are some adorable guinea pigs at the Critter Club. But amidst the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations, Amy notices that her neighbor Ms. Sullivan seems lonely. Though Ms. Sullivan assures Amy that she will have a lovely holiday with her dog Rufus, Amy begins to wonder if there’s something she can do to cheer up Ms. Sullivan.

As Christmas Eve nears, the Critter Club girls still have not found families to adopt the guinea pigs. But then, in a Christmas miracle, each guinea pig gets a home. And come Christmas Day, Amy has devised a great plan to give Ms. Sullivan some cheer—and some company—on Christmas!

In Amy’s Very Merry Christmas, Amy notices Ms. Sullivan is lonely because she will be spending the holiday alone. To spread holiday cheer, Amy makes Ms. Sullivan’s favorite cookies to give Ms. Sullivan on Christmas day. This simple gesture shows that the holidays aren’t about expensive gifts, but about spending time with the people you care about. 

Amy’s Very Merry Christmas will get beginning readers into the holiday spirit. The Critter Club Series has many positive aspects including characters who are friendly, helpful, and considerate. With her friends’ help, Amy makes gifts for animals in the shelter and hosts a holiday party to find a family to adopt the guinea pigs. For the holidays, instead of buying gifts, the girls use their creativity to make gifts that will warm their friends’ and families’ hearts. For example, for Chanukah, Marion gives her mom and dad coupons that they can cash in for chores. 

With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers. Each page has three to nine sentences that use simple vocabulary. Besides being adorably cute, the illustrations will help beginning readers visualize the characters and understand the plot. Animal-loving readers will enjoy finding all the animals that are featured—dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and even a horse. 

The Critter Club Series has relatable characters who display positive behaviors such as helping animals. Each book can be read as a standalone and with 25+ books in the series, readers can pick and choose the books that most interest them. Strong readers who want more animal adventures can take a trip to the zoo by reading The Messy Meerkat by Amelia Cobb.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

The Christmas Witch: An Italian Legend

Belifna spent her time cleaning and sweeping and singing. But the people in her town thought her singing was awful and the kids in her town thought she looked like a witch. One night, Belifna saw a strange new star. Next, she saw a procession of travelers. The travelers stopped and three kings asked Belifna to join the group who were traveling to welcome the newborn Christ Child. Belfina was afraid to go without gifts, so she went into her house and closed the door.

Belifna kept thinking about the star, but when she went to look for it, she couldn’t find it. On the first Christmas, Belfina missed her chance to go to Bethlehem. Now, each year, the good Christmas Witch leaves cookies and gifts at the homes of sleeping children. For even now, Belfina is still hoping to find the Christ Child. 

The Christmas Witch introduces an Italian legend that explains why children receive gifts on Christmas Eve. Belfina’s story will instantly captivate young readers, who will relate to Belfina’s fear of leaving home. Even though the story revolves around the birth of Christ, the story mostly focuses on Belfina’s missed chance to meet the Christ Child. The Christmas Witch is a fun story that shows how different cultures explain the Christmas gift-giving tradition.

The Christmas Witch is perfect for early independent readers and for parents looking to read a book aloud. Each page has large illustrations that are similar to watercolors. Plus, readers will have fun finding Belfina’s cat which appears on almost every page. The story uses simple vocabulary words with two to five sentences per page which makes it accessible to early readers.

The Italian legend is an interesting retelling that shows how an old woman became the Christmas Witch. The Christmas Witch can be used to start a conversation with your child about different cultural beliefs as well as the true meaning of Christmas. Readers interested in more Christmas-themed books should read Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson and The Little Reindeer by Nicola Killen.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • The story retells the story of the first Christmas. When Belfina looks for the dazzling new star, she sees “the sky filled with a shower of heavenly lights. And a choir of angels sang. . . Joy to the world!”

The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains

In a far-off corner of a tree farm, beside a train track, sits a solitary pine. There are no other trees to keep this pine tree company. The noisy rumbling of each passing train scares squirrels from climbing onto the tree’s branches and birds from nesting there. But this tree doesn’t mind.  

Having grown up beside the train track, the pine tree loves the trains. They are the only company she needs. One morning, a little boy visits the farm looking for a Christmas tree. To the pine’s surprise, the boy picks her. Before the pine tree knows it, she is dug out from the ground and taken to the boy’s house, where she is placed in a dark and cramped corner of the living room. Will being separated from the trains be too much for the tree? Or will she find something new with the boy and his family? 

The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains is a charming and heartfelt story for readers who celebrate the holiday, as well as for anyone who has to adjust to a big change in their life. With one to eight short sentences per page, younger readers should have little trouble enjoying the book.  

Annie Silvestro’s writing manages the near-impossible task of getting readers to empathize with a faceless pine tree. Illustrator Paola Zakimi gives readers a closer understanding of the tree with drawings that visualize the tree’s feelings towards the events of the story. For example, each train emerges from a majestic, mysterious fog. The train and track are drawn with meticulous detail, while the field of trees behind the pine tree fades into a smaller, muted background. Meanwhile, the living room corner is drawn as dark and dull, with faded colors and shadowy backgrounds. As the tree warms up to the family and their house, the drawings of the room become increasingly brighter and colorful.  

In The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains, readers of all ages will find a sweet and sincere story about adjusting to change and embracing your unique traits and interests. Readers who celebrate Christmas are sure to relate to the tree’s growing admiration for the holiday, and all readers are likely to find comfort in the tree’s story. If you are looking for a warm read this winter, The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains may be the book for you. 

 Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Although the book is a celebration of Christmas, it does not define the holiday as a strictly spiritual one. Instead, Christmas is portrayed as a day for being together with the ones you love. 

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

Trixie and Ben have been sworn enemies since elementary school when Ben “accidentally” pushed Trixie off the monkey bars. Now in their senior year at Messina Academy for the Gifted, their mutual dislike of each other is still strong, to the dismay of all their friends. Harper and Cornell, Trixie and Ben’s best friends are especially affected by this — they have liked each other since their freshman year but have both been too scared to make the first move, and Harper is convinced that Trixie and Ben’s war is one of the main factors keeping them apart. 

When Harper and Cornell finally confess their feelings, Trixie and Ben try to reach an uneasy truce, but old habits die hard. During their school’s annual harvest festival, a costume party, Trixie badly insults Ben to his face without realizing it’s him under the costume. It seems that their friend groups will never find peace, until Trixie overhears Harper and her other best friend, Meg, talking about how Ben is hopelessly in love with her! Trixie immediately regrets every insult she ever threw at him, and vows to make amends. Ben, in turn, also begins to act surprisingly civil (and almost flirty), and Trixie wonders how she ever could have hated him. 

However, nothing at Messina Academy — the Mess — is ever simple. Being a school for the gifted, academic pressure is high and plagiarism is not uncommon. But when four students are put on probation for academic dishonesty, everyone agrees that this is abnormal, even for the Mess. And when the sweet, timid, and exceptionally smart Harper is expelled for supposedly altering grades, Trixie is furious. Everyone begins taking sides, tearing the large friend group apart. Trixie begs Ben to help her get to the bottom of this, and he agrees. But will they be able to uncover this mystery? And if they do, will their new relationship be able to handle what they find? 

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is a brilliant modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. While Shakespeare fans will enjoy finding parallels between the original play and this book, knowledge of the play is by no means a prerequisite for loving this book — the play’s witty banter and central themes of love, deceit, and confusion transpose themselves remarkably well onto the landscape of a modern high school. And while this book retains the central integrity of its source material, nothing about it seems dusty or antiquated — it brings in pop culture references and newer issues that affect teens today (such as academic pressure). These modern references blend well with Much Ado About Nothing’s timeless core. 

Trixie is a smart, engaging, and witty narrator that readers will fall in love with from the start. While some of her actions and decisions are impulsive and she does not always follow the best course of action, each mistake she makes is a learning opportunity that she takes full advantage of. Her character development is clear throughout the story, and she is a great example of how although nobody is perfect, character growth and positive change are always possible. The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is a compulsively readable adventure from start to finish, with multiple subplots and a loveable cast of characters. This engaging story is one that readers will want to return to in the future. 

Sexual Content  

  • Trixie and Ben kiss for the first time in a public park. “He lowered his mouth to mine, catching more of my bottom lip than the top. His nose brushed mine, a hinting nudge. My mouth opened to mirror his. There was a pattern to kissing. It was a chain of individual kisses of varying sizes strung together to make the verb. I’d never considered that before. But, for once, my body knew something that my brain didn’t.” 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Shadow Thieves

Charlotte Mielswetzski and Zachary Miller are both normal middle schoolers leading different lives. Charlotte is an introvert who finds solace in books and a new kitten. Her cousin Zachary, on the other hand, is a talented soccer player from London who loves living life in the fast lane. 

After people around him start getting sick, Zachary is forced to leave his hometown and move to the United States to live with Charlotte’s family. Charlotte is excited to have her cousin around, but she soon realizes that there is something unusual about him. Strange things keep happening around him, and she is determined to get to the bottom of it. 

One day, when the kids in their town start getting sick with magical illnesses, Zachary finally confides in Charlotte about the phenomenon that seems to be haunting him. Charlotte is both shocked and intrigued by what she hears. She knows that they must take action to stop this mysterious force that is causing so much harm. Together, Charlotte and Zachary embark on a dangerous journey to the Underworld to put an end to the uprising that seems to be at the root of it all. As they navigate through a world of darkness and unknown powers, they learn more about themselves and their capabilities. In the end, Charlotte and Zachary emerge victorious, having saved their town from certain doom. 

The Shadow Thieves is an incredibly captivating and enthralling story that will have readers completely hooked from start to finish. The seamless combination of reality, magic, and Greek mythology creates an immersive and truly unique experience that will transport readers to another world. The author’s masterful use of descriptive language and vivid imagery allows readers to fully visualize the story’s world, making it all the more engaging and enjoyable. 

Furthermore, the author has created a richly detailed world for the characters to inhabit, with vivid descriptions of the landscape, architecture, and culture. The characters themselves are not only expertly crafted but also multi-dimensional, with complex backstories and intricate relationships with one another. This level of depth and complexity enables readers to fully immerse themselves in the story, forming deep connections with each character and becoming fully invested in their individual journeys. For example, Charlotte’s endearing personality and kind heart make her an incredibly lovable character, while Zachary’s fierce determination to save everyone makes him a strong and admirable protagonist. 

The Shadow Thieves is a book that anyone who enjoys a good story filled with adventure, magic, and mythology should read. From the very first page, the reader is immersed in a world that is both intricate and fascinating, with well-developed characters that are easy to connect with. Whether you are a fan of fantasy or simply looking for a great story, The Shadow Thieves is a book that is sure to keep you engaged and invested from beginning to end. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • An older man, named Frank, is mean to a grasshopper by stomping on it. Frank “knew what was about to happen, and he still used all his might to stomp his foot down on the grasshopper with a great thwap. If he hadn’t, perhaps he could have been saved — but he did. So, then and there Frank died killing himself through his own meanness.” His death is not prevalent to the rest of the story but helps to introduce the underworld.  
  • Charlotte’s cousin Zachary, also referred to as Zee, gets a concussion during one of his first soccer games in America. “The goalie for the other team was an All-Metro senior and had a particularly high drop kick, which he aimed at a very burly midfielder, and Zee ran in to make the steal. The two jumped for the ball at the same time, and the midfielder threw his elbows out to push off Zee, headed the ball, then headed Zee. The heads knocked with a sickly thud . . .” This causes Charlotte’s parents to lock Zee inside for a few days.  
  • While Zee is absent, the other school kids come down with a mysterious illness. Nobody knows the cause. “Physical examinations were normal, blood tests were normal, everything was normal. Nothing was wrong with the kids, except they were clearly sick.” 
  • Grandmother Winter, Zee’s grandmother, passed away naturally.  “It would be her last breath, and with it she said two distinct syllables to Zee. . .metos.”  
  • After his grandmother’s death, the kids around Zee get a mysterious illness and he feels as if there is always something following him. One day when he is walking, Zee discovers the strange beings that seem to be the cause of it all. “That’s when he heard the scream. Zee whirled around and ran back around the corner. And then he froze. The boy was no longer alone. Two men, or something very like men, were with him. The man-like men were extremely tall, extremely thin, and extremely pale . . . One of the man-like men were holding the boy, the other was reaching into the boy’s chest, which was giving way like jelly. The boy was screaming. Zee stood, absolutely unable to move, while the second man-like man started pulling out something long and black and flimsy from the boy’s chest. And then the boy stopped screaming and seemed to collapse on the spot.” The boy was now mysteriously ill.  
  • Charlotte and Zee find a man who is being attacked by Harpies. “A man was chained to a cliff, a shirtless man dangling against the rock face, with blood all over his stomach. Three Harpies were circling around his head. And even though she could not see his face,” Charlotte knew that it was Mr. Metos, their teacher. 
  • Philonecron, a god who wanted to control the Underworld, can make Zee do anything he desires because he has some of Zee’s blood. He commands Zee to punch Charlotte. Then Zee “turned toward Charlotte. His face was contorted, his eyes burning, his every muscle clenching. Yet he began to move to her stiffly, slowly, painfully, looking like a very uncomfortable zombie . . . Charlotte could only stare as her cousin stopped right in front of her. He looked at her helplessly, then closed his eyes. Charlotte squirmed again, and the Footman [Philonecron’s creation from Zee’s blood] held her tightly . . . suddenly a truck ran into Charlotte’s stomach, and everything went black for a moment.” Charlotte was okay after the punch but bruised and out of breath. 
  • After taking Zee with him, Philonecron orders the Footman to drop Charlotte in the river Styx. “The Footman stepped forward and death was before Charlotte, and something surged through her veins. She exploded into action. Quick as she could, she leaned over, bit the Footman on the shoulder (gross), kneed him in the stomach (payback) and elbowed him in the neck (for good measure). With a soundless cry of surprise the Footman dropped her . . . She lunged behind him, and with a great breath she pushed, with all her might she pushed, his feet slipped on the rocks, and the Footman went headlong into the Styx.” One of the many Footmen created by Philonecron dies in the Styx and Charlotte escapes.  
  • Zee attempts to kill himself to foil Philonecron’s plan. “If Zee were dead, he couldn’t utter the words of the spell. All he would have to do was run, run as fast as he could. If he could get to the Styx before the Footmen got to him, he could jump in and save the world. . . He was almost there, he was ready to make his break, and then – And then he felt Philonecron’s hand on his shoulder.” Philonecron makes Zee unconscious and uses his power over Zee’s blood to keep him from escaping or killing himself. 
  • Zee realizes that the shadows created by Philonecron have to listen to him because they are bound by his blood. When Philonecron’s shadow army starts to tear down the center of the Underworld to try to overthrow Hades, Zee orders them to attack the Footmen. “Some shadows stretched out like snakes and slithered over [the Footmen], cutting swaths through their bodies. Others grew themselves long legs, which they used to wrap around the Footmen’s waists, and long arms, which they used to pull the Footmen’s arms from their shoulders and smash them to the ground. Others wrapped themselves around the Footmen’s legs and squeezed until the legs fell off.” The Footmen holding Zee captive were destroyed.  
  • Philonecron was not allowed to set foot on the ground near the center of the Underworld because of Hades’ orders. If he does, he will be burned. To get around this, he is carried to Hades’ castle in a chair. In the middle of the fight between the Shadows, Hades, Philonecron, Charlotte, and Zee, Charlotte acts. “Charlotte reached down, picked up the largest rock she could find, held it above her head, and crashed it down as hard as she could on the chair under [Philonecron’s] feet. A great crack splintered through the air – Philonecron’s mouth opened, his eyes bugged, and the chair broke into pieces underneath him. Philonecron went tumbling backward, his bottom hitting the ground, followed by his hands, followed by his feet. A hissing noise emanated from the ground. Philonecron yelled and pushed himself up in the air, ready to dive back onto the litter, but he was too late. His feet started smoking, then they burst into blood-red flame. The fire traveling up to his legs, and screaming, he propelled himself onto the litter — leaving a pile of ash where his legs had once been.” Philonecron’s legs will eventually regenerate, but he is banished to the upper world by Hades. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • Frank, the older gentleman who died, is brought to the door of the Underworld. “A few moments after Frank’s death the door in the Mall opened. A form slipped through, a messenger of sorts, with winged sandals and a winged hat, and he moves so quickly through the air no one saw him at all . . . He arrived at Frank’s house in moments, where he found the dead man sprawled in his garden . . . And in the blink of an eye Frank and the Messenger were standing in front of the nondescript door.” When they pass through, the door between the two worlds remains open for a short period of time.  
  • Before Zee’s grandmother passed, she had a premonition on what would happen to Zee. “Grandmother Winter took a big breath in, a loud, urgent breath – and then Zee saw something flash in her eyes, and what he did not know was that his grandmother was having her last premonition.” Zee does not know what the premonition is, besides that she told him the word “metos.” 
  • The entirety of chapter nine outlines King Hades, the god of the Underworld. “The underworld was no hell of course; at least Hades didn’t think so. Sure, if you had been really, really bad — like, in the upper one half of one percent of all bad — his department of Eternal Rewards would send you to Tartarus and devise something suitably punitive . . . Hades may have been a Greek god, but that didn’t mean his leadership practices had to be ancient. There were any number of great business minds in the Underworld, and Hades could spend as much time as he wanted picking their brains, sometimes literally.” Under the idea of running the underworld like a business, Hades has different departments and tiers of people who work for him. This allows him to stay in his castle most all the time. 
  • Philonecron, a being of the underworld who wants to create an uprising, notices the shadow of a boy. “Philonecron could not believe what he was seeing. But it was true. There was no denying it. The boy’s shadow was loose.” The shadow being loose, means that Philonecron can steal it and use it. 
  • Philonecron learns he can steal the shadows of children because they are not fully connected to the individual yet. “Philonecron sought out as many children as he could find, Life Essence and all. Much to his delight, he learned that the boy, whom he had begun to think of affectionately as Patient Zero, was no aberration. If shadows were caused by interplay between light and Life, a child’s was still forming. An adult’s was inextricably bound to his body, but a child had a tenuous relationship to his own permanence, and thus, his own shadow.”
  • Mr. Metos, Charlotte, and Zee’s teacher, reveals his true identity so that he may help them in their journey against the Underworld. Mr. Metos says, “I am a descendant of Prometheus . . . We are sworn to protect humans against the whims of their creators. It is quite a task . . . I have Titan blood, yes. A little, though I am mortal. More important, I have the charge of Prometheus. The gods created man but do not help him. They’re like parents who abandon their children. Humanity is nothing but a plaything to them, and now, Philonecron is treating people like lab rats.”  
  • Upon entering the Underworld, Zee and Charlotte find large, bird-like creatures that swoop down at them. “The Harpy – for that is what the woman-faced, eagle-bodied, impossibly enormous, and while we’re at it, quite bad-smelling creature was — was singing a little song to herself.” The Harpies are dangerous and mean-spirited, but they do not ever do any damage to Charlotte or Zee.  

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Elephant’s Tale

Martine and her grandmother discover they might lose their game reserve, Sawubona, because of a clause in her grandfather’s will. Martine and her best friend Ben decide to take matters into their own hands when Martine hears a prophecy that says, “The elephants will lead you to the truth.” After hearing this, Martine and Ben stow away in an airplane, get stuck in the desert, and help a group of elephants escape a horrible prison. Along the way, Martine learns the truth about Sawubona and the dramatic truth about her gift with animals and where it will take her in her life.

In The Elephant’s Tale, Martine and Ben take off alone to the foreign country of Namibia. The two kids are stranded in the desert with nothing to eat or drink. With some luck, Martine and Ben meet Gift, a teenager who agrees to help them investigate Henry James, who says he going to inherit Sawubona. While the story doesn’t have the same fast pace as the previous books, the mystery of the elephant whisperer, the missing elephants, and Mr. James’ schemes will keep readers entertained. 

Readers will get a look into Namibian culture and learn many interesting facts about elephants. In addition, the story hits on the topic of global warming. While it doesn’t go into detail about the causes of global warming, the story does discuss some of the effects. For example, most scientists “agree that the warming of the earth’s surface is going to lead to sea level rises, the melting of the polar ice caps, and an increase in disease and extreme weather.” In the end, Martine and Ben learn that if global warming continues, the need for water will eventually lead to war. 

Unlike most villains, Mr. James is full of good intentions. Animal conservation is one of his main goals; however, he captures and experiments on elephants in the hope of genetically breeding animals that need less food and water to survive. Mr. James deceives and manipulates others and justifies this behavior because he hopes to have a positive effect on animals’ ability to survive. Since Mr. James isn’t portrayed as completely evil, his situation would be an excellent conversation starter about morality. 

Readers who love animals will love learning about elephants through Martine’s eyes. While Martine isn’t perfect, she is a caring protagonist who is willing to put herself in danger in order to help animals. However, Martine often hides her activities from her grandmother and while she doesn’t outright lie, she uses omission to deceive. Despite this, Martine’s curiosity and bravery are admirable and when it comes to animals, her love shines through in everything she does. Plus, the series features several adults who are unique and guide Martine along her life’s journey. Unfortunately, the dangerous situations Martine and Ben willingly throw themselves into are a little over the top, which makes their ability to remain uninjured hard to believe. 

Readers who want to learn more about the importance of conservation will enjoy the Legend of the Animal Healer Series because of the interesting characters, the animal action, and the animal facts. Through each story, St. John encourages readers to be kind to animals in order to make their lives better. Mystery-loving readers who want more action and adventure can find it in the Explorer Academy Series by Trudi Trueit as well as in Lauren St. John’s Wolfe & Lamb Series.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Mr. James’ chauffeur, Lurk, sees an angry elephant and raises a rifle at it. Someone tells Lurk to put the rifle down, but instead “Lurk cocked the rifle and took aim. Tendai grabbed his wrist and crushed it so hard that Lurk winced and dropped the gun.” 
  • An elephant charges Lurk, who runs for his life. “The elephant bore down on the chauffeur, her great feet tearing up the earth. In seconds, Lurk would be a bloody pulp.” Tendai yells at Lurk telling him to throw down his jacket. When Lurk does, “the elephant halted in confusion.  . . She decided to attack the jacket instead. . . Dust roiled up as she pounded it into the ground, trampling it, tossing it, crushing it.” 
  • While guarding the animal sanctuary, “Tobias was knocked unconscious.” Afterward, “he has a splitting headache and a lump on his head, but he should recover in a day or two.”
  • Martine and Ben sneak into a hotel and oasis that was being built by Mr. James, where they find elephants who are being held in captivity and experimented on. When Mr. James and his business partner, Callum, appear, “the elephants cast off their shackles and charged, many of them trumpeting along the way. . . There were swinging tusks and yelling men everywhere. Lurk was tossed about like an elephant’s football, and Callum Murphy, Reuben James, and the guards disappeared inside an elephant scrum.” 

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Several adults smoke cigarettes.

Language

  • My God and Oh my God are both used as an exclamation once.
  • When Gift first meets Martine and Ben, he calls them “idiot tourist kids.”

Supernatural

  • Martine can heal animals with her touch. When she sees a sick buffalo, Martine “poured the green liquid into the buffalo’s mouth. . . Laying gentle hands on the bull’s head, Martine stroked his wet nose, his rough, sharp horns, and the thick, hard bone and muscle around his jaw and neck. . . Her hands heated up. So fiery did they become that she almost expected them to start smoking. She heard the voices of the ancients, buzzing in her head guiding her.” Healed, the buffalo jumps to his feet and runs off.
  • Grace, a witch doctor, can tell the future. “Grace took a leather punch from around her neck. She scattered its contents — an assortment of tiny bones, porcupine quills, a hoopoe bird feather, and fresh herbs — around the tusk, and lit a match.  . . It sounded as if Grace was having an argument with someone — perhaps the ancestral spirits. She was pleading with them.” When Grace comes out of her trance, she tells Martine, “The four leaves will lead you to the circle. The circle will lead you to the elephants. The elephants will lead you to the truth.” 
  • Reuben James, a businessman, is building an oasis in an extinct volcano. Some of the locals “believe he is most unwise. They think the spirits will be displeased.” 
  • Martine heals an elephant that collapsed to the ground. “Her hands were so hot her blood was virtually boiling in her veins. Most times when she healed an animal Martine had dreamlike visions of warriors with spears and great herds of animals and men in animal masks. Today she saw Swaubona.” When the elephant was healed, “with the tip of her trunk she caressed Martin’s cheek in an elephant kiss.” 
  • Grace explains the ancient prophecy about a child and the white giraffe. She says the ancients, “Saw that only the unconditional love of a child could heal this creature and that, in turn, the white giraffe would give something back—a power to heal other animals.” 

Spiritual Content

  • None

Merry Fish-mas

It’s almost Fish-mas in Kittentail Cove and the purrmaids can’t wait for Santa Paws to arrive! When Coral’s younger brother, Shrimp asks her to mail his letter to Santa Paws, Coral is happy to help! But then the day gets busy and the post office closes early and. . . will Santa Paws still bring presents if he doesn’t get Shrimp’s letter? With some help from her friends, Coral will do whatever it takes to give Shrimp the Merriest Fish-mas ever!

Merry Fish-mas adds holiday sparkle and a lot of friendship fun to create a fin-tastic chapter book that young readers will adore. In this holiday-themed story, Coral is excited to celebrate her favorite holiday—Fish-mas. However, the festivities don’t stop Coral from worrying about making the holiday perfect. When Coral isn’t able to deliver Shrimp’s letter to Santa Paws, Coral is sure that the holiday will be ruined. However, the holly jolly conclusion shows that Fish-mas magic does exist. 

Merry Fish-mas is perfect for readers ready to read chapter books. The story has easy vocabulary, short sentences, and cute black-and-white illustrations approximately every three pages. Younger readers will enjoy the cat puns that appear often, such as when Coral thinks, “This has not been a very Meow-y Fish-mas.” This series will keep readers entertained with ten books that can be read in any order.

While young readers will fall in love with the cute characters in the Purrmaids Series, parents will appreciate the characters’ kindness, the positive adult role models, and the life lessons that appear in each book. In Merry Fish-mas, Coral and her friends go to many traditional holiday events. But the true gift of the book is that Coral realizes Fish-mas isn’t about gifts. When Coral is disappointed in herself for not delivering Shrimp’s letter, Papa says, “You tried to do something nice for someone you love. You did your best to spread Fish-mas spirit. That’s what Fish-mas is really about.” To sweeten up the holidays, readers can find more holiday cheer and kind characters in Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light by Apryl Stott and the Diary of an Ice Princess Series by Christina Soontornvat. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Murder at Midnight

Murder at Midnight presents the story of Mangus the Magician and his newest servant, Fabrizio. The story takes place in the kingdom of Pergamontio, Italy in 1490. Pergamontio is behind the times, and the hapless King Claudio is terribly superstitious in this traditionally Catholic kingdom. When hundreds of identical papers calling for treason against the crown appear overnight, the royal advisor accuses Mangus of witchcraft. Desperate to save his new master’s life, Fabrizio sets out to help prove Mangus’s innocence and discover what created these documents. 

The main protagonist, Fabrizio, is a delightful mix of naïve and brash – he’s never quite sure how he’s going to help Mangus, but he’s determined to try even though he’s likely to make many life-threatening mistakes along the way. In some other characters, this might be trite or annoying, but Fabrizio is ten years old and genuinely doesn’t know any better. He believes in magic wholeheartedly despite Mangus’s repeated explanations about how he’s an illusionist, not a magician. Fabrizio wants nothing more than to save Mangus from certain death – except, maybe, learn magic himself. 

At the start of the novel, Mangus is curmudgeonly and deeply uninterested in Fabrizio, but by the end when Fabrizio and his friend Maria help save his life, he’s just curmudgeonly. Their dynamic involves plenty of Mangus demeaning Fabrizio for not being smart enough, which motivates Fabrizio to want to be a better servant. Mangus is a self-proclaimed philosopher, and he relies on reasoning to make decisions. He serves as a counterweight to Fabrizio whose decisions are motivated entirely by his heart. Although these two never quite see eye-to-eye, they grow a close bond. 

These two characters are well-developed for future installments, and the mystery plot of this first book works well. Fabrizio meets Maria, the daughter of immigrants who bring a printing press to Pergamontio. As the kingdom is somewhat backward, this situation is slowly unveiled through the course of the novel, eventually showing that the scandal runs right to the heart of the king’s inner circle. The plot is interesting with semi-historical elements, and it’s action-packed enough to keep the attention of younger readers. 

Murder at Midnight deals with some light violence as the story is set in 1490s Italy with plenty of intrigue and quite literally backstabbing. The main conflict revolves around Mangus, whose life is threatened since he’s accused of witchcraft and the punishment is death. The book also deals with some Catholic-related themes since Italy is a historically Catholic nation, though the book doesn’t take any stance on religion. Murder at Midnight is a fun introduction to the printing press and censorship. In addition, the dynamic between reason and emotion comes through, showing readers that a balance of the two ideas leads to better outcomes than just reason or emotion separate from each other. Through cooperation and patience, Fabrizio and his various companions can save Mangus and go on with living their peaceful lives – that is, until the next book, Midnight Magic.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When the other servants, Benito and Giuseppe, speak to Fabrizio, they often take swings at him because they don’t like him. For instance, Fabrizio is coerced into telling them secrets from Mangus. When he’s trying to run off, Fabrizio notes that he is “trying to dodge a flurry of blows.” This happens somewhat often. Fabrizio notes that from this particular altercation, he receives bruises from them and nothing more. 
  • The king’s officials, DeLaBina and Scarazoni, threaten to “burn [Mangus] at the stake” and “cut out his heart” if he truly is a magician. Mangus, of course, is not a magician but an illusionist, but the other characters don’t necessarily understand this. 
  • Fabrizio is falsely accused of distributing treasonous papers, and he is taken down to the dungeon to be executed. While there, he nearly trips over a corpse. A soldier asks if the body is dead, and the executioner says, “I hope so. I broke his neck three days ago.”  Fabrizio is not executed, and there is no further discussion about the corpse. 
  • Fabrizio and his new friend Maria find DeLaBina dead in the dungeons. Fabrizio notes, “Beneath lay a man with his head twisted to one side. A ruby-encrusted dagger was sticking out of his back. On the ground, a pool of wet blood was spreading.” This is the extent of the description. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Light language is used frequently. Terms include: fool, stupid, ignorant, blockhead, nasty, ugly, and fat. 

Supernatural 

  • Fabrizio works and lives with Mangus the Magician, who performs, as far as Fabrizio is concerned, “real magic” as well as sleight-of-hand tricks. Much of the book’s main plot deals with how the Kingdom of Pergamontio feels about magic that is rooted in anything other than Christian miracles. Mangus notes that the king “is deeply superstitious” and that he has “outlawed magic.” 
  • One night, Fabrizio watches Mangus perform and decides what is real magic and what is fake, saying that when “a burning candle was pulled from an ear” and “a box changed into a hat” it was for sure “true magic.” 
  • The king of Pergamontio expresses his true fears as to who made the identical treasonous papers that have been distributed throughout the kingdom. He says, “Ghosts? Is that who made the papers? Ghosts can do anything they wish, you know.” DeLaBina expresses that it’s instead magic and someone who “is in league with the devil.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Since the book is set in 1490 Italy, the characters are notably Catholic. For instance, Mangus notes that “God gave us the gift of reason.” 
  • The kingdom has a curfew, and Mangus tells the crowd that there’s a curfew because “the king loves us and wishes to keep us safe from devils.” 
  • Fabrizio makes an astute comment that catches Mangus’s attention, and Fabrizio attributes it to living on the streets. Fabrizio says, “When you are a homeless orphan – as I was – the teachers God provides are one’s own eyes and ears.” 
  • After seeing a treasonous document, Mangus exclaims, “God protect us!” 
  • Mangus is accused of using magic to make treasonous documents to overthrow the king. As this is 1490 Italy, the king is uncomfortable with modern inventions like the printing press, and identical documents are outside the bounds of imagination. The top prosecutor for the kingdom says, “Such identical replication is impossible for human hands! Not even God – in all his greatness – makes two things alike.” 
  • Fabrizio refers to the treasonous papers against the king as “the devil’s work.” Mangus corrects him that the papers were definitely done by human hands. 
  • The executioner, Agrippa, explains his profession to Fabrizio. Agrippa says that he wanted to be a stonemason, but “the good God willed it otherwise, didn’t he?” 
  • A knock sounds at the door of the execution room, and Fabrizio, who thinks he’s about to be executed, “fell to his knees and began to murmur frantic prayers.”  
  • Fabrizio meets Maria, the daughter of immigrants from Milan who own a printing business and use a printing press. Maria introduces herself as a “printer’s devil” because she’s covered in the black ink she works with, and it’s incredibly hard to scrub off. 
  • When Mangus’s wife, Sophia, learns that her husband has been arrested, she “clasped her hands in brief prayer.” 

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?

Even during the holidays, little dinosaurs sometimes misbehave. It’s tempting to peek at brightly wrapped presents, snatch a dreidel, or grab all the gelt!  

Children and their parents will laugh at this playful glimpse at some mischievous antics as the family gathers and fresh latkes are served. But when mama comes in with the holiday lights, it’s time to share a special tradition. How do dinosaurs celebrate Chanukah? With an abundance of love, joy, memories, and gratitude. 

Children will fall in love with each mischievous dinosaur that appears in brightly colored full-page illustrations. Each two-page spread has one sentence printed in large font. Plus, the short rhyming lines add to the playful nature of the picture book. 

The first half of the book focuses on the dinosaurs’ naughty behavior by asking a question: “Does he peek at the presents stashed under Dad’s bed?” The dinosaurs’ naughty behavior includes one dinosaur who is sneaking off with the gelt and “squeezing the candy coins till they all melt.” Readers will giggle at the family’s funny facial expressions, which show their dismay. 

The second part of the book uses the same brightly colored illustrations to show how the dinosaurs actually act during the holiday. Instead of misbehaving, a dinosaur sings “the holiday prayer, takes turns with the dreidel, remembers to share,” and other good behavior. Throughout the book, the menorah often shines in the window. While the story highlights the holiday traditions, readers unfamiliar with the holiday will not understand some of the terms such as dreidel, latkes, and gelt. 

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah? uses silly dinosaurs to show the importance of acting properly during the eight days of Chanukah. While the story doesn’t explain the meaning behind the traditions, readers familiar with the holiday will enjoy the unique perspective that shows the joy of the Chanukah season. Hoppy Hanukkah! by Linda Glaser is another fun picture book that introduces readers to Jewish customs.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • The book highlights the traditions of Chanukah.

Saving the Sun Dragon

Drake and his fellow Dragon Masters are back in the second installment of the Dragon Masters Series. This book follows Dragon Master Ana and her sun dragon Kepri. One day, after witnessing another mysterious magic red orb in the castle, Kepri falls ill. In order to save Kepri, Ana decides to take Kepri to their home. Ana and the Dragon Masters make many discoveries as they journey to Ana’s home, see the pyramids, and fight off a band of thieves, making for an action-packed story! 

The first book in the series, Rise of the Earth Dragon, set up some key plots that are revisited and expanded upon in this book, like the red orbs and King Roland’s unusual obsession with dragons. For instance, the Dragon Masters learn from Griffith and his friend, a fellow wizard named Diego, that the magic red orbs likely come from the evil wizard Maldred. This links the books together and builds tension. West ties up loose ends from book one while still leaving enough inquiry to pique young readers’ interests. However, because the plots build on each other, the books should be read in order.  

The Dragon Master Series bases the characters on common fantasy stereotypes. The Kingdom of Bracken draws information from King Arthur’s England, and in many respects, Griffith is similar to the famed sorcerer Merlin. Likewise, Saving the Sun Dragon follows Ana and her dragon Kepri. This explains their backstories and gives each character more definition. Ana and another Dragon Master, Bo, are the two non-white Dragon Masters. Ana’s background is clearly based on Egypt and shows the pyramids and a desert. These basic cultural differences are not very creative and are typical of the fantasy genre, but young children will find the different landscapes and people interesting. 

Regardless of the backstories, the Dragon Masters still exhibit empathy for each other and for the dragons as they try to figure out the dragons’ magic powers. In addition, they continue to grow as friends. For instance, Ana and Drake both note that when Kepri meets her twin dragon, Kepri is suddenly renewed with energy. The Dragon Masters see Kepri’s struggles and admit that they also miss their own families much like Kepri, and this allows for them to become even better friends. Although the characters come from different places, they are friends and understand each other’s struggles. 

Saving the Sun Dragon is a solid continuation to the Dragon Masters Series. The story continues to unpack the mystery of this fantastical world, and young readers will enjoy the excitement and adventure that West unpacks. The black-and-white illustrations by Graham Howells are fun and help convey the whimsical nature of the world and feature on nearly every page. Young readers will find themselves liking the characters even more as they learn about them. Readers will discover that adventures are wonderful, and homesickness is normal. In addition, the book shows that there are plenty of adventures to experience, but you should never forget your roots. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • The Dragon Masters reunite with their Sun Dragon, Kepri, with her Moon Dragon, Wati, when a group of robbers burst into the pyramid and attack. “Wati quickly sprang into action. He shot a black beam of light from his mouth. The beam hit the first robber in the chest and knocked him down.”  
  • During the fight sequence, an arrow is shot at Kepri, and Ana “jumped in the path of the arrow. . . but before [Drake] could reach her, the arrow stopped in midair—inches from Ana’s face.” It is revealed that Worm used his mind powers to stop the arrow. Worm then destroys all the robber’s weapons. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Ana and the other Dragon Masters live in the Kingdom of Bracken, and they all have their own dragons and can use magic. They are being taught this magic by the king’s wizard, Griffith, who consistently references the magical entity known as the Dragon Stone. This item presumably gives the dragons and the Dragon Masters their powers. 
  • Griffith the wizard does magic from time to time. For instance, the fire dragon, Vulcan, sets fire to things on occasion. In these situations, Griffith “pointed his finger at the fire. Water flowed from his fingertip, and the flames went out.” 
  • Kepri the Sun Dragon falls ill. Her Dragon Master, Ana, feeds her a magical “healing potion” hoping to make her better. This does not work. Kepri is healed when she is reunited with her Moon Dragon, as she is a Sun Dragon. 
  • Each of the Dragon Masters has a piece of the Dragon Stone around their neck. When Drake’s stone glows, he can mentally communicate with his dragon, Worm. The other Dragon Masters cannot do this magic. Drake’s dream is described: “He dreamed of rivers and big tombs shaped like triangles. Then the desert sky turned green. Drake woke up. The green Dragon Stone around his neck was glowing brightly . . . Then he heard Worm’s voice inside his mind. Come now!” 
  • Worm helps the Dragon Masters teleport.  “Worm’s body began to glow. Drake wasn’t sure why, but he knew just what he had to do. He put one hand on Worm’s snout and one hand on Kepri’s tail. [The Dragon Masters] all laid their hands on Worm.” From there, they disappear in an exploding green light. 
  • Ana’s piece of the Dragon Stone glows, and she hears Kepri’s voice in her head. Ana says, “Kepri wants to come back to be with her brother one day, just like I want to come back to my family. But until then, she wants to stay with me in the kingdom of Bracken.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

A Fairy’s Gift

No one believes in fairies more than the Never Girls—Kate, Mia, Lainey, and Gabby. The four best friends can visit Never Land anytime and have adventures with Tinker Bell and the rest of the fairies.

But eventually, most people grow up and forget about fairies. And fairies need people—especially children—to believe in them. Without belief, a fairy’s magic cannot exist.

When the girls find out that widespread disbelief is threatening the fairies, they must find a way to make their families and neighbors believe again—and save the magic of Pixie Hollow. But how can they convince people to believe in something they cannot see?

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and curl up with a copy of A Fairy’s Gift, the perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit. When Mia’s cousin, Angie, visits for the holidays, Mia is surprised that her fairy-loving cousin no longer believes fairies are real. The fairies need all the Never Girls’ help, but Mia is spending all her time doing grown-up stuff with Angie. Soon, the other Never Girls wonder if Mia has caught the Disbelief as well!

Two of the fairies join the Never Girls in the Clumsies’ world and learn about the magic of winter—snowball fights, hot chocolate, and toy donations. While the joy of the holidays is apparent, the fairies’ plight adds suspense and increases the worry about Mia’s grown-up behavior. Nevertheless, Mia’s absence allows Gabby, the youngest of the girls, to shine. Gabby is determined to help children believe in fairies, and her optimism is contagious. The happy conclusion will leave readers believing in both Christmas magic and fairy magic. 

The chapter book has ten short chapters. While the short chapters and illustrations make the story accessible to readers, younger readers may need help with the vocabulary. Each page has a festive red border to add more holiday cheer. Cute black and white illustrations appear on every one to four pages, which helps bring the fairy magic to life. Plus, the illustrations will help readers visualize the story’s plot.

A Fairy’s Gift is a fun holiday read that will remind readers that the holidays aren’t about gifts, but about spending time with family and believing in magic. Readers who want to cuddle up with a good book with holiday cheer should also check out these picture books: Bear Stays Up for Christmas and Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • During a snowball fight, a fairy gets hit. “The snowball knocked the fairy clean out of the air. She landed headfirst in the snow. . .” The fairy is not hurt, but she “looked a bit stunned.”
  • One of the fairies goes around and pinches people. The pinch feels like a sting.
  • When the magic of Prilla, one of the fairies, starts to fade, she couldn’t fly as fast and a hawk “caught her. It tore her wing—she was lucky to get away.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • Prilla can travel to the Clumsies’ world when she blinks. 
  • To stay strong, fairy magic needs children’s belief. Prilla helps “children believe in magic. And in turn, children’s belief is what keeps fairy magic alive.” 
  • When the fairies’ magic begins to fade, Prilla explains that “Every time a child stops believing in fairies, a fairy’s magic fades. Usually more children come along to keep the balance.” When too many children stop believing, the fairies lose their magic and their ability to fly.

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Today Tonight Tomorrow

Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been rivals since their freshman year of high school when Neil (very narrowly!) beat Rowan in their school’s essay contest. Rowan, an overachiever all her life, simply cannot let this slide. Now in their senior year, Rowan and Neil have earned a reputation as ruthless opponents– every grade, project, standardized test score, and even pull-up contest in gym class is compared and argued over. As soon as she realizes that Neil will not back down, Rowan has one goal for high school: to take him down. 

However, at the end of their senior year, Neil is named valedictorian. Rowan is salutatorian, still way ahead of the rest of her grade, but it’s not enough. She is devastated until she realizes that she has one last chance to come out on top: there is still Howl, a scavenger hunt that takes graduating seniors hunting for clues all over Seattle. This is a Westfield High tradition that Rowan has been looking forward to since her freshman year, but now she knows she absolutely has to win.  

After she learns that a group of seniors is teaming up to take them down, Rowan ends up forming an alliance with Neil – having someone else beat him will bring her no satisfaction. But the more time they spend together and the more they learn about each other, Rowan begins to find Neil isn’t as annoying as she thought. In fact, as much as she hates to admit it, Rowan realizes she might actually have feelings for him. And is it possible that Neil feels the same way about her, despite their brutal rivalry? 

Part romcom, part thriller, Today Tonight Tomorrow is a YA lover’s dream. The scavenger hunt subplot makes the story relatively fast-paced, with plenty of friendly (and not-so-friendly) banter woven in to balance out the action. The romance subplot is equally well done. Rowan is an engaging narrator, and readers will enjoy going on her journey of self-discovery with her. Her character is easy to relate to because of how realistic her arc is; throughout this story, Rowan realizes that real life is nothing like the novels she holds dear, but that isn’t necessarily wrong or disappointing. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be enjoyable. 

Today Tonight Tomorrow also beautifully handles difficult topics. For example, Rowan is Jewish; the subtle yet impactful antisemitism she experiences and the way she reacts to it is a strikingly accurate depiction of what many Jewish teenagers experience in high school. Another major issue woven throughout the story is the downsides of intense academic pressure. Rowan regrets putting all of her time into academics because it meant she didn’t truly experience the social aspect of high school, which is also important. For readers in early high school, this can serve as a wake-up call to carve out time for friendships and other relationships; for readers who have the same regrets as Rowan, it is comforting to know that they are not alone in feeling this way. 

Overall, Today Tonight Tomorrow is an absolute delight. It is a love letter to adolescence and high school. Although this book can be enjoyed by everyone, it is especially perfect for graduating seniors who are nervous about leaving everything they know behind when they leave for college. Fall in love with more romance novels such as A Pho Love Story by Loan Le and American Royals by Katharine McGee. 

Sexual Content  

  • When Rowan reminisces about her ex-boyfriend, Spencer, she mentions they had sex. “The first time we had sex, he held me for so long afterward, convinced me I was a precious, special thing.” 
  • Rowan and Neil bicker in front of a wall of plaques recognizing past valedictorians, and Rowan makes a sexual joke to annoy him. “‘If you’re trying to impress me with your knowledge of past valedictorians, it’s working.’ I step closer to him, batting my eyelashes. ‘I am so turned on right now.’” 
  • Rowan finds a high school bucket list she created at the very beginning of her freshman year. One of the entries details prom night: “The night will culminate in a hotel room, where you and Perfect High School Boyfriend will declare your love for each other and lose your virginities in a tender, romantic way that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.” 
  • Rowan tells the reader about her love for romance novels, and she brings up how they informed her idea of sex. “Especially as I got older, my heart would race during the sex scenes, most of which I read in bed with my door locked, after I’d said good night to my parents and was sure I wouldn’t be interrupted. They were thrilling and educational, if occasionally unrealistic. (Can a guy really have five orgasms in a single night? I’m still not sure.) Not all romance novels had sex scenes, but they made me comfortable talking about sex and consent and birth control with my parents and with my friends…Most movies and shows I watched with my friends showed me that women were sex objects, accessories, plot points. The books I read proved they were wrong.” 
  • Rowan points out a spot where she hooked up with one of her ex-boyfriends for the first time. Neil mock-gasps and says, “Rowan Roth, I thought you were a good girl.” Rowan gets annoyed at Neil for assuming that girls who get straight As are automatically virgins. Rowan says, “You realize how wrong and outdated that is, right? Good girls aren’t supposed to have sex, but if they don’t, they’re prudes, and if they do, they’re sluts.” They have a conversation about double standards for men and women when it comes to sex. 
  • Rowan and Neil kiss in an empty room in a museum. “This has to be the earth-shattering feeling he was talking about. This: his hands sliding down the sides of my body. This: his teeth grazing my clavicle. And this: the way, when he moves back to my lips, he kisses like I’m alternately something he can’t get enough of and something he wants to savor. Fast, then slow, I love it all. Since we’re the same height, our bodies line up perfectly, and–oh. The proof of how much he’s enjoying this makes me feverish. I rock my hips against his because the pressure feels amazing, and the way he groans when I do this sounds amazing too.” 
  • Rowan and Neil make out in Rowan’s room. “I leave invisible handprints all over his chest, learning exactly where he’s ticklish. He skims his hands up to my knees, my hips, beneath the dress that has suddenly become a straightjacket. I twist on his lap, trying to reach the zipper. He has to help me with it, and together we tug it off . . . Losing my dress makes me miss him with even more urgency.  I run my hand over the front of his jeans, and he sucks in a breath through his teeth. It’s maybe the best sound I’ve ever heard, at least until I unzip and unbuckle and cast his jeans aside completely, pressing him deeper into the bed, and he releases another breathy groan again.” 
  • Shortly after, Rowan and Neil have sex. “It doesn’t last extremely long, because we’re tired or because it’s his first time or some combination of both. Every so often, he checks in with me, asking if it’s still good, if I’m still good. And yes. Yes. We try our best to be quiet, but we can’t stop whispering to each other. He finishes first, and then his fingers drift down between us and he gets me there for the second time tonight. Then we’re quiet, quieter than my sleeping, darkened house. I burrow close to him, resting my cheek against his heartbeat while he plays with my hair.” 

Violence  

  • Neil confesses that his father is in prison for nearly killing someone who was stealing from his store. Neil’s father “was so furious . . . he beat one of them unconscious. The kid–he was in a coma for a month.” 
  • Rowan and Neil are both Jewish. When sharing antisemitic microaggressions they’ve experienced, Rowan brings up that people usually make comments like that because they think it’s harmless, but then “there are security threats at your synagogue because someone called in a bomb threat. It’s harmless, and you’re terrified to get out of bed Saturday morning and go to services.” This happened right before her bat mitzvah. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Rowan invites Neil over for Shabbat dinner. One Shabbat ritual is kiddush, a blessing over wine. Rowan describes, “We pass around the kiddush cup that belonged to my dad’s grandparents, silver and ornately designed. Neil takes a small sip, then hands it to me. My sip is tiny too.”  
  • Neil suggests getting high, and Rowan is not opposed. They both take edibles with the lowest possible dosage of THC. “‘Do you feel anything yet?’ ‘Not really,’ I say, but even as the words leave my mouth, I’m aware something has changed. A laugh bubbles out of me, though nothing’s funny. ‘I– wait. I might be feeling something.’ My annoyance with him seems to float away.” 

Language  

  • “Fuck” is occasionally used as an exclamation or intensifier. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Rowan and Neil are both Jewish. Rowan invites Neil over to her house for Shabbat dinner, and the book vaguely describes the Shabbat rituals. For example, Rowan’s mother “lights the candles with a hand over her eyes,” and they all “recite the blessing over the challah.” 

Kat Wolfe On Thin Ice

Best friends Kat Wolfe and Harper Lamb can’t wait to travel from England’s Bluebell Bay to New York’s Adirondacks for a fall vacation with their parents. But misadventure plagues them from the start, leaving them in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alone! As the weather turns wild, Kat discovers she may have been the last person to cross paths with Riley, a girl who is a star witness in a criminal trial making headlines across the country. When the witness vanishes, Kat and Harper race to piece together the clues that might save Riley from a notorious gang, but soon Kat and Harper are targets too. With an early snowstorm moving in and no way out, detectives Wolfe & Lamb will need all their wits, skills, and the help of some wayward animals if they’re to survive.

In the past installment of the series, Harper was a minor character who let Kat take center stage. However, in Kat Wolfe on Thin Ice, Harper takes a starring role and her fun-loving personality shines. Although Kat is still the story’s focus, readers will enjoy getting to know Harper and seeing how the two girls work together to solve the case. Their relationship adds interest and readers will enjoy seeing Kat and Harper interact.

Even though the girls spend much of their time snowed in, there is still plenty of action and adventure because they end up in the wrong cabin, alone except for a pack of huskies and a pet raccoon. Mystery is added when the girls investigate Riley’s disappearance and risk their lives to search for clues before a major blizzard hits the area. Along the way, they must use all their survival skills as they attract the attention of a bear, get lost in the wilderness, and are saved by huskies. 

Kat and Harper put the pieces together to solve the mystery and, along the way, the case highlights how stereotypes are hurtful. In the end, the girls keep many secrets from their families, including their accidental stay in a stranger’s cabin and they don’t reveal the culprits that committed the crimes. Despite this, Kat and Harper have many positive attributes including being brave, considerate, and showing kindness to strangers. 

Kat Wolfe on Thin Ice is a wonderfully entertaining book that has the perfect blend of suspense, surprises, and silliness. Plus, the book teaches that “We’re all human. Every one of us makes mistakes. The real test is what we do about it.” For those who love mysteries and animals, not picking up the Kat and Lamb Mystery Series would be a mistake since each book in the series is full of suspenseful mysteries and loveable animals.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Riley, “a star witness in an upcoming trial,” is kidnapped. The two officers who were protecting her “were both wounded in an ambush” and are “critically ill.”
  • A police officer shows up at the cabin where Harper and Kat are staying. When Harper answers the door, the man begins to question her. When he realizes Harper is lying, “he lunged at her and clutched her arm.” When she refuses to answer the questions, the man “squeezed even harder.”
  • As the police officer manhandles Harper, a racoon jumps on him. The policeman “reeled away, blood streaming from two punctures on his neck. Chittering in terror, the raccoon jumped from his shoulder onto the kitchen cabinet.” This gives Harper time to run. Later, the police officer is also bit by one of the huskies. 
  • A rich family earned their fortune through blood diamonds. “Diamonds mined using child and other slave labor in conditions of unimaginable hardship and wickedness.”

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • When Harper’s dad forgets his passport, he says, “What a bone-headed peanut brained dingbat I am.”
  • When a husky injures his foot, Kat tells it, “I’m going to disinfect and tape up your paw. It’ll hurt like hell.”

Supernatural

  • When Kat meets Riley, she gives Riley a picture of her Savanna Cat, Tiny. When Riley says the cat photo helped save her life, Kat explains that Tiny’s “spirit kept her going when she was lost in a blizzard.”

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Hot Cocoa Hearts

‘Tis the season. . . for heartbreak? Emery Mason is not a fan of the holidays. She’s so over the tinsel, the shopping, and all the other trappings of the season. Unfortunately, this year, Emery is forced to work — as an elf! — at her parents’ Santa photo booth at the mall. There, Emery meets Alejandro Perez, who works at the hot cocoa shop next door and is always full of holiday spirit. Alex is cute, but he’s nothing like Emery’s real crush — the brooding and artistic Sawyer Kade. 

But the more time Emery spends with Alex, the more she realizes that she may not be the Grinch she always thought she was. Soon a blizzard, a Secret Santa surprise, and a family disagreement throw Emery’s world upside down. Can Emery embrace the magic of the holidays and find the perfect boy to kiss under the mistletoe?

Like Scrooge, Emery doesn’t believe in Christmas and she isn’t afraid to kill other people’s Christmas joy. Because of Emery’s bah-humbug attitude, readers may find it difficult to connect to her. Emery’s hatred of all things Christmas is connected to her grandmother’s death. Despite this, it’s hard to sympathize with a character who makes young children cry. Like Scrooge, Emery eventually finds the true meaning of Christmas and the happy ending shows that the holidays are about “the magic of believing. The sheer fun of giving the gift of that to other people, of sharing it with them.” Even though the story has a happy ending, the book’s negative tone takes much of the joy out of reading it.

Emery’s bad attitude isn’t the book’s only negative aspect. Emery idolizes her crush Sawyer and is ecstatic when he finally notices her. However, she soon finds that it’s difficult to be honest with Sawyer. To make matters worse, Sawyer doesn’t seem to understand Emery at all. As Emery spends more time with Alex, she begins to question what she really believes. The love triangle adds suspense to the story, but Sawyer acts more like a confident adult than a preteen which makes some of the scenes unbelievable. However, the scenes between Emery and Alex are full of sweet moments that middle-grade readers will enjoy.

Unfortunately, readers may have a difficult time connecting with Emery. While her grief over her grandmother’s death is understandable, Emery’s bad attitude hurts others. Despite this, Hot Cocoa Hearts teaches the importance of not making assumptions about others. In addition, the conclusion is super sweet not only because Emery finds the joy of Christmas, but also because Emery finds an unexpected community that jumps in to help her when needed. Readers who are looking for a more joyful holiday book to curl up with should read the Celebrate the Season Series by Taylor Garland. However, if you’re feeling a bit like Scrooge, Young Scrooge: A Very Scary Christmas Story by R.L. Stine gives the typical Christmas story a new twist.

Sexual Content 

  • Emery and Alex are at a spice store and suddenly she “wasn’t focused on the beans. I was looking at Alex’s mouth, at how soft and full his lips looked. And then a thought flashed through my head. What might it be like to kiss Alex?”
  • Emery goes on a date with Sawyer. Afterward, “he leaned toward me, and my eyes closed instinctively as my heart pummeled my chest. . . But at the last second, when we were so close I felt the warmth of his breath, I panicked and turned my face to the side. His lips brushed against my cheek.”
  • While at a holiday party, Emery finds Alex and puts mistletoe over her head. Then, she “stood on my toes and kissed him. The kiss was breathtaking and sweet.”
  • While at the mall, Alex “leaned close and gave [Emery] another sweet, lingering kiss.”

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • When Alex gets sick, his grandfather had him “take a temazcal herb steam treatment.”

Language 

  • Omigod is used occasionally. 
  • Crud and darn are each used once. 

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • While working at the mall, Emery prays that none of her friends see her.
  • Alex’s grandfather has a sign on the wall that says, “Oh divine chocolate. . . we beat it with our hands in prayer, and we drink it with our eyes lifted to the heavens.”

Arazan’s Wolves

When Maddie and Will get a message that dire wolves—huge misshapen changelings, much larger than regular wolves—have been marauding and attacking through the hills and valleys of Celtica, the Rangers are sent on a mission to unravel just who or what is behind these dangerous creatures.

Will isn’t anxious to return to Celtica, especially approaching the Rift. And as they travel, Maddie must grapple with their growing dealings with the spiritual and supernatural. But they are Rangers—and they will do whatever it takes to accomplish their mission.  

After they receive some offers of help from locals, Will and Maddie learn the name of the sorceress behind these strange and dangerous attacks: Arazan. On the way to take her down once and for all, the Rangers must face dire wolves, Wargals, dark magic, and more. As Arazan’s desires have led her to the most evil of powers, Will and Maddie must form a plan of action that can outwit not just the sorceress, but the darkest forces from the beyond. 

Arazan’s Wolves takes Will back to Celtica, where Will battled evil in The Burning Bridge. However, Will has no personal reflections about the previous events nor does he explain the significance of the places he returns to. Thus, the book misses an opportunity to show Will’s personal growth from a young man to a seasoned Ranger. Because of this, readers unfamiliar with The Burning Bridge will not understand how the two books—Arazan’s Wolves and The Burning Bridge—connect.  

Readers who love The Royal Ranger Series because of the action and adventure will be disappointed. Much of the book describes Will and Maddie’s travel to Celtica, which lacks excitement. Along the way, they don’t interact with anyone of significance other than Eveningstar, whose character lacks depth. Eveningstar, despite having magical powers, does little to aid Will and Maddie. Instead of adding interest to the story, Eveningstar leaves the reader questioning her motives and why she didn’t try to defeat Arazan herself. 

Unlike the previous books in The Royal Ranger Series, Arazan’s Wolves includes acts of magic such as summoning demons, pentagrams, and telepathic conversations. This deviation from the action and adventure may take readers by surprise. To make matters worse, for the first time, Will kills a Wargal, not out of necessity, but in order to instill fear in the other Wargals. This is so out of character for Will that some readers may be upset by the events.  

Unfortunately, Arazan’s Wolves has too many plot holes, lacks character development, and includes random supernatural elements. All of this adds up to a story that will disappoint many fans of The Rangers Apprentice Series. Readers ready to move on to another epic adventure should read Rise of the Dragon Moon by Gabrille K. Byrne, The Explorer Academy Series by Trudi Trueit, and The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • A direwolf attacks three brothers. The two younger brothers run, but Owen—the oldest—has difficulties. “His joints were stiff. His muscles were sore and weary after a day of hard labor in the fields. He heard the quick rush of the dread creature behind him as it bounded in pursuit, heard its feet growing closer, claws scrapping and rasping . . . Ahead of him Dai and Gryff heard a long, drawn-out scream from their older brother as the direwolf ran him down, dragging him to the ground. Then the screaming stopped.” 
  • A group of thieves block a road in order to steal from people passing by. They try to stop Will and Maddie, so Maddie uses her sling. “The self-styled guardians of the road heard a brief whizzing sound, then a loud CLANG! as the lead slug slammed into the center of the helmet, just above the nasal. The swordsman staggered back . . . then fell.” Will makes the thieves take off their shoes and clothes before they flee. 
  • A Celtic minder who speaks out against Arazan (a suspected sorceress), ends up dead. “One morning he was found in his cottage, sitting at his table, eyes wide-open and dead as a stone. There wasn’t a mark on him.” The villagers assumed Arazan killed the man. 
  • As Will and Maddie are traveling, a direwolf attacks. “A huge shape appeared at the top of the rock wall to their left and launched itself at Will, snarling and snapping as it came. . .” Will’s horse, Tug, doesn’t panic and instead, “he swerved and bounded sideways toward the attacker, moving under its leap. . . Its jaws, ready to tear Will’s throat and upper body, snapped harmlessly at empty space. . .” 
  • During the attack, Tug fights back. The horse “swung around and delivered a thundering kick with his hind legs. . . His iron shod hooves crashed into the wolf’s side, cracking three ribs and hurling the huge animal across the clearing to smash into the rough rock wall behind it.” The wolf tries to flee, but the horse Bumper “smashed into the wolf’s muzzle, lacerating the skin and breaking bone beneath it.” The fight between the direwolf and the horses is described over three pages. 
  • While searching for Arazan, Will and Maddie are surprised by Wargals. “As the three beasts began to charge forward. . . the two bows came up and each of them snapped off a shot. . . Both shots went home, and the two Wargals tumbled onto the sand track.” 
  • The third Wargal tries to run, but “he screamed in pain as Will’s second shot struck home on the lower leg, causing him to stumble.” The Wargal runs but is followed by Will and Maddie.  
  • At one point, the Wargal “switched tactics and he turns to attack Maddie with his spear. He lunges at Maddie several times and is able to disarm her. The Wargal “bared his fangs again and uttered another blood-chilling snarl. . . He drew his spear back for one final lunge. Then jerked forward, a look of surprise replacing the triumphant snarl on his face as Will’s arrow slammed into his back. . .” The Wargal dies, but Maddie is uninjured. The scene is described over three pages. 
  • Will and Maddie hide from a group of Wargals. As they pass by, Will “drew back and released, before freezing to the side of the rock once more. . . The speeding arrow slammed into the rearmost Wargal, sending him staggering forward with a cry of pain and shock.” The Wargal dies, but the others flee for their lives. Will lets them go because, “I want them frightened. I want them reluctant to search for us and ready to disobey Arazan.” 
  • As Will and Maddie get closer to Arazan’s hideout, they see direwolves. Will shoots one with an arrow. The arrow “slammed into the creature’s chest a second before Maddie’s shot reached its target. The massive impact threw the direwolf back onto its rear legs, rising its body off the ground and laid it open for Maddie’s arrow. . .” The two rangers look at the wolf’s body. “Its eyes were open and glazed, and its tongue lolled out of its mouth over the long, yellow canines.”  
  • Arazan calls up a demon named Krakotomal. The demon had “the body of a serpent, with huge, batlike wings covered in scales. And that dreadful, horrifying face, jaws open to reveal fangs like knives.” When the pentacle becomes broken, Krakotomal is able to attack Arazan. “She cowered back, but there was nowhere for her to go. Krakotomal was upon her in one sudden leap, folding his scaly wings around her and tearing her with the cruel claws on his powerful hind legs. . . Blood was flowing from several deep wounds in her legs . . .” 
  • After Arazan is injured, the demon tries to convince Will to allow him to go through the pentacle. However, Will shoots an arrow that “covered the few meters to Krakotomal in a heartbeat and struck the demon high on his body, punching through the scales that protected him and burying the silver warhead deep in his flesh.” As Will continues to chant the banishing spell, both the demon and Arazan disappear “leaving only a swirl of green smoke and the smell of burned sulfur behind them.” 
  • After Arazan disappears, her minion Marko attacks Will. During the fight, Will’s saxe knife “bit into the hard leather. . . penetrating easily through the leather and then the flesh behind it. Marko felt a savage flare of agony as the saxe went home. . .” Marko dies. The fight is described over two and a half pages. 
  • The last direwolf ambushes Will. “Then the wolf was upon him, driving him back with the force of the huge leap from the rocks, snarling and snapping in rage. . . Using the strength of both arms, Will pushed back against the wolf, forcing its head back away from him. . . It pulled back. . . and provided Maddie with a near-perfect target.” Maddie shoots and the arrow penetrates “deep into its mouth, then reaching further still, severing the spinal column where it reached the brain, killing the wolf instantly.”  

Drugs and Alcohol   

  • Maddie and Will go into a tavern that serves ale. However, the two do not drink any. 
  • After seeing a demon, Maddie is upset and is given an herbal sleeping draft so she can sleep through the night.

Language  

  • When Will and Maddie kill two direwolfs, Will says Arazan will “only have one left, and thank Gorlog for that.” Gorlog is a Scandian god that is referred to in the Brotherband Series. 

Supernatural 

  • Arazan is a necromancer who tries to make contact with the dead. According to rumor, Arazan “was conducting unholy rituals late at night. They said she was trying to raise the spirit of the Lord of Rain and Night.”  
  • Arazan uses dark magic to try to make contact with a demon.  
  • Eveningstar is a healer who knows how to use herbs, potions, spells, and the black arts. “For the past year or so, she’s been trying to keep Arazan and her vile creatures in check.” Eveningstar can also “conjure up a fog to confuse” others. 
  • Eveningstar uses magic to show Arazan’s behavior to Will and Maddie. Eveningstar “drew a circle in chalk on the flagstone floor . . . Then she handed each of them a bunch of fresh rosemary on a long leather cord, which she instructed them to place around their necks.” Eveningstar sets up a brazier and heats stones. Then she begins chanting, “Ikab bledsr rimanatof. Ibak nimendir bledsr.”  
  • As Maddie stares at the hot coals, “shapes began to appear inside the cloud.” Maddie sees a demon. “The serpent body is black, along with the scale-covered, batlike wings. . . [Its face] was black-green, with glowing, evil eyes and a fringe of broad, triangular spikes around its neck. As she watched in horror, it opened its mouth to reveal huge, blackened fangs set in multiple rows inside its jaw.” 
  • Eveningstar writes down incantations and gives them to Will. “One is a spell of banishment . . . and this one is a shielding spell, to conceal you. . .” Later, Will chants the spell, “Ikab jandlar remko. Ikab jandlar simet. Ikab jandlar, jandlar ikabl” and banishes the demon. 
  • In order for Arazan to control the demons, she needs silver. Eveningstar explains, “Ordinary weapons won’t harm him. But weapons made from silver will be deadly to him.” 
  • Rangers have a unique connection with their horses. This connection lets them communicate. Will explains, “If it’s in my mind, he knows.” 
  • When Will concentrates, he can contact Eveningstar (a sorceress) with his mind. The first time he tried, “he felt, rather than heard, a voice in his mind, like the silken touch of a spider’s web. . .”  
  • Eveningstar gives Will and Maddie rosemary to hang around their necks to ward off evil and to keep Arazan from using her mind to watch them. 

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Race to the North Pole

Splashing through the snow, Wally and the puppy pirates have landed at the North Pole. They want to win the Great Ice Race because the prize is the greatest treasure of all—and every pirate loves treasure!  They’re going to need a sled, a fast team of runners, and a little help from their magical new friend, Mrs. C.

Race to the North Pole is packed full of new sights that blend the Candy Land game with Christmas. The illustrations of gingerbread people, narwhals, and Mrs. Claus will fill readers with wonder. As the dogs race, they must solve riddles in order to earn another piece of the map. As the puppy pirates try to guess the answer, a dog always has a comic answer that is given before the correct answer is revealed, which adds humor. While the puppy pirates don’t win the race, they learn some valuable lessons along the way. 

At first, Captain Red Beard is totally focused on himself. He says, “Doing Christmas right means giving . . . your dear ol’ captain the right gifts. This season is all about me getting exactly what I want. And what I want is to win that shiny, sparkly treasure!” By the end of the story, Captain Red Beard learns that the treasure isn’t gold or jewels but sharing “the joy of the season.” Wally also demonstrates the joy of giving when he makes a gift for his best friend, Henry. 

While Race to the North Pole focuses on Christmas, the story also shows the importance of working together. During the race, the pirates meet Frosty, a North Pole husky, who “went out of your way to help our visitors.” Frosty emulates kindness and goodwill. In the process, Frosty makes new friends and eventually joins the crew of the Salty Bone. This development will leave readers cheering for the new crew member and wondering what will happen next. 

Race to the North Pole and all the Puppy Pirate books will entertain readers while teaching important life lessons. The black and white illustrations will help readers understand the plot; plus, they are adorably cute! The large illustrations appear every three to seven pages. Even though the book is packed full of dog sledding language, readers will not become confused because all the dog sledding terminology is explained as a natural extension of the story.

Race to the North Pole is sure to make readers merry with its unique story that allows Mrs. Claus and the puppy pirates to shine. For added fun, the end of the book includes directions on how to draw a puppy pirate, a secret message from Mrs. C, and how to make a present delivery race game. If you’re still looking for more pirate fun, yo ho ho, you don’t need to walk to plank—you’ll find more treasure when reading Captain Bling’s Christmas Plunder by Rebecca Colby and Stinky Spike the Pirate Dog by Peter Meisel.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • Captain Red Beard says a harness “feels icky-poo on my fur.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

The Dreamer

The Dreamer follows eleven-year-old Neftalí, a young boy who struggles to live up to the strict expectations of his father. Neftalí explains that he enjoys daydreaming and nature; he “collected twisted sticks, liked to read, and was not good at mathematics.”  

Neftalí’s father does not want his son to daydream. In fact, Neftalí’s father says, “Stop that incessant daydreaming!” and warns Neftalí that his “mother was the same, scribbling on bits of paper, her mind was always in another world.” Neftalí’s father also implies that this may have caused Neftalí’s mother’s death. Neftalí reveals his mother “had died two months after [Neftalí] was born.”  Neftalí wonders, “Was Father right? Could daydreaming make you weak? Had it made his mother so weak that she had died?”  

Neftalí’s father’s extremely negative mentality towards creative arts also affects his older brother, Rodolfo, who dreams of attending a conservatory to study music. Rodolfo explains, “My teacher and headmaster say . . . that if I study music, I might be able to get a scholarship to the conservatory.” Their father responds to this by aggressively “slamming his fist on the table” and yelling at Rodolfo, “There will be no more wasting time on music.” Because Neftalí’s father ridicules him for his love of reading and writing, Neftalí tries to conceal his writing projects from his father.  

Neftalí is an extremely sympathetic character that readers will appreciate because of his constant determination to do what he loves. Neftalí does not let his father’s constant tirades about his writing stop him. For instance, even when Father tries to make Neftalí stop daydreaming, Neftalí still “wrote words everywhere: on fence posts, on bleached driftwood, and on the old boats near the shore.” 

Another character that will capture readers’ hearts is Neftalí’s Uncle Orlando, who owns a local newspaper called La Mañana and encourages Neftalí’s writing abilities. It is Uncle Orlando who advocates for Neftalí to come work at his newspaper office, even though Father calls Neftalí’s essays “frivolity, nothing more.” Uncle Orlando advocates for the local indigenous people, the Mapuche, who are being pushed off of their land by developers by offering up his newspaper shop as a meeting place for organizing protests. Neftalí is inspired by “Uncle Orlando’s sincere voice as he talked about the rights of the Mapuche, the plans for a peaceful protest, the common outcry for respect for all humanity.” 

Readers who enjoy exploring nature will enjoy the way each chapter continues the story of Neftalí’s growth as a writer alongside drawings reflecting Neftalí’s surroundings. Each chapter is named after an element of nature, such as “ocean,” “rain,” or “mud.” Neftalí often discusses the beauty of Chile, where he lives, and this inspires him as he writes. For instance, Neftalí “looked up at the Andes mountains, hovering like a white-robed choir . . . He closed his eyes and wondered what lay beyond, past the places of Labranza, Boroa, and Ranquilco, where the sea plucked at the rugged land.” 

This book occasionally uses Spanish words in reference to the beauty of Chile and its nature; however, readers will be able to easily understand these words based on the text’s context clues. Because the book follows Neftalí—who is revealed at the end of the book to be the poet, Pablo Neruda—readers will likely want to flip back through the book to reread the sections of poetry and will likely feel inspired by Neftalí’s journey. Overall, this fictionalized retelling of the life of Pablo Neruda encourages readers to persevere, to reach for their dreams, and to appreciate the beauty of life around them.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Neftalí’s brother, Rodolfo, tells Father he wants to study music, Father “slammed his fist on the table.” 
  • Rodolfo did not hear his father’s whistle to come back to the agreed meeting place. “When [Father] found me, I was disobeying him . . . I still have the bruises. Do you understand? You do not want Father to catch you doing something . . . wrong.” 
  • Neftalí’s father wants his children to grow physically stronger. Because of this, Father forces Neftalí and his little sister, Laurita, into the choppy waves of the ocean even though they are both terrified of the waves, as “the swells rose higher than their heads.” Father argues, “It will make you strong. And if you do not wade out far enough, I will make you stay in longer.”  
  • Father forces Neftalí and Laurita to stay in the water, even when “a wave broke against their chests. Laurita slipped under the dark water. Neftalí jerked her up. She choked and sputtered and began to cry.” Neftalí says, “Surely now they could come in,” but Father “shot an arm forward and pointed to the waves again.” 
  • After Father forces Neftalí and Laurita into the ocean, Neftalí has frequent nightmares that “Laurita was drowning, and he could not save her because he was drowning, too.” 
  • Neftalí encounters a hurt swan. “In the muddy reeds, the male swan wobbled. Blood pooled beneath him.” Sadly, the swan quietly passes away in Neftalí’s arms. Neftalí does not understand what happened as the swan’s wounds appeared to be healed, but suddenly, “the life disappeared from [the swan’s] body.” 
  • Uncle Orlando worries about what the developers will do if they find out where people are protesting. The developers “have killed so many already . . .” 
  • Uncle Orlando hosts a meeting to protest on behalf of the Mapuche, so the angry developers set Uncle Orlando’s newspaper office on fire. Neftalí explains, “When he turned the corner to the main road, he saw the ball of fire rising into the night.” His uncle’s shop is destroyed, but Uncle Orlando tells Neftalí he will not give up, “There are editors who will hire me.” 
  • When Father discovers that Neftalí’s essay advocating for the rights of the Mapuche has been published in a college magazine, he is furious. Father lashes out and “grabbed a notebook and flung it out the window . . . Father flung another notebook and another.” Then Father sets Neftalí’s writings on fire.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Neftalí’s Father insults Neftalí and his siblings when they disobey him. For example, he calls Neftalí “a skinny weakling” that will “amount to nothing.” 
  • Rodolfo, Neftalí’s brother, is frustrated that Neftalí likes to stop and examine small things in nature as they walk to school. Rodolfo calls Neftalí “dim-witted” and asks Neftalí, “Can you not walk like other boys?” 
  • When Neftalí struggles to respond to one of his father’s coworkers, Father calls Neftalí “absentminded” and says, “There’s no telling what will become of [Neftalí].” 
  • Father calls Neftalí a “scatterbrain” for reading. He also tells Neftalí, “You are nothing more than a brittle twig . . . And this obsession with books will not make you vigorous!” 

Supernatural 

  • Rodolfo tells Neftalí a legend about the “chucao bird,” which Father says, “is a bird in the forest that tells the future.” Rodolfo reveals to Neftalí, “If you hear it call on your right side, it is a good omen and means fortune and happiness. If you hear it on your left, it is a warning and means bad luck and disappointment.” 
  • As Neftalí explores a nearby forest, he finds a large rhinoceros beetle and stares at it. Neftalí recounts, “As he marveled at the beetle, the shell contorted and bulged, growing bigger and bigger. Its legs elongated until it was as tall as a pony.” Neftalí then describes riding the giant beetle, “Oddly unafraid, Neftalí climbed onto its sturdy back, and rode it through the forest.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • When Neftalí asks Laurita for help trying to heal a hurt swan, “Laurita put her hands together, in prayer, ‘He must get better.’” 

Otters Love to Play

On the edge of a river sits a neat pile of sticks, leaves, and grass. Last year, this was a beaver lodge, but now, in spring, it has become the home of a new family of otters! Inside this otter den, a mother otter feeds her three newborn pups (the pups’ father, readers will learn, is chased away by the mother after the pups are born). Readers will follow the mother otter as she shows the pups how to swim, hunt for fish, and perhaps the most important lesson for an otter pup – how to play!  

Written by the author of Froggy and nature-lover Jonathan London, Otters Love to Play is a quick and straightforward book that educates readers on the early lives of otters. While readers may already know that otters live in dens and hunt for fish, they may be surprised to learn that the species’ powerful tails and waterproof fur allow them to swim faster than Olympic swimmers! Each page features the otters learning something new – from walking to swimming. With each new thing the pups learn, the reader also learns a fact about the otters which are at the bottom of every other page. For example, while the story shows how fiercely protective otter mothers are of their pups, a note at the bottom of the page explains how adult otters can run up to eighteen miles an hour on snow, making them intimidating forces to predators.  

Otters Love to Play is brought to life by the illustrations of Meilo So. Throughout the book, readers witness the pups as they experience each season for the first time. So’s beautiful mix of colors gives life and variety to each season. Pages set in spring are painted with beautiful swabs of pink and purple skies, filling the reader with the same wonder felt by the pups, while pages set in winter are made with harsh whites and grays, sharing the idea of brutal climates and perilous conditions endangering the pups. All these illustrations are brightened by So’s adorable drawings of the otters, which are sure to delight readers of all ages. 

Even though Otters Love to Play is intended for younger readers, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. As part of the Read and Wonder Series, Otters Love to Play introduces readers to natural history and fascinating facts that show how wonderful the natural world is. If you are looking for a book that educates young readers on a fascinating species while also providing plenty of fun and cute moments, Otters Love to Play is an excellent choice. Readers who love the ocean should jump in and read Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Truly, Madly, Royally

Zora Emerson’s summer plans are simple: to attend the pre-university program at Halstead U and continue her community work in her hometown of Appleton. Zora is Black and from a modest background, which doesn’t fit the typical picture of students at Halsted U nor the royal family of Landerel – a small country in Europe. Dodging reporters, dating a prince, and attending a royal wedding were not part of the plan.  

After meeting a mystery boy in the library, Zora falls for his charm, only to discover that she’s fallen for Owen Whittelsey, the son of the Queen of Landerel. Soon, Zora’s studies and volunteering is split between dates with Owen. However great Zora’s dates with her Prince Charming are in private, the royal life is not as glamorous as it seems. Owen is constantly monitored by his security team, and the budding relationship between Zora and Owen is investigated by the press. When Zora wins a grant to bolster her after-school program, the award is taken away when outsiders hint that her connections to the royal family give her an unfair advantage.  

Despite the setbacks and scrutiny, Zora persists in growing her after-school program through different means while managing her relationship with Owen. Eventually, he invites Zora to attend the wedding of his brother as a guest of honor. During the trip of a lifetime, Zora learns how to be confident in herself and embrace her heritage.  

Truly, Madly, Royally is a romance story mixed with a unique narrator whose heart lies with helping her community. Despite the majority of students at Halstead being from rich, white families, Zora is determined to embrace her African heritage and prove that she has a place among them by excelling in the classroom and her community work. Zora’s confidence is admirable even as she’s faced with large setbacks, such as grant money for her community work being taken away. Instead of giving up, Zora runs her own fundraiser, earning the money on her own. At the end of the story, African culture is highlighted as the royal wedding is between Owen’s brother and a Black woman named Sadie. However, the romance plot takes center stage, so the book doesn’t teach much about African culture beyond these basic issues. 

Truly, Madly, Royally is an easy, quick read. However, there’s not much to learn or gain from this story due to its simplistic and predictable plot. Readers who typically enjoy the romance genre will be disappointed by the development of Zora and Owen. While the romance is underwhelming, the story of Zora’s relationship she has with kids from her after-school program is heartwarming. Beyond that, however, the story highlights the importance of community. Zora truly wants to make a difference in her community and works hard to achieve her goals. Zora’s caring nature, confidence, and African heritage bring a unique element to this common romance trope.  

Sexual Content  

  • Skye, Zora’s friend, admits that she and Zora’s brother Zach kissed. 
  • Owen invites Zora to the royal ball. Then, “Owen bows his head and kisses my hand.” Afterwards, he asks, “Am I welcome to kiss you?” Zora says yes, and Owen kisses Zora for the first time. Zora describes, “Owen closes the distance between us and bows his head closer. It’s a kiss that starts with one soft, sweet peck, quickly followed by another. We look at each other and smile before taking a deeper dive with a tender kiss that lingers. We stay holding hands the whole time. A few seconds later, we pull back slowly.” 
  • Owen kisses Zora in a lecture hall at Halstead. “He pulls me in closer for a quick, wonderful kiss.”  
  • Owen hugs and kisses Zora while dancing in a friend’s dorm. “[Owen] lifts me off the floor. He lowers my feet with a quick kiss.”  
  • When Zora shows up at a wedding, Owen greets her. “[Owen] wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead.”  

Violence  

  • Owen’s sister, Emily, committed suicide, which Zora learns from an article that provides the details of her death. “Apparently, when [Emily] was younger, a royal biographer dubbed her the ‘redheaded stepchild.’ Sadly, the unfortunate moniker stuck. . . [Emily] was considered chubby. The body shaming, the merciless trolling, the unflattering memes everywhere all threw her down a self-destructive path that ultimately led to her tragic death. Her body was found off a cliff in a mountain range along the southern coast of Landerel.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • When Owen’s sister died, there was “a high level of alcohol in her system.” 

Language  

  • Zora’s mother claims that her ex-husband, Zora’s dad, is always “showing his ass.”  

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Zora’s mother is religious and occasionally mentions God and praying. She says, “I’m gonna pray you find a friend there you can relate to. You know God always listens to a mother’s prayer.”  
  • Zora’s father says “the only person ruling this house is Jesus.” 
  • Zora is at a community event where she feels like she has to keep standing up to greet people. “I stand up, sit down, and then stand up and sit down again. You would think I am at a Catholic church service.” 
  • The royal wedding is held in a chapel in Landerel. 

Hoops

Judi Wilson, a senior in high school, loves basketball. It’s been her childhood dream to play on a basketball team. However, Judi doesn’t have a lot of options because it’s 1975. When her high school announces they’re creating their first-ever women’s basketball team, Judi joins seven other girls to begin their rookie season. However, Judi quickly learns that the girls’ team is very different from the boys’ team. They have no jerseys, transportation, or gym to host home games. Their school’s athletic director refuses to treat them as equals to the boys’ team unless they can fill the gym with fans. Can Judi and her teammates bring a championship to their school and prove that they are just as important as the boys’ team? 

Hoops is an exciting graphic novel based on the true story of the 1976 Warsaw High School girls’ basketball team. It focuses on the life of Judi Wilson, the story’s main protagonist, whose encouraging and kind personality brings her basketball team together despite the inequality in the sport. Many readers will admire Judi’s ability to see the positive side of her team’s circumstances. For example, when one of her teammates, Lisa Vincent, thinks about quitting, Judi tells her “We might as well play, right?” Judi’s conflict is relatable because Judi and her team struggle due to inequality. Despite this, Judi advocates for change by proving her worth on the basketball court. 

Hoops brings history to life in a delightful graphic novel format. The panels and characters feature a simple art style with lots of colors and shapes. The simplicity of the art enhances the action sequences during basketball games, where each panel recreates the intensity and skill of each player with clear, fluid transitions. Meanwhile, the text appears in a large, capitalized format, and the big quote bubbles help easily identify speakers. Easy vocabulary and short sentences allow seamless movement between panels and pages. Hoops will appeal to reluctant readers because of the format and easy vocabulary. In addition, each page only has three to ten sentences with the occasional paragraph mixed in. Several pages also feature no words and let the illustrations tell the story instead.  

The story highlights the historical aspects of women’s inequality in sports. Although the characters aren’t very complex, they experience dramatic development by learning that their advocacy for equality does create change in their community. Judi’s teammate, Lisa Vincent, epitomizes this lesson when she realizes that she’s “sick of being treated like I don’t matter just because I’m a girl,” and joins the team’s effort to create change by succeeding on the basketball court. 

The end of the book features a small two-page section that connects the fictional tale with its historical inspirations. The author explains that each character is based on real-life people and reiterates their story about “regular kids who play hard and stand up for what they believe is right.” With the combination of exciting characters, a heartwarming story, and engaging art, Hoops is the perfect story for basketball fans who appreciate young people fighting for equality. Readers looking for more basketball stories should also read The Fifth Quarter by Mike Dawson and Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream by Hena Khan. However, if you’d like to learn more about women’s fight for equality, check out She Persisted: Claudette Colvin by Lesa Cline-Ransome. 

Sexual Content 

  • Cindy Randall, Judi Wilson’s friend on the basketball team, kisses her boyfriend, Mark, in front of the basketball team. 

Violence 

  • Judi’s friend, Lisa Vincent, tells a story about her time sledding on the neighborhood boys’ hill. She explains that she “made it about halfway down and then a bunch of boys knocked me off my sled and broke it.” Lisa wasn’t hurt. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • Judi Wilson calls a customer at the hardware store a “jerk.” Judi also utters “jeez” at an obnoxious customer. 
  • Judi and her teammate, Cindy, say “holy moly” multiple times. 
  • Judi and Cindy repeatedly say, “Oh my god” when surprised or excited. 
  • Heck is used twice.  
  • A spectator watching a basketball game says darn. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 
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