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Star of Stage and Screen

Lights, camera, Nancy! This year, Nancy Clancy’s elementary school is putting on a play about the 50 states called The Nifty Fifty. Everyone in her class is so excited to participate, and so is she. After only getting small parts in previous plays, Nancy is ready for something bigger and something with more of a spotlight. So, with her guitar and a song, she auditions. Her nerves and her bully, Grace, tell her she won’t be good enough, but she still performs. Mr. Dudeny, her teacher, is so pleased with her performance that he gives Nancy a callback and, then, a part! Nancy is determined to be the best she can be. 

There was much to do before the opening night. All of the students made sure to practice, but Bree, Nancy’s best friend, took her practicing a little too seriously. Every free moment Bree practices her tap routine. She is practicing so much because she is afraid to make a mistake. But Nancy doesn’t understand Bree’s feelings. Nancy’s lack of understanding and Bree’s perfectionist attitude cause a divide between them right before opening night. However, when she goes on stage, Nancy freezes which allows her to finally understand how Bree feels.  

Nancy’s parents and sister, JoJo, are her biggest supporters. Nancy’s family gives her advice not only on the fight with Bree but also on her upcoming performance. Nancy’s family is excited when she gets a callback, and they are sympathetic to her when she messes up. Throughout the story, JoJo and Nancy fight like typical sisters but, in the end, they lean on each other. Nancy tells JoJo “Merci mille fois– that’s French for ‘Thank you a thousand times.’ You’re a great sister and you really came to the rescue.”  

Star of Stage and Screen has 14 chapters each containing around 10 pages. Black-and-white illustrations, which appear on every other page, break up long pieces of text and show the emotions and actions of the characters. A young audience will find humor in the jokes told about the states. Lionel, who is the MC for the musical, tells most of these jokes. Some of his jokes include, “What did one Volcano say to the other? . . .I lava you!” and “If a cowboy rides into Houston on Friday and leaves a day later on Friday, how on earth can that be? Because his horse is named Friday!” Her family also adds humor to the story. For example, when Nancy’s dad is giving her advice about performing, he tells her, “Right before you start, you look out at the audience and pretend that everyone is in their underwear.” Nancy responds with, “Eww. Daddy, I don’t want to picture the parents undressed.” 

Star of Stage and Screen is geared more toward early elementary readers. The different plotlines may be difficult for some readers to follow. Star of Stage and Screen is most relatable to readers who perform in musicals or plays. Readers will empathize with Bree who is terrified of making a mistake in front of an audience. However, they will also empathize with Nancy who deals with stage fright. By reading Star of Stage and Screen, young readers will find comfort in knowing they are not alone. The story teaches the importance of being able to rely on family and friends during difficult times. Readers who enjoy performing on stage should also check out Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen and JoJo & BowBow Take The Stage by JoJo Siwa. If you’re looking for books that have positive lessons about friendship, add these books to your reading list: Bo the Brave by Rebecca Elliott and the Purrmaids Series by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • One of Nancy’s classmates, Grace, bullies Nancy throughout the story. Grace picks on Nancy by making mean comments. For example, right before Nancy is supposed to audition, her nervousness shows. Grace asks Nancy, “What are you so worked up about? . . . You won’t be one of the stars.’”  
  • As Nancy awaits a callback, Grace asks Nancy if she heard anything. Nancy replies, “No. Not yet.” Grace then tells Nancy, “Aw, too bad… But there have to be some kids in the chorus right?” 
  • At dress rehearsal, Grace yelled at Nancy for wearing a country outfit and cowboy hat like her. She accuses Nancy of “copying her” and tells her to change. Luckily, Mr. Dudeny explains to Grace that they could both wear cowgirl outfits. 
  • Nancy does not reciprocate her meanness. In fact, when Grace is sick and is not able to perform at the show, Nancy calls Grace and says, “I’m sorry you can’t be in the show . . . I feel really bad for you.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Eyes that Speak to the Stars

A young boy comes to recognize his own power and ability to change the future. When a friend at school creates a hurtful drawing, the boy turns to his family for comfort. He realizes that his eyes have the power to rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse trails of light from those who came before. In fact, his eyes are like his father’s, his agong’s, and his little brother’s – they are visionary.

Inspired by the men in his family, the young boy recognizes his own power and strength from within. This extraordinary picture book redefines what it means to be truly you. The story celebrates the relationships between fathers and sons by showing the wonderful and loving relationship through three generations of men. Throughout the story, the boy comes to understand the beauty of his eyes—they are just like his family members’ eyes. 

The beautiful illustrations have elements that highlight how each member of the family looks similar. The pictures also have elements of the family’s culture in them such as dragon kites, the deity Mazu, and a café in Japan. However, when the boy begins to understand the power of his eyes, the illustrations feature fanciful celestial illustrations that reinforce the boy’s sense of power. As the boy stands on a planet, a starlight dragon behind him, the boy thinks, “I am the emperor of my own destiny. I read a bright future in the stars and will fight to make it reality.” 

While Eyes that Speak to the Stars celebrates an Asian boy, anyone who has been teased because of their physical appearance will feel empowered by the picture book. Even though Eyes that Speak to the Stars is a picture book, the figurative language may be difficult for young readers to understand. Therefore the story will need to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it themselves. If you’d like to introduce more stories that focus on self-love, check out I Am Enough by Grace Byers, Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin, and Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’O.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • The story mentions Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, who is a deity popularly worshiped in various parts of Southeast Asia. Through Agong’s eyes, the boy sees “Mazu’s miracles showing mercy from on high.” 

Who was Edgar Allan Poe?

Filled with broken hearts and black ravens, Edgar Allan Poe’s ghastly tales have delighted readers for centuries. Born in Boston in 1809, Poe was orphaned at age two. He was soon adopted by a Virginia family who worked as tombstone merchants. In 1827 he enlisted in the Army and subsequently failed out of West Point. His first published story, The Raven, was a huge success, but his joy was overshadowed by the death of his wife. Poe devoted his life to writing and his tragic life often inspired his work. He is considered to be the inventor of detective fiction and the father of American mystery writers. His work continues to influence popular culture through films, music, literature, and television.

Who was Edgar Allan Poe? begins with his early childhood which was filled with hardships. Edgar’s father abandoned the family. Soon after, his mother died of tuberculosis. Edgar and his siblings were sent to live with different foster parents. In his early years, several women influenced Edgar—his mother, his foster mother, and one of his friend’s mother, Jane Standard. Unfortunately, all of the women’s lives were cut short by tuberculosis. The grief over the women’s deaths affected Edgar’s writing throughout his life.

Who was Edgar Allan Poe? has an easy-to-read format with large font. Large black-and-white illustrations appear on almost every page. Many of the illustrations include people and places that were important to Edgar. While the wide array of illustrations and the short chapters will help keep readers interested, some may have difficulties with the book’s advanced vocabulary. The text does explain some of the terms readers may be unfamiliar with. In addition, some pages explain historical information such as West Point’s background, important people in Poe’s life, as well as tuberculosis, and the development of a vaccine. The back of the book also includes a timeline of Edgar’s life and a timeline of the 1800s.

Because of the many hardships in Edgar Allan Poe’s life, many of his poems and stories are gloomy and discuss death. Even though some of Edgar’s stories were popular during his time, Edgar didn’t live long enough to see how his writings influenced many other writers. Learning about Edgar’s life will give readers a better understanding of the man and his literary work. Plus, the book would be a good starting point for those who want to research Edgar. 

While many readers will recognize Edgar Allan Poe because of his short and often scary stories, the book explains that he “was a complex man who struggled to overcome a series of sad events to become a major American writer. He influenced so many writers after him that his work is still studied in high schools, colleges, and universities more than 165 years after his death.” Who was Edgar Allan Poe? will entertain and educate readers who want to learn more about the author who created the first gothic, gloomy stories and poems.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Poe wrote a novel that “told tales of suffering and death, and even cannibalism.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • As an adult, Edgar had a drinking problem. “When he had a good job at a magazine, he lost it by drinking too much.” Edgar’s drinking was a habit which caused him to switch jobs frequently. “Sometimes he didn’t get along with his bosses. Other times, he was fired for drinking.” 
  • Edgar’s father, David “began drinking too much and quarreling with [his wife].” David eventually abandoned his family.
  • Edgar’s foster father was a successful merchant. “The company bought and sold tobacco. . . but it also sold a variety of other goods, including books, frying pans, wine, and even tombstones!”
  • In his stories, Poe “sometimes wrote from the point of view of a crazy person. Some of the characters in his stories were drug addicts.”

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Shadow and Bone

Alina Starkov never expected to be anything but ordinary. An orphan from Keramzin, a small village in Ravka, she is a mapmaker in Ravka’s First Army. Her best friend, Mal, is also in the army as a tracker. Alina wants nothing more from life. 

But that changes when her regiment attempts to cross the Fold, a swath of deadly darkness created 400 years ago by the Black Heretic that splits Ravka in half. Alina discovers that she can summon light, making her a Grisha – someone with the ability to practice the Small Science. But Alina is no ordinary Grisha – she is a Sun Summoner, who is prophesied to destroy the Fold for good. 

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite—and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift. 

Alina begins working with the mysterious Darkling, the only Shadow Summoner and leader of the Grisha. He tells Alina that he seeks to rectify his ancestor’s mistake and unite Ravka once more. The Darkling says Alina is Ravka’s only hope. But the more Alina learns about the Grisha world, and about the Darkling himself, the more she realizes that things are even more complicated than she previously thought. With Ravka’s future on her shoulders, Alina must figure out who her allies are and possibly prevent a catastrophe bigger than the creation of the Fold itself. 

As the first book in a fantasy trilogy, Shadow and Bone has the difficult task of setting up its characters, setting, and plot in an engaging way while still leaving room for the story to develop in subsequent books, and it does not disappoint. The world-building is excellent as it introduces just the right amount of information so that the reader is not confused but is still intrigued to learn more.  Throughout the story, Bardugo expertly weaves in more details as needed. Ravka comes to life through Bardugo’s lush prose that provides just enough description without distracting from the plot so that even the most plot-driven readers will not be able to walk away from this book. 

Another positive aspect of Shadow and Bone is its vast cast of characters. Even minor characters have multiple layers of depth which keeps readers on their toes and makes them constantly examine the characters’ decisions. Alina is an easy character to relate to for anyone who has ever struggled to fit into an unfamiliar environment, and her strength and perseverance make her an admirable protagonist. This is especially evident in her struggle to merge her new life with her old dreams for her and Mal, and readers will root for her as she searches for ways to combine her ordinary past with her extraordinary present. Readers will eagerly devour Shadow and Bone, and delight in learning about the world of the Grisha alongside Alina. 

Sexual Content  

  • A beautiful Grisha girl smiles flirtatiously at Mal. His friends tease him. “‘You know she’ll be staying at camp,’ Mikhael said with a leer. ‘I hear the Grisha tent’s as big as a cathedral,’ added Dubrov. ‘Lots of nice shadowy nooks,’ said Mikhael, and actually waggled his brows.”  
  • Mal taps on Alina’s tent after hours. One of her fellow soldiers hears the knock and giggles, “If it’s that tracker, tell him to come inside and keep me warm.” 
  • The night before their regiment crosses the Fold, Alina and Mal reminisce about their childhoods. They are interrupted and when Mal gets up to leave, he tells Alina to wish him luck. She does, and then thinks sarcastically, “Good luck? Have a lovely time, Mal. Hope you find a pretty Grisha, fall deeply in love, and make lots of gorgeous, disgustingly talented babies together.”  
  • Alina’s friend Genya usually spends her time at the Grand Palace because the Queen and especially the King like to keep her close. It is insinuated that the King treats Genya as if she is a prostitute. Genya later confirms this to Alina, telling her that “the King has his way with lots of servants.” 
  • The Darkling kisses Alina in an empty room at the Little Palace. “I’d been kissed before, drunken mistakes, awkward fumblings. This was nothing like that. It was sure and powerful and like my whole body had just come awake. I could feel my pounding heart, the press of silk against my skin, the strength of his arms around me, one hand buried deep in my hair, the other at my back, pulling me closer.” This scene occurs over two pages. 
  • As Alina wanders the outskirts of the city, a drunk man stumbles out of an inn and grabs Alina by the coat. He says, “Hello, pretty! Have you come to keep me warm?” He makes a few more comments in the same vein; Alina quickly gets away by blinding him with her light powers. 

Violence  

  • When Alina’s regiment attempts to cross the Fold, they are attacked by volcra, deadly creatures who live in the Fold and feed on humans. There are many injuries and casualties, including Alina’s friend Alexei. Alina “gasped as Alexei’s arm was yanked from mine. In a spurt of flame, I saw him clutching at the railing with one hand. I saw his howling mouth, his wide, terrified eyes, and the monstrous thing that held him in its glistening gray arms, its wings beating the air as it lifted him from his feet, its thick claws sunk deep into this back, its talons already wet with his blood. Alexei’s fingers slipped on the railing . . . His screams faded into the sounds of battle as the volcra carried him into the dark. Another burst of flame lit the sky, but he was gone.” This scene occurs over four pages. 
  • When Alina is being taken to the Little Palace by Grisha guards, they are attacked by Fjerdan assassins. Alina “huddled on the floor [of the carriage], clutching the knife’s heavy hilt, my knees to my chest, my back pressed against the base of the seat. Outside, I could hear the sounds of fighting, metal on metal, grunts and shouts, horses whinnying. The coach shook as a body slammed against the glass of the window. I saw with horror that it was one of my guards. His body left a red smear against the glass as he slid from view.” This scene occurs over four pages. Many unnamed people die, and a few are injured.  
  • Alina has a nightmare where she “threw open the door . . . and screamed. There was blood everywhere. The volcra was perched on the window seat and, as it turned on me and opened its horrible jaws, I saw it had gray quartz eyes.”  
  • During a combat training session, Alina spars with Zoya, one of the most powerful Grisha. Zoya “pressed her advantage and lunged forward. That was her mistake . . . I [Alina] stepped to the side, and as she came in close, I hooked my leg around her ankle. Zoya went down hard. . . But before I had a chance to even register my victory, Zoya sat up, her expression furious, her arm slashing through the air. I felt myself lifted off my feet as I sailed backward through the air and slammed into the training room’s wooden wall. I heard something crack, and all the breath went out of my body as I slid to the ground.” 
  • In the woods, thieves attack Alina and Mal. Alina’s training saves them. “Before he could recover, I [Alina] slammed a knee into his groin. As he bent double, I put my hands on the back of his head and brought my knee up hard. There was a disgusting crunch, and I stepped backward as he fell to the ground clutching his nose, blood spurting between his fingers.”  
  • The Darkling kills Morozova’s stag in order to use its antlers to make an amplifier for Alina. The Darkling “strode forward and without hesitating slit the stag’s throat. Blood gushed into the snow, pooling around the stag’s body. I watched as the life left his dark eyes, and a sob broke from my chest.” 
  • Alina has a nightmare. “That night, I dreamed of the stag. I saw the Darkling cut his throat again and again. I saw the life fading from his dark eyes. But when I looked down, it was my blood that spilled red into the snow.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Alina watches a friend “take a swig from the bottle [of kvas] and then lurch forward.” Kvas is the Ravkan equivalent of beer. 
  • While en route to the Little Palace, Alina, the Darkling, and the rest of the Grisha guards sit around a fire and “pass a flask back and forth.”  
  • Genya, Alina’s best friend at the Little Palace and a Grisha servant to the Ravkan King and Queen, describes the King as “probably drunk” and says that he “devotes all his time to hunting, horses, and imbibing.”  

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • This book involves a magic system known as the Small Science, which is a way of manipulating matter. Those who can wield the Small Science are known as Grisha. The Grisha are split into three orders: Corporalki (the Order of the Living and the Dead), Etherialki (the Order of Summoners), and Materialki (the Order of Fabrikators).  
  • The Darkling and Baghra, Alina’s tutor, are Shadow Summoners, while Alina is a Sun Summoner; these are unique abilities that no other known Grisha possess. For example, here is a description of when Alina summons light for the first time on purpose and by herself: “I called and the light answered. I felt it rushing toward me from every direction, skimming over the lake, skittering over the golden domes of the Little Palace, under the door and through the walls of Baghra’s cottage. I felt it everywhere. I opened my hands and the light bloomed right through me, filling the room, illuminating the stone walls, the old tile oven, and every angle of Baghra’s strange face. It surrounded me, blazing with heat, more powerful and more pure than ever before because it was all mine. I wanted to laugh, to sing, to shout. At last, there was something that belonged wholly and completely to me.” The Darkling’s power works in a similar way: “He brought his hands together and there was a sound like a thunderclap. I gasped as undulating darkness spread from his clasped hands, spilling in a black wave over me and the crowd.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Many Ravkans worship Saints, and consider Alina to be a living Saint because she is the Sun Summoner. 
  • The Apparat, the King’s spiritual advisor, tells Alina, “There is something more powerful than any army. Something strong enough to topple kings, and even Darklings . . . Faith.”  
  • Alina checks the casualty lists every week, looking for Mal’s name, and each time she doesn’t see his name she “gives thanks to all the Saints that Mal was safe and alive.” 
  • When Alina is on the run, she can’t resist slipping into a tiny church to hear the priest say Mass. The priest “offered prayers for the congregation: for a woman’s son who had been wounded in battle, for an infant who was ill with fever, and for the health of Alina Starkov. ‘Let the Saints protect the Sun Summoner,’ intoned the priest, ‘she who was sent to deliver us from the evils of the Shadow Fold and make this nation whole again.’” 
  • Alina describes Genya as “a painted icon of a Saint, her hair a burnished copper halo.” 

Revenge of the Beast

Once upon a very badly behaved time, 511-year-old Ebenezer kept a beast in his attic. He would feed the beast all manner of objects and creatures and in return the beast would vomit him up expensive presents. But then, Bethany arrived.

Now, Ebenezer and Bethany are on track to become do-gooders. Bethany wants to get rid of anything in their 15-story house that was vomited out by the beast. Although Bethany is ready to “de-beastify” the house, Ebenezer is much more hesitant. With every magical object Bethany and Claudette sell in a yard-sale, Ebenezer cringes. From gold-plated cutlery to scooters to pianos, they are all sold. Ebenezer has a hard time letting go as he watches the gifts he has acquired over the past 512 years being taken away. 

Bethany goes to every place in town in hopes of volunteering, however, she finds her search disappointing when no one trusts her. Since her reputation includes pranks like putting animals in Miss Muddles’ candy shop, the town people believe Bethany’s act of “volunteering” is a sneaky way for her to pull pranks. On top of that, the items Ebenezer and Bethany sold are going rogue. The dinnerware turns food moldy, and the scooter throws anyone off who tries to ride it. Bethany feels hopeless, but she is wants to go into the community and right her wrongs. Yet how can she do good if no one gives her a chance? 

Revenge of the Beast is a great sequel. Meggitt-Phillips does a great job foreshadowing. Plus, the beast is brought back in an interesting way that avoids repetition. The reader sees that Bethany and Ebenezer’s previous trials truly impacted their aspirations and values–Bethany more than Ebenezer. Lastly, the ending is a perfect cliff-hanger for the next book. 

Friendship is a theme in Revenge of the Beast due to the gained closeness of Bethany and Ebenezer. Ebenezer even offers to be the beast’s servant without any gifts or request if it meant Bethany would be safe. Ebenezer said, “The thought of not seeing [Bethany] again makes me want to cry, because I’ll miss everything about her.” By letting go of the opportunity to use the beast’s powers, Ebenezer shows how much Bethany’s friendship means to him. The story also teaches that it is better to turn the other cheek. Bethany highlights this when she says, “Being cruel to one’s enemies is like chopping off your arm just so you can hit them with it – in the end, all you do is cause more damage to yourself.”  

Revenge of the Beast has black and white illustrations, which is a fun way for the reader to see settings and characters’ emotions. However, there are more acts of violence in this book than in The Beast and The Bethany, so a more mature audience may be needed. Plus, the plot lines are more complex due to of each characters’ adventures. Still, readers who enjoyed the previous book will not be disappointed because they will enjoy Bethany’s tough attitude and Ebenezer’s protectiveness over Bethany.  

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • When Ebenezer calls the boys in his neighborhood his friends, they respond with, “We’re not your friends, Ebeloooser. I thought we showed you last time what happens when you call us that.” Ebenezer says “Oh yes, that game where you chase me whilst throwing sticks and stones is great fun . . . ”
  • Because of the removal of his beastly gifts, Ebenezer asks Bethany, “Are you trying to kill me or something?” 
  • The boys were throwing rocks at Ebenezer and the beast. Ebenezer’s “pleasure was interrupted by a rock which sailed through the air, whacked his shoulder, and ripped his ruffled shirt.”
  • One of the boys, Nicholas, throws a mud ball at Ebenezer. The ball leaves a mark on his shirt. 
  • After a group of boys throw rocks at Ebenezer, the beast “spread its mouth wide open and vomited out a blaze of fire.” The beast then tells Ebenezer to, “throw me at the one with the unpleasant face if you want to have some fun.” After Ebenezer does this, the beast vomits itching powder on Nicholas. 
  • The beast asks Ebenezer if Ebenezer wants him to “puddle” the bully, Nicholas. “Its three eyes were hungry for revenge” when he said “watch as I melt this child into a puddle. It’s my way of saying thank you.” Ebenezer declines the beast’s offer. 
  • The beast suggests “puddling” Ebenezer’s mother after Ebenezer informs the beast that his mother said Ebenezer will make friends after he stops being annoying. The beast says, “your mother’s a fool. Would you like me to melt her into a puddle?” Ebenezer denies the beast’s request of puddling his mother. 
  • Ebenezer is reluctant to sell diamond cheese boards to a man named Eduardo. Ebenezer “was about to tell Eduardo to take his nostrils elsewhere when he was treated to a furious kick from Bethany – and it was the sort of kick that told him he shouldn’t push his luck any further.”
  • After the children in the orphanage are forced to sew a sequin jacket, they have injuries to their hands. One boy’s hands “were covered with cuts and bandages.” 
  • Gloria is the new girl at the orphanage. She has taken over Bethany’s spot in being the one everyone fears. She loves attention and praise. So, many of her acts of violence are to receive more. After Gloria performs, she “started pulling Harold Chicken’s hair and telling him off for giving Claudette bigger claps.”
  • In one of his flashbacks, Ebenezer returns from Nicholas’ funeral. The beast describes why he died, saying, “my dear boy, I think he would have been a lot more pleased if he hadn’t accidentally impaled himself on his own point stick.”
  • Gloria “aimed the mushed apple at Geoffrey” with a  catapult. Gloria calls this her “acting method” for her show at the theater. Because Geoffrey is the first friend Bethany made in the last book, Bethany suggests Gloria use her catapult for Timothy, the new orphanage director, instead. However, Gloria launches the apple at Geoffrey anyway. 
  • After buying a shirt from Ebenezer, a boy says, “every time I put it on, it either tries to strangle me with an overly tight neckline, or the sleeves make me beat myself up.”
  • As Ebenezer tries to tell Bethany important news, she gets angry about being interrupted. “Bethany picked up one of the forks and threw it at him.” She told him, “If you don’t leave right now, then I’m going to have to start throwing the knives.”
  • Bethany receives a disturbing phone call. “Bethany looked at the phone receiver as if it had just tried to bite her ear off. Then she smashed it against the wall. . .smashing and smashing until there was nothing left but a wire in her hand.”
  • The beast eats a parrot named Claudette. “First, I ate all that was in her belly– that took me a while; she was a fat parrot. At the moment, I’m destroying her kind, hopeful personality by showing her that the world is truly a cruel place. After that, it won’t take me long to gobble through the rest of her.” He then says, “I’ve never eaten someone through their insides before – I should do it more often.”
  • As the beast controls Claudette’s body, he takes Ebenezer to the attic. He keeps Ebenezer there so Ebenezer does not ruin the beast’s plan of eating Bethany and Gloria at the theater. The injuries the beast gives Ebenezer to take him to the attic and keep him there are described. “There were talon marks on his ankles from where the beast had dragged him upstairs, and his neck was swollen with bruises because the shirt had strangled him every time he had tried to call for help or warn Bethany.”
  • The shirt the beast puts on Ebenezer forces him to stay awake. “Every time you close your eyes, the shirt will strangle and squeeze you awake.”
  • Bethany becomes angry with Ebenezer and starts beating up muffins. “As she beat up the muffins, she imagined she was beating him up too.”
  • The beast says Gloria, “even tried strangling me with this silver rope.” The beast then suggests to Bethany that they should “eat her.”
  • The beast uses Claudette’s wings to fly Bethany across town. He drops her but pretends it is a game. However, “the beast likes thinking that Bethany could smash into the ground at any moment.”
  • Two of the children in the audience are “puddled” because they were talking.  The beast “vomited out a large yellow umbrella and sent it flying above Geoffrey’s head. . . The umbrella opened above Geoffrey’s head, sucked up his wriggling body, and closed itself again. A few moments later, it spat out a puddle through its handle.” Then, “The beast wiggled its fingers and brought the big yellow umbrella hovering over the best seat in the house – which happened to be occupied by Eduardo Barnacle. The beast puddled Eduardo right in between his screaming parents.” Luckily, the umbrella brings them both back in the end. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • The man from D.O.R.R.I.S, the undercover agency that captures magical creatures like the beast, puts a special smoke into the air at the theater that allows the audience to fall asleep. The smoke then alters the audience’s memories. 
  • At the prank shop, the owner suggests Bethany use the “demonic dream-lolly.” He describes, “One lick and your victim will have nightmares for weeks.”

Language 

  • The boys Ebenezer knew when he was younger called him “Mr. Ebenoozer Loser.”
  • Bethany calls people “gitface,” “stupid gitface,” and “selfish gits” many times. She also tells others to “bog off.” 
  • Bethany uses “flipping” and “freaking” frequently throughout the book. For example, she calls some people “total flipping Idiots.” She also says, “You’re flipping amazing!” 
  • The beast tells the boys picking on Ebenezer that, “If you or your snotty little friends tell anyone about me, then I will hunt you down.”
  • There is frequent name-calling including calling someone a “beastly brat,” a “weak fart,” a “twit,” an “idiot,” and an “unpleasant blip.”
  • After Nicholas’ funeral, the beast calls Nicholas “a moron, unworthy of mourning.”
  • The words on Claudette’s poster for her performance at the theater says, “Anyone who didn’t buy a ticket would be an ‘UTTER MORON WHO DOESN’T DESERVE TO LIVE.’”

Supernatural

  • Just like in the first book, the beast is told to vomit out special gifts for Ebenezer. Ebenezer thinks of a gift the beast gave: a gold-button shirt that fit whoever wore it perfectly. It was self-cleaning and self-tailoring. 
  • In a flashback, the beast vomits out a memory book for Ebenezer. It shows Ebenezer the person he misses most. In the present day, Ebenezer looks at this memory book often to see the life he used to have with the beast. 
  • The gold-buttoned shirt Ebenezer sold to Eduardo was pulling Eduardo. “He was walking very strangely – with two outstretched arms and a pair of feet dragging along the ground, as if he were being pulled toward Ebenezer’s house by an invisible thread.”
  • Claudette can lay eggs that have any food a person desires. For example, “Claudette laid an egg filled with pains au chocolat for Bethany.”
  • The scooter Bethany uses is controlled by the beast. The scooter drives itself and can go as fast as it pleases. 
  • The silver rope that was vomited out by the beast is used to drag Gloria to the theater. The beast wants her to go to the theater so he can eat her. The rope drags her to the front of the stage where the beast sits. 

Spiritual Content 

  • None

The Door at the End of the World

Lucy Eberslee is a thirteen-year-old girl working as the Gatekeeper’s deputy, a job which she takes very seriously. As the gatekeeper’s deputy, Lucy stamps passports and files travel forms for travelers as they pass through the doorway to another world; her world, Southeast, is one of eight worlds visitors can travel to. One seemingly normal Thursday turns into a chaotic journey when Lucy’s boss disappears.

On top of this, a boy from the Eastern world, Arthur, accidentally leaves his world and enters Lucy’s. Upon trying to open the door to Arthur’s world, Lucy realizes that the door is stuck and that something bigger is going wrong. Lucy and Arthur decide they need to get professionals involved, and so they begin their journey to the Interworld Travel Center to talk to its chief, Mrs. Bracknell.  

Lucy is a sympathetic character who struggles with being overshadowed by the rest of her family. Lucy reveals that her parents work in high positions in The House of Governors, and her older brother, Thomas, “is a member of the Interworld Travel Commission.” Lucy’s job as the Deputy gatekeeper makes her feel less invisible, as she explains, “I’d done well enough in school, but I’d never really stood out. Even my teachers had a habit of not quite remembering I was there unless they read about [my brother] in the news or needed a favor or advice from my father.” By the end of the novel, Lucy’s older brother, Thomas, tells Lucy that she has proven herself to be very brave and inspired him to speak out when something seems wrong.  

Arthur is an equally sympathetic character because of his willingness to help Lucy, even though he has just met her. Arthur and Lucy bond over their feelings of being invisible. When Lucy asks him if his family will notice he is missing, Arthur says, “After a month or so it might occur to my father that I haven’t come downstairs for dinner in a while. He’s got eight sons, though, so he won’t mind misplacing one.” Arthur’s perspective allows the reader to feel that they are learning about all the worlds right alongside him and they will enjoy Arthur’s excitement when experiencing new things as he explores all eight of the worlds. 

As Lucy and Arthur investigate who is really behind the closing of the worldgates, they realize they need respected adults to help. The conclusion involves an extremely chaotic, but entertaining, scene in which the villain is revealed. Because of her adventure, Lucy demonstrates personal growth, especially when it comes to speaking her mind and standing up for herself. In the exciting conclusion, Lucy is put in charge of “the team that’s opening up all of the worldgates again.” Lucy begins to recognize her own talents and abilities, as she says, “It’s going to be total chaos to organize . . . but I think I’ll be good at it.”  

Readers who enjoy fantasy, magical creatures, and reading about different universes will love The Door at the End of the World. Overall, the story highlights important messages like having confidence in yourself, appreciating what makes you special, and speaking up when something is wrong. Readers looking for more magical adventures should also read the Explorer Academy Series by Trudi Trueit and the Wizard for Hire Series by Obert Skye. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Lucy’s boss, the Gatekeeper, does not enjoy spending time with another gatekeeper called Bernard. The Gatekeeper explains, “I’d rather have my ears nibbled off by a thistle-backed thrunt [a spiky, destructive, dangerous creature that tears everything it encounters to shreds] than have to spend the day with Bernard.” 
  • When a man, Mr. Silos, finds out that Lucy is affiliated with Interworld Travel, he feels that he is being threatened for his illegal interworld smuggling deals. Lucy notices, “Mr. Silos turned back to look at me and Arthur, studying us . . . His right hand crept towards his gun.” He does not actually shoot at them.  
  • The thrunt “munched the floorboards” in front of Lucy and Arthur. Lucy says, “There was no point in trying to escape; I couldn’t sprint half as fast as the thrunt could move. What would it feel like, I thought in a panic, to be eaten from the toes up?” Luckily, Arthur and Lucy are rescued.  
  • Rosemary, a girl who at first pretends to be another deputy gatekeeper like Lucy, but later admits she is a smuggler of interworld goods, kills the thrunt; “a beam of golden light shot out from the doorway, there was a loud sizzling noise, and the thistle-backed thrunt split neatly in two.” 
  • Rosemary offers Arthur and Lucy her “InterCom cards” to use as communication. Rosemary threatens them about losing the devices, saying, “You’d better not lose them, or Pa will sell your ears on the black market to make up for it.” Rosemary later admits that she’s joking.  
  • Lucy and Arthur are horrified to discover that when they left their room at Interworld Travel, someone poisoned their magical bees. “[Lucy] heard a thin, frantic hum. The floor of the closet was carpeted in bees. They were moving, but barely; some crawled listlessly toward my feet . . . I wasn’t any sort of an expert when it came to bees, but even I could tell something was badly wrong.” 
  • The bees spell out “FLOWERS,” indicating that someone brought poisonous flowers into their room to kill them. Sadly, some have died. “The [bees] who died must have come closest to the flowers; the rest were still doing poorly, but when I placed a little saucer of sugar water on the floor, they perked up enough to shuffle over and taste it.” Rosemary tells Lucy she thinks someone poisoned the bees as “a warning.” 
  • Lucy worries that the head of Interworld Travel, Mrs. Bracknell, has killed all the gatekeepers. Lucy explains, “If Mrs. Bracknell had harmed my own frizzy-haired, heavy-footed Gatekeeper, I didn’t want to think about it.” 
  • Mrs. Bracknell tries to flee, but the kids discover her plan. Rosemary explains, “[Mrs. Bracknell] cut that awful hole in the ground and said that if I tried to warn [Lucy and Arthur] to stay away, she’d push me through it.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Characters occasionally exclaim, “Oh, worlds!” 

Supernatural 

  • A swarm of bees follows Lucy. The bees can spell out words. Lucy explains to the bees that she thinks the Gatekeeper has gone missing. “The bees huddled together over my head, humming to each other. After a minute or so, they spread out to form foot-high letters against the backdrop of the sky. SPARE KEY?” 
  • While researching the magical gatecutters that are able to cut open entrances to other worlds, Lucy and Arthur are attacked by a “thistle backed thrunt.” The “thrunt” “can chew through almost any substance and travel as fast as an automobile. It has four rows of teeth, a powerful jaw, and an insatiable appetite. If an unprepared traveler stumbled across a thrunt, however, he will surely be devoured.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Mummies and Pyramids

When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning, they had lots of questions. Why did people make mummies? What was the mysterious writing on mummy cases? How did most ancient Egyptians spend their days? How were the pyramids built? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.

Filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discover in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. Teachers can use Fact Trackers alongside their Magic Tree House fiction companions to meet common core text pairing needs. Mummies and Pyramids pairs with Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning.

Mummies and Pyramids is broken into small sections. Almost every page has a black-and-white illustration. Because readers may not be familiar with some of the vocabulary, unfamiliar words are explained in the book’s margins. Pictures of Jack and Annie are also scattered throughout the book. 

Those interested in mummies should read Mummies and Pyramids. The easy-to-read text is packed full of interesting facts about mummies, pyramids, and Ancient Egyptians. Even though the book includes information about how mummies are made, the matter-of-fact tone and non-gory descriptions will put readers at ease. There is only one drawing of a body being mummified, but the person is mostly wrapped in linen. Because the book explains the Ancient Egyptians’ belief in the afterlife, parents may want to discuss their beliefs with their children. 

Mummies and Pyramids is an engaging nonfiction book that brings Ancient Egypt alive. Readers who want to learn more should also read the nonfiction book The Curse of King Tut’s Mummy by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfel. To take a step back in time while learning more about Egypt, read Escape from Egypt by Wendy Mass and Secret of the Prince’s Tomb by Marianne Hering.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Tomb robbers would steal from mummies. “Sometimes tomb robbers even burned the mummy to light the tomb while they worked. . . Ancient Egyptians thought tomb robbers were committing crimes against the gods. If they were caught, they were beaten and often put to death.”

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Food and jugs of beer have been found in mummies’ tombs.

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • While a body was being mummified, “the priest wrapped magic charms in the mummy’s linen strips. The Egyptians believed these charms would bring good luck and protect the person in the Next Life.”
  • Before a mummy was laid in its tomb, there was a ceremony called The Opening of the Mouth. “Egyptians believed the Opening of the Mouth ceremony made it possible for the dead person to eat, drink, and speak in the Next Life.”
  • To help a mummy make the journey to the Next Life, “mummies were buried with prayers, magic spells, and maps of the underworld.”

Spiritual Content 

  • Ancient Egyptians believed in many Gods and these beliefs are explored throughout the book. There is one chapter dedicated to the different Gods. Because of this, not every reference to the Gods is listed below. 
  • Egyptian rulers, called Pharaohs, “had total power over their people. . . Egyptians thought their pharaoh was more than a person. They worshipped him as a god.” 
  • Some of the Egyptian Gods “were like ordinary men and women. Some were like animals. Many were half-human and half-animal. The Egyptians believed the gods and goddesses watched over everything they did.”
  • Egyptians created statues that were cared for by priests. The priest “washed and dressed them. They even served them meals. . . At home, they prayed to their own statues of their favorite gods and goddesses.” 
  • When taking a mummy to be buried, the “priest said prayers and recited magic spells.” 

The Tombs of Anak

An angry terror lurks at the bottom of a dark pit . . . 

Jay and Lila Cooper are back for another adventure, this time in search of a young treasure-seeker whose ambitions drove him to the bottom of a pit, never to return. In their struggle to understand what happened to him, the Coopers learn of a greedy, man-eating creature known as Ha-Raphah, who terrorizes the locals into worshiping him. Although they are certain he is extremely dangerous, Jay and Lila are determined to uncover the truth.

When an ancient Philistine tomb is discovered, the archeologists enter a vast system of chambers with deadly traps. This setting gives The Tombs of Anak a similar tone to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Along the way, Dr. Cooper, his team, and his children meet the Yahrim people, who worship the cruel god named Ha-Raphah. Dr. Cooper also meets Ben-Arab, a local man who knows more about the Yahrim people than he is willing to admit. As the group investigates, danger lurks around every corner, and much of the action occurs in the dead of the night when Ha-Raphah stalks his prey. 

Even in the face of danger, the Coopers rely on God and refuse to bow down and worship Ha-Raphah. The concept of only worshiping Jesus Christ is reinforced. The story also teaches the dangers of power and greed. Dr. Cooper explains, “Greed is a sin, and lust for power is a sin. . . We might start with just a little bit of greed or just a little bit of power, but that greed and that power just keep growing, and we keep wanting more and more, until finally we can’t control them anymore—they control us.” Even though The Tombs of Anak teaches biblical principles, the lessons are integrated into the story and never seem forced.

In The Tombs of Anak the mystery of the Yahrim, the interesting characters, and the heart-stopping chases will capture readers’ attention from the start and keep them flipping the pages until the very end. In the exciting conclusion, one man steps up to become the Yahrim’s leader and—unlike his predecessor—the man knows his people “need a God who is real, who is loving, who truly cares for them and does not use them for his own gain.” 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • One of Cooper’s men is lowered into a pit in an ancient tomb. He screams and then disappears. Later, they discover the man was killed.
  • While on a trail, the Coopers see a goatherder. “Before Jay and Lila knew what was happening, a tangled blur of skins, rags, hair, and flailing arms dropped on their father, knocking him to the ground . . . The little man swung the staff, and Dr. Cooper ducked it as it whistled over his head once, then twice. On the third try, he was able to grab it, give it a yank, and then trip the little man with a well-placed foot.” The man warns them that his god, Ha-Raphah, eats men “when he is angry.” 
  • While exploring the tomb, the Coopers and a local man named Ben-Arab are chased by the Yahrim holy men, who are dressed as animals and carrying spears. “The Wolf was near the door. He reached up with his spear and threw a lever on the wall. There was a grinding sound. . an immense slab of stone began to drop into the opening. The room would soon be sealed shut. . .” The group escapes the room but is chased. 
  • As the Coopers run from the strange men, they get lost in the tomb. They run into a room. “They had fallen right at the feet of the Hawk, the horned demon, and the Wolf. Hideous, living idols stood all around them, and the points of a dozen deadly spears were right under their noses. . . They were surrounded.” The Coopers are taken to the Yahrim’s leader, Mara the Sorceress. The chase scene is described over four pages.
  • After a brief discussion between Mara the Sorceress and Dr. Cooper, “Sudden terror filled the room like an explosion. With stony indifference and one deadly move, the Hawk grabbed Jay by his hair and held him in his chair with an iron grip. Just as quickly, the Wolf did the same to Lila. . . Then with a droning, metallic ring, the Hawk and the Wolf each drew out a glimmering, razor-sharp sword and brought the edge right up to each child’s throat.” After Dr. Cooper solves two riddles, the kids are set free.
  • While Dr. Cooper is talking to Mara the Sorceress, he “notices the faint nod of the woman’s head and the shadow of the Wolf falling across his chair. The Wolf’s powerful arm took hold of Dr. Cooper’s head as the beast’s sword came at his throat, but Dr. Cooper’s legs flipped up in a flash and clamped around the Wolf’s neck. . . The Wolf sailed over the chair.” No one is injured. 
  • As Lila is gathering firewood, she follows a cry and finds a lamb in a ravine. As she climbs up the ravine, Ben-Arab and Dr. Cooper “saw Lila far below, scrambling up the rocks, fleeing for her life. They could see a huge, black, hideous thing right behind her. . .” The Yahrim “surged like angry waves all around them. Dr. Cooper hurried up the trail, ducking spears and arrows as he carried Lila.” Ben-Arab “fired his rifle this direction, then that, in front, behind, spinning and looking about.” The Yahrim flee. No one is injured. 
  • After Lila saves the sacrificial lamb, Ha-Raphah punishes the shepherd. “Ben-Arab took a look inside the house, and his face immediately twisted with horror and disgust. Jeff [an archeologist working for Dr. Cooper], shocked, slumped against the wall, taking deep breaths to recover. . . Jeff shook his head in horror and amazement. ‘I’ve hunted grizzlies and Kodiaks and never seen any of them that can do this.’”
  • One night, while waiting for Ha-Raphah to appear, Mara the Sorceress is attacked. When Dr. Cooper finds her, she says, “Anak Ha-Raphah. . . He is silent, invisible. . . He carried me like the wind.” Mara the Sorceress dies, but her injuries are not described.
  • As Dr. Cooper and his men search for Ha-Raphah, the Yahrim attack. “Arrows ricocheted off the rocks and skipped end over end along the ground. From above came the angry war cries of the Yahrim archers. . . [Dr. Cooper] scrambled down the trail, crouching, dodging, dashing from cover to cover. . an arrow just nicked his sleeve. Jeff must have seen the archer—his rifle shot echoed and rumbled through the hills.”
  • In a multi-chapter conclusion, Ha-Raphah traps the kids in the underground tunnels of the tombs. Ha-Raphah chases them. “They rose from their hiding place and started quickly and silently down the tunnel in the dark. . . Lila went down hard, and her flashlight clattered across the floor. Jay groped in the dark, trying to find her. She was kicking, crying out, struggling.” Ha-Raphah tries to grab her, but Lila escapes.
  • Ha-Raphah corners Jay and Lila. Jay knocks Lila to the ground right before “the sword came down in a flashing arc. . . They dashed across the room as the sword rose high in the air, held by a menacing, unthinkably huge hand. . . They leaped aside just in time as the sword came down like a bolt from a thundercloud and sparks flew from the rocks.”
  • The Cooper kids trick Ha-Raphah into setting off one of his own traps, and then they climb up a narrow ledge, trying to reach a ventilation shaft. “The monster burst into the room like an angry bull, still wielding that huge sword, but his wound was still bleeding. . . The beast came at them with footsteps that shook the whole room.” The kids slide down the shaft and escape.
  • Ha-Raphah finds the kids in another room. Jay and Lila set off a trip lever that closes the door. “With a sudden roar of ropes and a grinding of stone, the huge slab dropped like an avalanche on the giant’s shoulder driving him to the floor and pinning him there as the big sword clattered out of his hand. . . Anak’s roaming hand found a large rock. . . Jay didn’t see the rock coming. It struck him in the right shoulder and he went tumbling like a tenpin, stunned and senseless, unable to see anything but a spinning blur. . .”
  • When Dr. Cooper finds Ha-Raphah and his kids, he throws a ruby at Ha-Raphah. The giant lunges for the precious stone and “Anak let out a horrible scream and dove headlong after the flying ruby, catching it in his outstretched hand. The pit was waiting for him. His huge body came down like a giant tree. . . .” Ha-Raphah “dropped into the chasm with a final roar of hate.” He is presumed dead.

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • Dr. Cooper, his two kids, and the other members of his group are Christians. Throughout the book there are many references to God and the characters pray often. Since the book is Christian fiction, not all the references are mentioned below.
  • The Yahrim people worship Anak Ha-Raphah. Their leader, Mara the Sorceress, explains, “The tombs belong to Anak Ha-Raphah himself, and we are the Yahrim, who fear Anak as one fears death and who worship him in his tombs. He is our fearsome god.” 
  • Mara the Sorceress is a direct descendant of Anak and “his High Priestess, appointed by Ha-Raphah himself . . . As such, my power and rule over the Yahrim is limitless. Ha-Raphah says it is to be, and it is so.” According to Mara the Sorceress, no one is as mighty as Anak. “His spirit is everywhere. . . silent, cunning, more vicious than you can possibly imagine. He watches us all, but is never seen; he kills, and not a sound is heard. We always know where he has been, but never where he will be.”
  • The Coopers go into an ancient Philistine tomb where they unearth “an ancient temple of Dagon, the bizarre half-fish god of the Philistines” where they see “the eerie stone image of Dagon himself, staring down at them with a fiery expression.” 
  • When the Coopers learn about the locals’ belief in a God named Ha-Raphah, Dr. Cooper discusses the biblical story of Joshua. “The lord commanded Joshua to drive out all the ungodly inhabitants of the land. He didn’t want His people coming into contact with this kind of moral and spiritual pollution.” 
  • During the exploration of the tomb, the Coopers find a “ceremonial room. A place for pagan rituals.” On the walls were idols. “They were man-sized images of birds, beasts, pagan gods, and monsters, and every one of them was holding a very deadly-looking spear in their Ha-Raphah hands.”
  • The Yahrim holy men dress like idols. “Their costumes evidently portray different qualities of their god: fierceness, cunning, bravery, terror, those sort of things.”
  • When the Coopers are taken to the Yahrim’s leader, Mara the Sorceress, they refuse to bow to her. Dr. Cooper says, “We bow only before the one true God and His Son, Jesus Christ.” When Ha-Raphah threatens the kids with death if they do not worship him, the kids pray: “Lord Jesus, You’re the only God we’ll ever serve. Please help us out of this mess. Help us to think.” Afterward, the kids come up with an escape plan.

The Great Escape

Back for their third adventure, siblings Peter and Mary journey back in time to Egypt, where Moses fights for the Israelites’ freedom and plagues wreak havoc.

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Series follows siblings Peter and Mary and their dog, Hank, as they discover ancient scrolls that transport them back to key moments in biblical history.

In The Great Escape, Peter, Mary, and Hank journey to the pyramid-studded desert of ancient Egypt. When the trio becomes friends with the Pharaoh’s daughter, Princess Shephara, they witness first-hand as Moses petitions the Pharaoh for the Israelites’ freedom. Plagues wreak havoc as the group races to decode the scroll, gets chased by a panther, and battles the Pharaoh’s cunning advisor, the Great Magician.

Peter and Mary’s third adventure into the past is an exciting story because the Great Magician and his panther try to stop God’s plan. Through it all, the Pharaoh’s daughter stays by the siblings’ side, which gives Peter and Mary perspective into the Pharaoh’s reasoning. When the twins are in imminent danger, the angel Michael swoops in to help the kids. Even though the reason for the Pharaoh’s stubborn behavior is unclear, the ultimate message is clear: God is with us even in the midst of our troubles. 

Black and white illustrations will help young readers visualize the story and understand the plagues that affected the Pharaoh’s people. As each day ends, Peter uses a journal to document his activities; this helps readers keep track of the important events. Readers who want to learn more about Pharaoh and the plagues will find a list of related Bible chapters at the end of the book.

Readers who are interested in learning about the Bible will enjoy The Great Escape series. In each book, Satan appears as a different person which may confuse some readers. However, the angel Michael always appears to give the siblings help and guidance, and readers will look forward to the angel’s return. Link to time traveling book. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • The Pharaoh’s magicians turned their staffs into snakes. “Snakes slithered everywhere! . . . The snake rose up and was face-to-face with Princess Shephara. Its forked tongue flicked between sharp fangs. . . Mary spun and kicked the snake in the side of the head. It fell to the floor with a thud!”
  • The captain of the Pharaoh’s army takes Peter’s bag and begins looking through it. “Mary ran straight at the Captain, who was still bending over. She jumped in the air and did a spinning kick right to his backside. . . The Captain fell flat on his face. The sword and the royal dagger slid across the floor.” The kids escape.
  • Peter and Mary are trapped in a room with the Great Magician and his panther, Midnight. “Suddenly, a rushing wind blew through the room, extinguishing the candles. A ball of light flew into the room and slammed into Midnight. The panther slid across the floor. . . The ball of light transformed into Michael.” 
  • Moses explains how, according to God’s plan, “At midnight, all of the firstborn sons in Egypt will die. . .He pointed to a lamb lying dead on a small table. . .Moses picked up a small bowl filled with blood from the lamb.” He paints the door with the lamb’s blood which protects them.
  • The Great Magician tries to follow the Israelites through the Red Sea. When the man takes away Peter’s scroll, “Peter saw a glowing ball in the water. It grew bigger and burst through the wall of water. It flew into the chariot and knocked the wheels off. . . The ball of light became Michael.” Michael saves Mary from the panther and helps Peter get the scroll back. The scene is described over two pages.

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • With the help of a scroll, Peter and Mary transport back in time. When the seal is broken, “the walls shook, the floor quaked, and books flew off the shelves. . . The library crumbled around them. Then everything was still, quiet, and hot—very hot.”
  • Moses told the Pharaoh, “The God of Israel said to let his people go.” The Pharaoh wanted to see a miracle so Moses’ brother, “Aaron threw his staff on the ground. It turned into a big slithery snake.” The Great Magician was also able to turn his staff into a snake.
  • When Aaron waves his staff, “frogs flooded out of the river. Thousands of frogs were hopping everywhere.” The Great Magician also waved his staff and “mumbled some mysterious words. . .Two tiny frogs hopped out of the fountain.”

Spiritual Content 

  • The Great Magician teaches Shephara that there are over a hundred gods. But Peter says, “I believe there is only one true God.”
  • The Great Magician believes the Israelites’ God is weak because he has allowed the Israelites to become slaves. Peter says, “God is strong. . . Maybe he is waiting for the right time.”
  • Peter and Mary realize that the Great Magician is Satan.
  • The Great Magician, Satan, mocks Peter and Mary, saying “Where is God? You’re all alone.” Peter is unafraid because he believes, “God is always with us.” 

Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs

Solimar, a soon-to-be princess of the kingdom of San Gregorio, is about to celebrate her fifteenth birthday. “After the quinceañera, she would be considered a princess of the world. And she would also officially be crowned Princess Solimar Socorro Reyes Guadalupe of San Gregorio.” 

Solimar’s home is known for its oyamel forest, a sacred place for the monarch butterflies that migrate each year. Solimar decides to watch the new generation of monarchs arrive in the oyamel forest. When Solimar goes to oyamel, she is surrounded by butterflies, who completely cover her arms and her rebozo, or shawl. Afterwards, Solimar notices that her rebozo looks as if it has “butterfly wings embedded in the fabric . . . and they’re shimmering.” The encounter with the monarchs gives Solimar the ability to predict the near future while she is wearing the rebozo and standing in sunlight. 

But then, on the eve of the kingdom’s annual supply trip, Solimar’s brother tells her, “He’s running away from home to join a ship because he doesn’t want to be king anytime soon, or possibly ever.” On top of this, when her father and brother set off on the trip, a neighboring king and his guards invade Solimar’s kingdom and take her mother and abuela hostage. The invading king plans to use Solimar’s mother and the rest of their family as a bargaining tool to force Solimar’s father to give him a thousand acres of their oyamel forest. Solimar hides just in time to escape the notice of the invaders and realizes it is up to her to find a way to warn her father of the invaders and their plans. Solimar, her bird Lázaro, and an enchanted talking doll set off on their quest down the river, in an attempt to “warn her father in time and change the destiny of her kingdom.”

Solimar is a sympathetic and strong female character that readers will connect with due to her determination and willingness to go against the mold. Though she is a soon-to-be princess, Solimar does not believe she needs to look a specific way to be considered royal. She explains that she prefers her hair short, and says, “Where does it say what a princess must look like?” She even argues with her brother and father for reform within the kingdom. She explains, “I wanted to change things in my kingdom. I have ideas about forming a council of men and women who advise the king and allowing everyone in the kingdom to vote,” instead of just men. 

Readers who enjoy fantasy and heroic journeys will love Solimar’s adventure to rescue her kingdom. This book occasionally showcases Spanish words, which can expand readers’ exposure to new vocabulary. The first time the Spanish words are used, they are typically explained in English, but readers will also be able to use context clues to identify the meanings. There is also a map of all the different locations Solimar visits as she journeys through the kingdom of San Gregorio at the front of the novel. 

Readers will sympathize with Solimar as she learns to appreciate her responsibilities to the kingdom. Solimar’s family also shows growth, as they ultimately decide to let their son, the prince, pursue the life of a sailor and “creat[e] a transport fleet for [their kingdom].” Another example of growth is when Solimar is hesitant to put on a crown, fancy shoes, and a gown for her quinceañera. Her dislike of these formalities symbolizes that she is afraid that in becoming a princess she will still not have a voice in making decisions that impact the kingdom. However, by the end of the novel, Solimar grows to appreciate her family, who trust her input and ideas and even appreciate the quinceañera’s formal ceremony. Overall, this book showcases the importance of family, friendship, and finding trustworthy people in tough situations. Readers eager to explore more books about friendship should also read A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi and A Hundred Horses by Sarah Lean.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Abuela’s friend who practices enchantments, Doña Flor, tells Solimar what will happen if someone tries to steal the magical rebozo from her. Doña Flor says, “Anyone who tries to break the bond would suffer the wrath of the ancestral spirits,” which means, “Rage, madness, impending doom.”
  • A leader of a rival kingdom breaks into Solimar’s family home. “Mothers called for their daughters. Girls cried. Footsteps scuffled. Chairs tipped over. A man’s booming voice ordered, ‘Be quiet!’” Solimar’s mother, grandmother, and friends are trapped and kept as hostages. “Abuela glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Solimar. Her eyes filled with alarm, and almost imperceptibly . . .Abuela waved for Solimar to go away.” Solimar stays hidden and escapes.
  • The guards from the rival kingdom surround Solimar’s mother, abuela, and their advisors. “One stepped forward and announced, ‘By order of King Aveno, you all are under house arrest and may not leave the castle.’” When King Aveno enters, he reveals he is holding hostages to “gain the advantage I needed to negotiate for the land I wish to buy” from Solimar’s father, King Sebastián. 
  • Solimar’s friend, Berto, talks about his father who “died five years ago.” Berto does not describe the event in detail. 
  • King Aveno snatches the rebozo from Solimar and suddenly “the sky darkened, and a wind stirred and steadily grew . . . From the forest, a dark, tornado-like cloud raced toward the stage. [The king’s spy] and King Aveno held on to each other in an attempt to withstand the fierce gale. The wind roared.” The tornado “lifted away, growing smaller and smaller until it vanished. When the wind and world quieted, King Aveno and [his spy] were nowhere to be seen. All that remained were their boots and Solimar’s crumpled rebozo.”

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • Occasionally, Solimar’s Abuela proclaims “for heaven’s sake.”

Supernatural

  • When Solimar goes to watch the migration of the monarch butterflies, she suddenly is surrounded by them: “A swarm of monarchs descended and swirled around her—a blur of black, orange, and coral—creating an iridescent mist as if she was swaddled in the softest and nicest blanket.” She starts to hear “a rhythmic humming” and is not sure where it is coming from as, “The song persisted, though, and grew louder and louder until it reached a crescendo of haunting voices.”
  • After her encounter with the monarchs, Solimar notices a mystical substance around her. “Glittery specks lingered in the air like suspended jewels” and her shawl, or rebozo, is covered in the magical substance. “One side looks as if the butterfly wings are embedded in the fabric . . . and they’re shimmering.”
  • After Solimar’s encounter with the butterflies, she can predict things, such as when her abuela is about to fall down a hill while searching for a specific herb. Solimar explains, “I’ve never seen that herb before. I just knew where it was and that she would fall. But I don’t know how I knew.”
  • Solimar’s friend Josefina tells Solimar, “[My boyfriend] asked to meet me tonight, but he was so serious and standoffish that I am worried his feelings for me have changed. What will he tell me?” Solimar instantly begins to predict a proposal, “Only that he loves you…” And sure enough, this prediction does come true. 
  • To see if her predictions are only lucky guesses, Solimar asks her friend Maria to, “Ask me something else. Maybe about the expedition. Something I couldn’t already know.” Maria says, “When I talked to [the stable hand] only an hour ago, he mentioned your father had just decided on the horse he would ride in the lead tomorrow. Which stallion will have the honor of wearing the king’s colors?” Solimar answers correctly, confirming she can make predictions while wearing the magical shawl. 
  • Abuela takes Solimar to see a folk healer, “where few dared to travel unless they needed to be rid of a curse or cleansed of evil spirits.”
  • The folk healer, Doña Flor, taught Solimar’s grandma how to use herbs to help heal ailments. Abuela says, “Her enchantment is for good . . . some things at Doña Flor’s house are charmed. Just . . . be accepting. That’s all I ask. Embrace the mystery and the peculiarities.”
  • Doña Flor tells Solimar, “Your rebozo is the swaddle for the butterflies. You are now their protector and inseparably connected to them.” Because of this, Doña Flor reveals that the magic of the butterflies in the shawl “are safely embedded. It’s part of the magic, as is the ability for [Solimar] alone to bear their intuition about the near future and what lies ahead.”
  • Though Solimar is now able to access the magical intuition of the monarchs, she knows “each day that it is sunny, [Solimar] must open the rebozo to warm and strengthen those you carry. Otherwise [the monarchs] will never have the stamina to take leave and cluster in the trees.” In addition, Solimar must avoid people asking her questions in the sun because, “For every question you answer, it drains a little of [the butterflies’] strength. If they lose too much they will surely die.”
  • Doña Flor has enchanted dolls that “begin to chatter.” Doña Flor tells Solimar that “their enchantment is strong, yet they are generous souls and very helpful.”
  • Abuela has tried to use spells. She says, “I tried to make a love potion on [my cat] and the stable cat, hoping to make them compatible. But I wasn’t exactly successful . . . But instead of falling in love with each other, they fell in love with the first inanimate object they touched. In [her cat’s] case, it happened to be that green woolen sock she carries everywhere.”
  • Solimar uses magic to figure out which way to go in the dangerous devil’s river. Solimar “heard the chorus again — mystical and ancient and with such harmony that her arms prickled and tears filled her eyes. A clutch of monarchs lifted from the rebozo, their wings beating in time to the rhythmic song, and trailed after the swarm toward the waterway on the right.”
  • The magic of the monarchs can move a canoe without Solimar paddling it at all. “The canoe glided to the right, following the monarchs’ path.”
  • Solimar uses her predictive abilities to help navigate a perilous labyrinth of caves. She reveals, “The tunnel on the right is navigable, but there is no through passage. The water is stagnant, and the air is foul-smelling. The one in the middle has a rock ceiling that eventually becomes so low that the only way to pass is by swimming beneath it, underwater. The tunnel on the left leads to a long corridor and a bat-filled chamber.” She makes it safely out of the caves. 
  • Solimar and her abuela plan to distract the invading guards with an enchantment. As the invaders sit in the middle of the room waiting for the greedy king’s decision about his hostages, “The awnings above the audience collapsed, spilling all manner of household items into the audience: feather dusters, wooden spoons, tea towels. . . Everyone who had been forewarned about the pastries and had not eaten them laughed as each guard picked up an inanimate object — and immediately fell hopelessly in love with it. At least for a few weeks, they would be as lovestruck and preoccupied as [Abuela’s cat], whose sweetheart was a green woolen sock.”
  • Solimar carries the rebozo and protects the monarchs that are magically embedded inside until they are strong enough to leave. At that point, “A wave of butterflies erupted from the oyamel forest. They dove and swooped around Solimar. . . The ancient song began, beautiful and melodic. The butterflies lifted the fabric, turning it around and around in the sun, and waving it so that it rippled until the creases fell away.” The last butterfly “emerged . . . the last one she protected landed on [Solimar’s] finger, then flew away to join the others in the oyamel forest.”      

Spiritual Content 

  • Solimar’s kingdom is home to “the oyamel forest,” a forest that draws in monarch butterflies. She explains, “Like everyone in the kingdom, Solimar believed that the ancestors of the monarch butterflies inhabited the oyamel forest, and that year after year, their spirits lured a new generation of butterflies to this spot during their migrations.”
  • In Solimar’s kingdom of San Gregorio, “the forest and the monarchs were revered and protected,” and the forest is often referred to as “the sacred place.”
  • Solimar ponders what draws the butterflies to the forest each year. “Isn’t it amazing that the butterflies, that have never been here before, arrive season after season at the same spot as their ancestors? Is it the magnetic pull of the earth or the position of the sun as the scientists suggest? Or do the spirits of their fathers and mothers whisper directions to them in a dream? Is it some magical intuition that allows them to know what lies ahead? . . . it’s a miracle.”
  • The dangerous river that prevents Solimar’s kingdom from trading goods is referred to as “Río Diablo,” or the devil’s river. 
  • When Solimar and her abuela visit Doña Flor for advice on Solimar’s ability to predict things, Doña Flor uses scents and vapors to help her. Doña Flor “stopped and picked a few leaves from one of the dried bouquets hanging from the ceiling and tossed them on the fire. A crisp fragrance, like a muddle of pine and mint, filled the room. Doña Flor waved the vapors toward her and inhaled deeply.” Abuela explains, “The strong scent of eucalyptus helps with remembering.”
  • Doña Flor explains that when any of the monarchs of the oyamel forest are weak, “on those occasions, the ancestral sprits of the monarchs choose a benevolent courier to protect the stragglers until they are strong enough to join the others” on their migration.

Pumpkin Day!

Carve out family time for this early reader! Read along as a boy and his family visit a pumpkin patch. While at the pumpkin patch, the two siblings have fun seeing all of the animals. Then they pick out the perfect autumn gourds and carve them into silly faces. 

Pumpkin Day! is intended for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. With large text, easy words, and full-page pictures on every page, Pumpkin Day is a quick story to read because each page has 2 to 7 words that are used in easy-to-read sentences. Plus, younger readers will enjoy both the story and the cute illustrations that fill every page. 

If you’re ready to snuggle up in a warm blanket and read about the wonders of fall, then Pumpkin Day! is the perfect book for you. The siblings see waving scarecrows, running ponies, and giant pumpkins. After visiting a farm, the family has fun “scooping out the good” and carving funny faces on the Jack O’Lanterns. When the orange moon looks like pumpkin pie, you know it’s time to read Pumpkin Day! 

The story is perfect for preschool and kindergarten readers who are ready to learn to read. It’s also a good book to read aloud because of the descriptive words. But beware — after reading Pumpkin Day, readers are going to want to bundle up and head to the pumpkin patch themselves. As the nights become colder, snuggle up and read a fall-inspired book such as Dragon’s Halloween by Dav Pilkey and Mr. Murry and Thumbkin by Karma Wilson. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Squad Goals

Energetic seventh-grader Magic Poindexter wants nothing more than to join the cheerleading squad for the Valentine Middle School Honeybees. After all, cheerleading runs deep in her family’s blood, and Magic wants to continue her family’s legacy, especially since her Grammy Mae was the first Black cheerleader on the Honeybees squad.  

But Magic is different. She isn’t coordinated, has zero athletic ability, and she struggles to stay on beat. Her only chance lies with Planet Pom-Poms, the summer cheer camp where she’ll audition for a spot on the cheerleading squad. However, cheer camp brings more than strenuous practice routines, and Magic struggles to balance the interweaving plotlines of summer romances, friendship trouble, and mean bullies. Can Magic survive Planet Pom-Poms and earn herself a spot on the Valentine Middle School Honeybees? 

From the start, Magic’s bubbly, quirky personality enriches the story’s plot and surrounding characters. Readers will enjoy experiencing Planet Pom-Poms through Magic’s point of view, and her mixture of excitement and anxiety for the cheerleading audition makes her a very relatable character. Yet, Magic’s strength lies in her positive view of herself and others. Despite what others say about her, Magic remains upbeat and optimistic which is why she becomes an admirable figure for both the readers and the other characters. 

Magic is a dynamic character, who shows personal growth; at first, she fears her lack of cheerleading talent but she learns to love herself. This change highlights the book’s message of loving and believing in yourself. This message extends past Magic to her friends, who find beauty in their differences. Magic exemplifies this by saying, “With all of our differences . . . we’re like a cool bag of Skittles. Each of us has our own unique flavor. Without one of us, the rest of the bag would be boring.” While Squad Goals primarily focuses on Magic’s development, the book also includes plenty of cheerleading action. Readers can expect many action sequences with in-depth descriptions of real cheerleading moves. 

Overall, Squad Goals is a heartfelt story about a young girl learning to love herself and her differences. The combination of fast cheerleading scenes with slower introspection scenes mix well and provide an authentic experience for the characters to learn and grow from. The book pleasantly wraps up the different plotlines and leaves the readers with a satisfying conclusion. Although the characters may act overly cheesy, the book explodes with enough charm that it will elicit a smile from all readers who love positivity and cheerleading. Readers who want more cheerleading action should also read The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat. 

Sexual Content 

  • When Magic talks to her crush, Dallas Chase, Dallas’ “cheeks turn red when he smiles this time.” 
  • Whenever Magic thinks about Dallas, it “makes her heart turn into a drum major and beat against my chest. Then my hands get sweaty and I don’t want to touch anything.” 
  • When Magic talks about Dallas, she “swipe[s] at my brows and try to shake off the red. But when I glance in the mirror, my entire face is still flushed. I shake my head. Now it’s even redder. But that’s my story and I’m sticking to it . . . even though I can’t deny that he makes me feel like a hot cup of cocoa topped with squishy marshmallows, all caramel excitement and chocolate nerves.” 
  • Magic’s and Dallas’ eyes lock, and Magic loses “all focus, my mouth opening and closing like a fish as I try to figure out what to say.” 
  • Magic watches Dallas and Gia, the captain of the cheerleading squad, interact from afar, and she “can feel [her] legs turning to limp taffy” out of fear and disgust. This scene is described over three pages. 
  • Magic sees Dallas in a crowd and her “palms go sticky and I start losing my grip on my pom-poms.” 
  • Dallas meets up with Magic outside her cabin. Magic explains, “he looks up at me and a powerful surge of mushy feelings rushes through my nervous system, making me . . . nervous. They start in my toes and sizzle up to the ends of my big, long braids.” 
  • Magic and Dallas hold hands as they walk. “We turn to head back to the dorm, hand in hand, and I’m so content that I don’t even bother to count the Mississippis.” 
  • When Dallas invites Magic to a birthday party, she “can’t hold back the mega-blush that’s turning my face a solid Crayola red.” 

Violence 

  • Magic falls off the steps of the bus, and “an obnoxiously loud thud echoes behind my fall and everyone turns to look right at me and my face, which is now buried in the dirt.” Magic hurts her arm and has to go to the nurse’s station later on. 
  • Magic’s friend, Brooklyn, explains that the cheerleader captains “will be covered in that chalky calamine lotion” after she spreads poison ivy on Gia and Yves’ pillows. 
  • Gia and Yves, the two cheerleading captains, sabotage Magic’s introduction video during the Midsummer performances. They switch out Magic’s original video with a video of her professing her love for Dallas Chase for the entire audience to see: “The audio skips. I try to keep dancing to my background music, mainly because Coach force-fed us that the show must always go on, even if disaster strikes. The audio skips again. ‘—and I’m in love with Dallas Chase. And I’m in love with Dallas Chase. I’m—I’m—I’m in love with Dallas Chase.’” This scene is described over three pages. 
  • Gia and Yves sabotage Magic and her friends’ performance at the Finale by dropping a bucket of water on Magic’s friends during their performance. Magic decides to “cut the string” to save her friends’ performance, “but the bucket is still teetering back and forth, and while I’m looking up at the rafter, watching the bucket with my mouth wide open, I feel a few droplets just before the entire bucket of water splatters right over my head. And I’m soaked.” Magic sacrifices herself to allow her friends to finish their performance. This scene is described over three pages. 
  • Magic and her friends cover Gia and Yves bedsheets with poison ivy in revenge for the Midsummer disaster: “’I’ll do the honors,’ I say to Winnie, taking the tissue with the poison ivy in it from her. I lean over the other bed and follow Winnie’s fingertip as it guides me across and then down the pillowcase.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Magic mentions that her grandfather “takes medication” when his “heart is beating dangerously fast.” 
  • Magic’s mom mentions that “children’s Motrin will help” with Magic’s throbbing head. 

Language 

  • Magic exclaims “ohmahgawd” multiple times. 
  • Two cheerleaders regularly call Magic, “Tragic Magic.” They also call another cheerleader, Capricorn, “Kettle Corn.”  
  • Magic’s friend, Lulu, screams “ohmygosh” once. 
  • Magic repeatedly exclaims “fan-fricking-tastic.”   
  • A mean cheerleader taunts Capricorn by telling her that she “sucks.” 
  • A mean cheerleader tells Magic that “she looks like a raccoon.” 

Supernatural 

  • When Magic holds her Grammy Mae’s pom-poms before the Finale, she sees Grammy Mae encouraging her. “It’s Grammy Mae’s voice, and I’m not sure if I’m imagining it, because it feels so real. And when I open my eyes, I can see her, smiling sweetly, even though I know she’s not there.” 
  • Grammy Mae’s initials on her pom-poms change to Magic’s initials at the end of the story. “And when I do, Grammy’s initials aren’t there anymore. Instead, that same golden glow is swirling around the initials MOP.” 

Spiritual Content 

  • Magic’s big sister, Fortune, compliments Magic by saying, “God was having a good day when he made [you].” 

Baseball Genius

Twelve-year-old Jalen DeLuca is an aspiring baseball player who dreams of playing in the Major Leagues. He knows he can jump-start his career by playing for the travel team Rockton Little League Rockets, but he runs into a massive problem: his father can’t afford the travel team expenses. Desperate to find the money, Jalen attempts to sell some stolen baseballs from famous Yankee ballplayer James Yager. However, when Yager catches Jalen with the baseballs their worlds collide. More importantly, they realize that they need each other when Yager learns that Jalen is more than just a misfit criminal—he’s a baseball genius. 

Just like Jalen, James Yager is in a tough situation. His job is on the line because of his poor performance, and he needs a miracle to prove that he deserves his spot on the Yankees roster. Luckily, Jalen’s ability to perfectly predict pitches from opposing pitchers offers a glimpse of hope, and he embarks on a riveting adventure to save not only his chances of playing baseball but Yager’s entire career. With many people counting on him, Jalen feels the pressure as he struggles to balance the travel team, friendships, his father’s business, and Yager’s career. Can Jalen’s genius save his family, friends, and Yager? 

Told from Jalen’s perspective, the story portrays the complex circumstances in Jalen’s life and explores how Jalen views and feels about these events. As a result, Jalen comes across as a realistic character with authentic joys, anxieties, and dreams. Many readers will relate to how Jalen reacts to the pressure of helping his family, friends, and Yager. Jalen’s brave demeanor leads him to frequently help others, trust the people he loves, and believe that things will work out in the end. They will also admire Jalen’s fortitude in the face of overwhelming adversities. After getting caught stealing, Jalen knows that “Even though he was alone, imprisoned in the Yankees manager’s office, he knew everything was going to work out.” 

Baseball Genius balances the interconnected plotlines within Jalen’s life and gives each storyline proper development with a distinct solution. The constant twists and turns will keep the pages turning and readers will enjoy the quirky side characters who surround Jalen. The story also features several action-packed baseball sequences, where readers will experience detailed play-by-play scenes of actual baseball games, complete with real-life players and settings. For example, during a Yankees game against the White Sox, Jalen watched as “Hutt struck out in four, and then Joe Ros knocked one in the 5-6 hole on his first pitch, putting runners on first and third. Quintana had thrown a total of eighteen pitches.” 

While Baseball Genius has an intriguing plot, it struggles to develop the many characters. Outside of Jalen, most of the supporting characters are flat and don’t show a massive shift in perspective or feelings. As a result, the story’s lesson of trusting in your talents at times feels half-baked and incomplete. Luckily, Baseball Genius’ action-packed narrative overshadows this flaw and presents an engaging story that will capture even the imagination of non-sports fans. With this combination of exciting baseball scenes and page-turning cliffhangers, Baseball Genius is a must-read for sports fanatics. 

Sexual Content 

  • After Jalen successfully predicts the next pitch from a Yankee baseball pitcher, Cat, Jalen’s friend, “kissed [Jalen’s] cheek” in celebration. 

Violence 

  • When Jalen grabs Cat by the arm to talk to her, she “dug her heels in and cuffed him in the back of the head.” Jalen wanted to talk with Cat privately because she was upset with him over his new baseball skills. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • Throughout the story, Jalen’s father says the Italian curse word “mannaggia,” which translates to “darn” in English. 
  • Chris, a school bully, calls Jalen “mutt,” which means “biracial, half white and half black.” 
  • Yager says, “Holy crow” once. Yager also mutters, “Good God” during a stressful moment. 
  • Yager calls the radio sports analyzers “idiots” because they believe that his career is dying.  
  • Jalen calls Chris a “jerk” and a “rat” once. 
  • Chris calls Jalen a “sandwich” because Jalen’s dad has to make sandwiches for the baseball team to pay for Jalen’s travel team expenses. 
  • Chris calls Jalen the “Calamari Kid” after news spreads that Jalen’s dad’s calamari gave Yager good luck in his baseball game. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • Yager helps Jalen’s father out during a busy time at the diner. Afterwards, his father asks, “Jalen, did you bring me an angel from above?” 
  • The travel-ball coach, Coach Gambles, explains to his players that “those of you who are new to this team need to understand that what I say is like the word of God.” 
  • When Jalen’s late for baseball practice, “Jalen flung the door open and took off, praying Coach Gamble’s watch was slow.” 
  • Jalen’s friend describes his feelings when entering Yankee Stadium as if “[he] died and went to heaven.”

Wait Till Helen Comes

Molly and her brother, Michael, agree that their new stepsister, Heather, is a spoiled brat. Mom wants Molly to watch out for Heather, since she’s only seven. But Heather only wants to make trouble for Molly and Michael. She lies and tattles and misbehaves, and somehow they get the blame. They know she’s trying to drive a wedge between her father and their mother, who recently married, so she can have her father all to herself—and it seems to be working. To top it off, Heather starts talking to a ghost named Helen, and Heather warns Molly and Michael that Helen is going to come for them. 

It appears that things can’t get any worse—but they do when Helen comes. 

The story focuses on Molly, the only person other than Heather who can see the ghost of Helen. No one believes Heather has made friends with a ghost—not even after Heather almost dies. Death is often mentioned and at one point, Molly worries what will happen after she dies. She’s afraid that when she dies, “My skeleton. My bones. Someday they would be all that was left of me. They would lie all alone in the dark and the cold while the years spun past, years I would never see. . . All my memories would die with me, all my thoughts and ideas.” The morbid thoughts about death may terrify some readers. 

Wait Till Helen Comes has plenty of scare factors that could give readers nightmares. The ghost of Helen is truly frightening, especially because she has led several children to their deaths. It turns out that Heather has been alone for a century, and the lonely ghost longs to have a friend in the spirit world. While Heather’s situation is understandable, the idea that a person can get stuck in the spirit world is frightening. When Helen tries to lead Heather to her death, Molly jumps in to save her bratty stepsister.  

A scary ghost, a near-death experience, and a spooky graveyard combine to create a chilling ghost story that readers will devour. While the story focuses on the ghost of Helen, many will relate to Molly’s struggles to get along with her stepsister. To make matters worse, no one believes Molly when she tries to warn them about Helen. One negative aspect of the book is the dysfunctional family dynamics. Molly’s brother, Michael, is allowed to roam the wilderness unaccompanied, the parents only appear when they are scolding the kids, and Molly is tasked with the responsibility of watching Heather, who is a pro at disappearing. Readers will empathize with Molly, who struggles with the conflicts that her dysfunctional family cause. 

Wait Till Helen Comes is a scary tale that will leave readers contemplating what happens when someone dies. Readers will find a lot to like about Wait Till Helen Comes, including plenty of heart-thumping scenes, a fast-paced plot, and an unexpectedly happy ending. Readers who love a good scare will enjoy Wait Till Helen Comes. For more frightening tales, check out the Small Spaces Quartet by Katherine Arden.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Heather was three, she saw “her mother die in a fire.”  
  • Helen destroys Michael, Molly, and their mom’s belongings. “Everything that Michael cherished lay in a heap of rubble in the middle of the floor. His books, his specimen cases, his fossils and rocks, his microscope, his aquarium—all were smashed, ruined.” The adults think a robber broke in and ransacked everything. 
  • After finding his room destroyed, Michael grabs Heather and “shook her.” He also calls her a little creep. 
  • Helen leads Heather into the pond, in the hopes that Heather would join her in death. When Molly jumps into the pond to save Heather, Helen is “sobbing and moaning, clutching at Heather with icy fingers, she begged me to give her back. . . I felt a terrible chill as her fingers seized my ankles.” Molly drags Heather out of the pond. 
  • After nearly drowning, Heather wakes up and runs back toward the pond. Molly describes, “Catching up with her at the water’s edge, I tackled her and threw her flat on her face in the weeds. She fought me, her wet clothes and skin making it hard to hold on to her.” Heather stops fighting Molly, who takes her into an abandoned house to warm up.

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • Michael tells Molly, “Don’t let that brat [Heather] scare you with make-believe, Molly. You’re acting like a real dope.” 
  • Molly calls Michael an idiot. Later, she calls Heather a little monster. 
  • Heather tells Molly, “Your mother is a witch. . . I wish she were dead, and you and Michael, too!” 
  • Heather’s father calls Molly a little monster. 
  • Heather’s father says “good God” once. 
  • Molly’s mother says, “Oh, my God.” 

Supernatural 

  • A ghost befriends Heather. When Heather calls to Helen, Molly sees “the glimmer of blue light shape itself into the figure of a girl . . . She wore a white dress, and her hair, dark as Heather’s, tumbled in waves down her back.” 
  • Molly and Michael go to the library to research ghosts. Michael reads about poltergeists who “throw furniture and destroy stuff, and scientists don’t have an explanation for them.” 
  • The man who cares for the graveyard is the only person who believes Molly has seen a ghost. The man tells her, “But my own sister was convinced that our cousin Rose was led to her death in Harper Pond by the very spirit you’ve described to me. . . my sister went to her grave convinced that Rose was possessed by Helen Harper.” 
  • Heather and Molly fall through the rotting floor of an abandoned house. In the old cellar, they see the skeletons of Helen’s parents. Helen kneels by the skeletons. “Another figure appeared in the cellar. From mist it seemed to form itself into a woman. . . smiling, she drew Helen to her feet and embraced her, comforting her, stroking her hair, rocking her gently.” The ghosts shimmer and then disappear.  

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Last Leopard

Martine, her grandmother, and her best friend, Ben, are off to Zimbabwe to help her grandmother’s friend, Sadie, run her hotel in the Matobo Hills. But when they arrive, Martine realizes that someone wants to run Sadie off her land. Not only that, but hunters and treasure seekers are trying to capture Khan—a legendary giant leopard, rumored to be the rarest in the world. Can Martine help before it’s too late?

Martine is surprised when her grandmother announces they are going to Zimbabwe to help her friend Sadie. When they arrive at the isolated hotel, Martine discovers that Sadie is hiding something. Sadie eventually reveals that Mr. Ratcliffe has been trying to run Sadie out of business so he can hunt the legendary leopard, Khan. When the police unexpectedly arrest Martine’s grandmother and Sadie, Martine, and Ben vow to keep Khan safe even if it means putting themselves in danger. 

The third installment of the Legend of the Animal Healer Series has a darker mood than the previous books because it focuses on Mr. Ratcliffe’s greed and his “canned” hunting business. In order to keep his illegal business in operation, Mr. Ratcliffe bribes corrupt police officers. Mr. Ratcliffe is not content with hunting lions and other dangerous animals. Instead, he is also determined to kill the legendary leopard Khan—even if it means hurting others to obtain his goal.

When Martine’s grandmother and Sadie are arrested, Ngwenya, a local, helps Martine and Ben hide in a local village. This situation gives readers an inside look at the indigenous people who live in the bush. While the Zimbabwe culture is completely different from the United States, the communities shine with beauty even though, like any society, not everyone has pure intentions. The mix of characters that Martine and Ben meet adds interest to the story as well as highlights the negative aspects of greed. In the end, the story clearly shows that money is not important; instead, people only need “love, freedom, and enough to eat.”

The Last Leopard is a fast-paced story that teaches readers the horrors of canned hunting and the need for people to take action to save endangered animals. In the author’s note, St. John explains that illegal hunters have caused “cheetahs, lions, and hippos, animals we thought would be around forever, [to be moved] onto the endangered list, and the leopard, one of the world’s most elusive and beautiful creatures, [to be] in danger of being wiped out. Unless we act soon, we’ll wake up to discover that there is only one last leopard.”

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence

  • According to legend, the tribe elders, including Lobengula, hid a treasure. Lobengula was suspected of “having several of his own brothers murdered.” After the treasure was hidden, “Lobengula ordered all who had buried the treasure to be killed in case they had thoughts of stealing it.”
  • When others went to search for the treasure, their expedition “was cursed. Men were struck down with illness none had ever seen before; charged by elephants or murdered by rivals; one even had his nose licked by a lion just before he was disemboweled.”
  • The story revolves around the practice of canned hunting which is “the wicked and widespread practice of putting lions, leopards, and other dangerous and hard-to-hunt animals in small enclosures so that ‘hunters’ are guaranteed a ‘kill’ or a trophy to hang on their walls.” Mr. Ratcliffe owns the Lazy J [?] which captures animals to be hunted.
  • Martine hears a shot. When she looks through binoculars, she sees “the lion lay dead on the ground. The hunter had one foot on its chest and one hand on his rifle, and he was smiling and posing for photographs. The lion’s blood was leaking out onto his boot, but he didn’t seem to notice.”
  • While in the wilderness, the leopard Khan knocks Martine to the ground. “His great paws thudded against her chest and his claws pierced her skin. She was winded and in pain. She could feel blood trickling down her armpit.” Martine can feel Khan’s hatred and fear as well as his exhaustion “from the endless struggle to survive.” When Khan hears others coming, he runs into the desert.
  • Martine and Ben sneak onto Mr. Ratcliffe’s property, where they find animals ready to be canned hunted. When the owner sees them, Martine and Ben run. As they ran, Khan “jumped from the sky” saving Martine and Ben. A man who witnessed the events says, “There was no shooting. One of the guides went to get his rifle and Khan opened up his chest with a swipe of his paw. That man will be spending many months in the hospital.”
  • To keep Martine and Ben out of the way, Mr. Ratcliffe pays a man named Griffin to kidnap the kids. “They’d been kidnapped at about nine o’clock in the morning and denied food or water until six in the evening because Martine refused to give Griffin any information on her gift.” After Martine pretends to tell the future, Griffin allows the kids to eat. Then, he locks them “in a dusty, windowless storeroom with nothing but a bottle of water, a wooden crate, and a couple of snacks.”
  • To escape from Griffin, Martine and Ben hatch a plan to have the “Enemy of Lions” ants bite Griffin. When the ants begin climbing up Griffin’s legs, he “let out a tormented scream. . . He was leaping, twisting, and screeching like a madman.” Griffin’s friends jump up to detain the kids but “Martine and Ben were ready with the sacks. A single swish sent showers of biting ants all over the men.” The kids escape.
  • Martine and Ben go in search of Khan. While searching, “a hand was clamped over [Martine’s] mouth.” Martine is able to flee, but Griffin follows her. “Griffin grabbed at her ankle and missed. Martine scooped a rock as she dodged him and threw it with all her might. The rock hit the bees’ nest square on.” The bees attack Griffin who “fled down the mountainside.” Later, Martine discovers that police found “a comatose figure by the roadside. . . he was so swollen that one of the constables described him as looking as if he’d been blown up with a bicycle pump.”
  • A guide pulls a gun on Ben, so Ben pretends that he will lead the guides to the leopard. Ben is uninjured. 

Language

  • An adult asks Martine, “What the heck do you think you’re doing?”

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • A young adult and his friends are looking for the location of the legendary treasure. They want to find the treasure so they can buy luxuries including cigarettes and whiskey. 
  • When a witch doctor is called to help a sick child, he chanted and “took a swig from a brown bottle at his side. . . In between chants, the witch doctor had continued to take long swallows from his brown bottle.” Before the end of the ceremony, the witch doctor passes out drunk.
  • Martine carries a survival kit that contains “three small brown bottles: one for headaches and pain, one to treat Bilharzia, a disease found in Zimbabwean rivers, and one for stomach ailments.” Martine gives the stomach medicine to the sick baby, who recovers.
  • One of Sadie’s workers discovers that the owner of the Lazy J. paid someone to poison the water tank for the cattle on Sadie’s property.

Supernatural

  • There are several witch doctors who use bones and other items to tell the future. One witch doctor tells Martine, “I will throw the bones and tell you what you need to know. . . what you call destiny is written in sand and not in stone.” During the ceremony, the witch doctor “scattered the bones onto the dry earth.”
  • The witch doctor tells Martine and Ben, “You are bound together, but you will be torn apart. When that happens, look to the House of Bees.”
  • Martine has a gift that allows her to feel the emotions of animals as well as heal them. When she finds Khan, who is injured, Martine uses her magic. When Martine uses her gift, she has a vision of “the ancients, the San Bushman. . . and they were chanting with her, encouraging her. . .  a magical energy came from them and passed through her as if she were a lightning conductor.”
  • When Martine’s hands heat up, she puts them on Khan’s wound. “At first the leopard writhed beneath her touch as if her hands were so hot they were singeing him but gradually his muscles relaxed and a peace came over him.” Afterward, Martine uses moss, honey, and super glue to treat Khan’s wound. 

Spiritual Content

  • The people of the Matobo Hills created shrines to worship “Mwali, the High God. Each shrine had its own guardian and they are looked after to this day.”
  • After Martine and Ben are kidnapped, Martine pretends to be ill. When Griffin sees her pale skin, he prays, “Mwali, don’t desert us now.” 

The Red Ghost

Jenna finds the perfect gift for her sister at a neighbor’s garage sale—a beautiful old doll dressed all in red velvet. Jenna can’t believe her luck. Not only does Mrs. Tate seem happy to be rid of the doll, she even gives it to Jenna for free! But when Jenna takes the doll home, trouble begins. First, her best friend gets a creepy feeling whenever she’s around it. Then, the family cat hisses at the doll, and at night Jenna thinks she can hear it moving around in her closet. Finally, when Jenna gives the doll to her sister, she won’t take it. Could the red velvet doll be haunted? And if it is, what can Jenna do? 

In this companion book to The Blue Ghost, Newbery Honor winner Marion Dane Bauer creates a spooky story that may scare young readers. At first, Jenna is taken in by the doll’s beauty, but soon after taking the doll home Jenna is frightened because the doll’s eyes seem to be talking to her. The unnatural demeanor of the doll is reinforced when Jenna’s sweet-natured cat attacks it. The doll also scares Jenna’s friend, who thinks the doll can talk. To make matters worse, Jenna’s sister Quinn refuses to take the doll because it is “full.”  

Not wanting to throw the doll in the garbage, Jenna tries to return the doll to her neighbor, Mrs. Tate. The old woman refuses to take the doll because it belonged to her dead sister. However, instead of being sad at the thought of her sister, Mrs. Tate is angry and bitter. Mrs. Tate complains that her mother “used to sit and rock that thing all day long . . . all night, too. Like she was rocking Hazel.” After Hazel’s death, her mother “didn’t seem to care about anybody except Hazel. And when Hazel was gone, she cared about that silly doll instead.” Readers who are dealing with grief may be upset by Mrs. Tate’s anger at her mother and confused when they discover Hazel’s ghost was trapped within the doll.  

From the start, Quinn knew there was something that filled the doll. Later, she explains that the doll held the ghost of Hazel, who was “Happy to go, you know?” Quinn doesn’t know exactly where Hazel went, but Quinn “made ‘away’ sound like a very pleasant place.” The Red Ghost doesn’t explain what happens after death or how Hazel became trapped in the doll. Despite this, the idea that a person’s spirit can become trapped may frighten young readers.  

Even though The Red Ghost is part of the Stepping Stone’s Mystery Series, it creates a creepy mood especially because Jenna is afraid of the doll. The Red Ghost has short chapters, large font, and illustrations. The black and white illustrations appear every three to six pages and will help readers understand the story’s plot. The Red Ghost book is part of the Stepping Stones Series that is specifically written for beginning readers. The series allows readers to explore different genres such as history, humor, mysteries, and classics. 

Readers who are ready for a creepy ghost story will enjoy The Red Ghost’s fast pace and suspense. Readers will relate to Jenna, who isn’t sure what to do with the doll but doesn’t feel it is right to throw her in the garbage. In the end, Jenna doesn’t understand why Hazel’s ghost was trapped in the doll, but she is happy to know that Hazel has moved on and that the doll has a new home with Quinn’s other dolls. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Jenna brings the doll into her bedroom, her cat Rocco attacks it. “Rocco’s yellow eyes were slits. . . Rocco sprang! He swiped at the doll’s face. His claws caught in the lace edge of the bonnet. They caught and held.” Jenna hides the doll in her closet. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Jenna hears the doll crying.  
  • The doll says, “Help me!”  
  • When the doll falls and cracks, “something red was drifting through the crack. . . It seemed like red smoke. The red smoke shaped itself into a girl. . . The red girl stayed joined to the broken doll at first. . . Then slowly, slowly, she broke free.” The girl floats out the window and disappears. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The End of Time

Following the epic conclusion of The Secret Society, Oliver, Mya, and Jorge find themselves at an impasse: The Protectors’ headquarters lie in ruins; the nefarious Octavian is nowhere to be found; and they have no idea how their tampering with the timeline of Poptropica might affect history.  

As our heroes band together to save the mysterious, uncharted island world and find a way home, they are reminded of crucial events from their past—including how they were transported to Poptropica in the first place. The trio suddenly finds itself in the heart of Poptropica, where the Protectors discover the nexus of all time and are offered the opportunity to see what their lives would be like if they could change just one thing from their pasts. But will they choose to go down these alternate paths? 

The End of Time jumps back and forth between the present and the past. The story quickly tells what life was like before Oliver, Mya, and Jorge went to Poptropica. Because of the difficulties the trio faced, the book takes on a more serious tone. Before Poptropica, Mya struggles to deal with her mother’s death. Oliver wonders why his father disappeared from his life. Jorge doesn’t have any friends. Through their experiences, the kids realize “We’ve all lost something along the way. But we’ve gained even more. A friend. A family. Through it all, we’ve become ourselves.” 

As the last book in the series, The End of Time, ties up the loose ends and explains the characters’ backgrounds. However, jumping from different time periods and seeing alternative realities makes the plot more complex and readers may have a difficult time understanding the significance of some of the events. The story explores the importance of overcoming grief and accepting things as they are—not as we wish they would be. The graphic novel strays away from the humor and action of the previous books, and instead, takes on a serious tone to get its message across.  

The conclusion is somewhat bittersweet. Oliver, Mya, and Jorge realize the importance of their friendships, return to their own world, and are happily reunited with their parents. Even though Octavian is portrayed as a villain throughout the story, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him. While some of his actions are not acceptable, he is trying to save his love. While this reinforces the idea of accepting a loss, many readers will not understand the message. 

Each page has brightly colored illustrations that use fun elements such as onomatopoeia—”Krash! Smash! Krak!”—as well as comical characters with oversized eyes. The illustrations clearly show the characters’ varying emotions such as annoyance, fear, and confusion. Some of the pages let the illustrations tell the story without text. Other pages contain up to nine sentences with easy-to-understand vocabulary. Most of the sentences are super short, which makes the book accessible to most readers. 

The Poptropica Series is a fast-paced graphic novel that takes an adventurous trip into the past. With plenty of humor and silly illustrations, the series will entertain readers. If you’re looking for another funny graphic novel that will leave readers smiling, check out Pets on the Loose! by Victoria Jamieson. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Octavia goes back in time to Pompei in order to save the woman he loves. Men in space suits appear and tear Octavian away. Octavian watches the volcano erupt and he knows his love has died. 
  • Jonas, a protector of Poptropica, is injured in an explosion. The explosion was described in the previous book.  
  • In order to make friends, Jorge joins a group of mean boys. They take a child’s toy away and throw it into a mud puddle.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • Dang is used twice. 
  • Heck is used three times. 
  • The characters call each other names such as cheater.  
  • In the past, two mean boys make fun of Jorge and call him a baby, a dweeb, and a dork. 
  • In an alternate reality, Oliver gets a glimpse of his father. Oliver realizes, “my dad is kind of a jerk.”

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Dragon’s Blood

The dense, steamy rainforests of Northern Borne are some of the oldest and most magical in the world. Under the shade of the towering tree canopies majestic elephants and orangutans roam. However, Cruz Coronado is more focused on a tiny leech with a surprisingly painful, slow-healing bite. As the leech inches closer and closer, Cruz wonders if what he discovered at the top-secret Archive is true.   

In The Dragon’s Blood, the sixth installment in the Explorer Academy series, Cruz is still reeling from an explosive revelation. But with Emmett, Sailor, and Lani by his side, he is more determined than ever to track down the next-to-last piece of his mother’s cipher. Nebula is close on their heels, though, and the global hunt for the world-changing serum is riskier than ever. The daring explorers follow clues to an emperor’s tomb, and their studies take them to a rugged island in search of a mysterious animal once thought to be extinct. Just as Cruz feels hopeful about the survival of the species—and his own survival—a voice threatens to make sure his mission hits a dead end. 

The explorers travel to Borneo’s Kinabatangan River Basin in Malaysia where they learn about proboscis monkeys and other animals. Soon after, the explorers travel to the Tasmanian wilderness to place cameras that will capture pictures of the wildlife. However, the wildlife adventures end quickly and the story shifts to focus on Cruz’s search for his mother’s cipher. While Cruz’s travels are full of suspense and surprises, some readers may miss learning more about animals and conservation efforts. 

To find the next piece of the cipher, Cruz and his friends travel to China to search the terracotta soldiers. Similar to the other book, in The Dragon’s Blood the episode with the terracotta soldiers happens too quickly to give readers an in-depth view of China or the history behind the terracotta soldiers. While the travel creates suspense and moves the plot forward, the fast pace doesn’t allow readers to soak up all the places Cruz and his friends travel to. 

The Dragon’s Blood pushes the limit on what readers will find believable. Most of the ciphers have been hidden in elaborate ways that have remarkably remained unfound despite their proximity to heavily visited tourist locations. Some of the ciphers have many layers of protection. Because of this, the speed with which Cruz and his friends find the hidden ciphers does not ring true.  

The Dragon’s Blood begins to reveal some of the pivotal pieces of the plot in an effort to bring the series to an end. Through Cruz’s experiences, the reader will learn valuable lessons. For example, when one of the spies is revealed, readers get a close look at how “hate destroys the hater.” In addition, as Cruz and the other explorers travel the world, their instructors encourage them to face their fears and push their limits. This allows them to work as a team, create new technology, and face difficult. While the Explorer Academy Series is not perfect, it is entertaining and encourages readers to risk making mistakes in the quest to learn. 

Sexual Content  

  • Bryndis “planted a kiss” on Cruz’s cheek. 

Violence  

  • Someone tampered with a rotating room, making it spin uncontrollably while Dr. Fanchon and Cruz were inside. “Cruz tried to get up but couldn’t get his feet under him on the slick floor. Stumbling, he hit his knee on the cabinet and went down. Pain shot down his leg.”  
  • As the room continues to spin, Dr Fanchon falls. “Cruz heard a sharp crack a second before he saw her crumple to the floor next to the wall. . . Cruz knew if he let go of the drawer, like Fanchon, he would be flung into the wall with a force violent enough to break bones. . . Everything was a blur. His ears hurt. His stomach churned.” The scene is described over seven pages. No one is seriously injured. 
  • Two men corner Cruz and his friends in a pit where there are terracotta soldiers. One man threatens them with a laser. “There was a cry. A burst of laser fire. . . Next to Cruz, Scorpion’s partner was out cold. Sailor stood over him, the clay arm of a warrior clutched in her hand.” The kids are able to escape.  
  • While in the lab, Dr. Vanderwick grabs Cruz from behind. “‘Don’t move,’ a digitized voice said into his left ear as icy fingers clamped on to him. . . His back was still to her. Next to his shoulder appeared the end of a metal poker, its rounded tip glowing scarlet. . . Suddenly, a jawbreaker-size orb of flames shot out! Cruz ducked as the fireball whizzed past his ear.” 
  • Dr. Vanderwick tries to shoot Cruz with the laser. Luckily, the lab contained sensotivia gel, which reacts to people’s emotions. When Dr. Vanderwick becomes upset “like two bear paws, the sensotivia gel stretched toward her. . . wrapping its gooey claws around her neck, the sensotivia gel began to cover Dr. Vanderwick.” 
  • Despite being captured by the sensotivia gel, Dr. Vanderwick shoots at Cruz. “Suddenly, a ball of flames was soaring toward him. . . Cruz dropped to the floor, and the fiery orb hit the corner of the wall. In a matter of seconds, the blaze spread. The cabinets were on fire.” The scene is described over seven pages. 
  • Another faculty member, Nyomie, appears to help Cruz. Dr. Vanderwick tells them she planted a “liquid compound I’ve been working on. A few drops did the trick. Once the detonator triggers, it’ll blow a hole in the ship big enough to sink her.”  
  • Nyomie finds the helmet containing the explosive and throws it overboard. “The helmet exploded mere seconds before it would have splashed into the sea. . . [Cruz] felt a wave of heat as the shock rocked the ship.” The scene with Dr. Vanderwick takes place over several chapters. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • A scientist is working on creating an emotion potion. “A cream to improve your mood. Say you’re feeling a bit sad, you rub a little of it into your skin and it’ll help cheer you up. If you’re scared, it’ll give you a boost of confidence.” 
  • Cruz’s mother (and others) use animal toxins to create medicine. 

Language    

  • One of the bad men calls Cruz and his friends “dumb kids.” 
  • Darn is used once. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Jackpot

Meet Rico: high school senior and afternoon-shift cashier at the Gas ‘n’ Go who also takes care of her younger brother. Every. Single. Day. When Rico sells a jackpot-winning lotto ticket, she thinks maybe her luck will finally change, but only if she—with some assistance from her popular and wildly rich classmate Zan—can find the ticket holder, who still hasn’t claimed their prize. But what happens when have and have-nots collide? Will this investigative duo unite. . . or divide? 

Told from Rico’s point of view, Jackpot highlights the difficulties of living in poverty. Many readers will sympathize with Rico’s struggles and relate to her insecurities. Rico is an interesting, well-developed character who believes poverty has stolen all her opportunities. In contrast, Zan has never had to worry about money. Despite this, Zan feels his only option is to work for his family’s company.  

In the end, both characters realize, “Everyone has choices. Are some of them hard? Yes. But if you want something bad enough. . .” Rico and Zan’s relationship gives both of them a new perspective and the bravery to take control of their lives.  

Even though Rico and Zan are completely opposite from each other, they each have universal teen conflicts that readers will connect with. Neither character allows others to see their true selves. Zan has closed himself off because he is afraid others will take advantage of him due to his family’s wealth. On the other hand, Rico’s life has been so consumed with work — schoolwork, her job, and caring for her brother — that she has no friends. In addition, Rico feels inferior to her wealthy classmates. Being friends with Zan teaches Rico that not having money doesn’t mean you’re not as worthy as those who do. 

Many teen readers will connect with Jackpot because of the interesting characters and universal themes. While readers will sympathize with Rico’s situation, Zan is the real star because his quirky behavior is humorous and endearing. Even though Rico and Zan are realistic characters, the conclusion is not quite believable. Despite this, Jackpot’s focus on class will leave readers thinking about how one’s class affects every aspect of life. In the author’s note, Stone explains that Jackpot reinforces the idea that “there’s a whole lot more to people than how much — or how little — is in their bank account.” Readers who want another book that explores classism should check out I’m Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal and Class Act by Jerry Craft.  

Sexual Content  

  • Zan goes to see Rico at work. As he’s leaving, he “yanks” her forward. Rico collides “with his chest—then he’s wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me off my feet. . .” Afterwards, she is “legitimately hot all over.”  
  • ​​​Rico’s grandfather was “a white guy. . . he had a one-night stand with an . . . escort he’s pretty sure was black, then ten months later, my mom was left on his doorstep.”  
  • Rico’s mom got pregnant when she was in college. “She spent a month in Spain and came back pregnant. . . she didn’t know about his wife and kids. . .” 
  • Rico’s friend Jessica says, “Timberlake’s old news, but I’d totally have his babies if I weren’t so bent on having Ness’s [her boyfriend].” Later, it is revealed that Jessica and Ness are sexually active. 
  • Rico goes to a friend’s house where she’s surprised to see Zan. When Zan sees her, she describes how “he rushes over and scoops me up in what I can only describe as THE HUG. . . he holds me by the shoulders and basically eats every inch of my body.” 
  • After getting drunk, Rico wakes up next to Zan. Even though they are both fully dressed, Rico thinks that they hooked up and she just can’t remember it. An older woman tells Ric
  • o that after her first marriage broke up, she met Lionel. “Lionel really knew his way around a lady, if you catch my drift.” 
  • While Rico is working, an adult buys a Playboy magazine from the convenience store. 
  • Rico’s brother asks if she’s had a wet dream. He explains what he means. “They’re dreams where you’re doing it with somebody, duh. Mason’s big brother has them all the time and he pees out sticky stuff in the bed, so that’s why they’re called wet.” 
  • Jessica and her boyfriend are kissing when someone tells them to “get a room.” 
  • Rico and Zan pose as a couple in order to look at houses for rent. As part of the ruse, Zan tells the real estate agent that they “’had a little too much fun after winter homecoming, if you catch my drift.” Zan winks and pats Rico’s belly. 
  • Rico has an emotional moment and begins to cry. To comfort her, Zane “draws me in to him. The more I cry, the closer we get until I’m curled in his khaki’s lap like a toddler, sobbing into the neck of his perfectly pressed polo shirt.” After snuggling for a few minutes, Zane says, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you should probably get off my lap now.”  

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Zan thinks Rico is acting “high strung.” He tells her, “We need to get you some good weed or something.” 
  • Jessica’s mother “drinks away most of her paycheck.” 
  • Rico goes to a friend’s house. The teens there drink alcohol and get “a bit tipsy.” 
  • Jessica wonders which one of the cheerleaders is in “therapy and on anti-anxiety meds.”  
  • When Rico’s brother has a fever, she gives him ibuprofen. 

Language  

  • Profanity is used often. Profanity includes variations of ass, asshole, bitch, crap, dumbass, damn, hell, pissed, shit and motherfu–.  
  • Lord, God, Jesus, and other religious names are used as explanations often.  
  • When Rico wakes up next to Zan, she thinks, “Might as well have a red letter T for tramp tattooed on my cheek.” 
  • Rico thinks someone is a douche-jackass and a son-of-a-bitch. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Zan is Catholic and goes to mass “when [his] grandma makes [him].” 
  • Rico thinks about God. “The whole God thing has always been a little suspect to me.” Rico’s mom would listen to the “sermon station” but this just made Rico question God’s goodness. “But for as long as I can remember, Mama has prayed without ceasing, and . . . well, I find it tough to believe this God character is so great when we continue to barely scrape by despite how hard Mama works and prays.” 
  • At one point, Rico thinks that God will “smite us [her and Zan] for all these lies we’re telling.” 
  • While at a wedding, Rico looks at Zan and thanks “whatever God is worshipped in this church for the fact that I’m already sitting.” 
  • Rico’s boss has heavy security on his computer. Rico explains, “He got new software just after the store was broken into and trashed by anti-Muslim douchefaces last August.”  
  • Rico goes to Zan’s house to eat dinner with his family. Zan’s father prays, thanking God for the food and his successful business. Then he says, “Lord, we thank you for our young Alejandro [Zan], and for the light that has recently graced his life, pulling him out of darkness—” Zan’s father was talking about Rico. 
  • Zan’s grandmother invites Rico to mass and then asks if Rico is a believer. The conversation gets interrupted before Rico can answer. 

Deadman’s Castle

A twelve-year-old boy has a simple desire: to have friends, go to school, keep his name, and stop “bugging out.” Unfortunately, his life has been far from simple ever since his dad witnessed something he shouldn’t have. In order to protect themselves, his family abandoned their identities and went into hiding. Currently, the young boy hides under the name Igor.  For the past seven years, they have had to live under different names and in new houses. Now they’re always on the run, hiding from the mysterious and dangerous Lizard Man.

Despite the constant danger and the fear of being discovered, Igor clings to the hope of a normal life. He yearns to have a routine. Igor longs to be able to discover his real name, the one that connects him to his past and his family. But as he grows older and more restless, Igor starts testing the limits of his dad’s strict rules, hoping to find a way to break free from the never-ending cycle of running and hiding. But the more Igor uncovers, the more he realizes that the danger is real, and the Lizard Man is closer than ever. The Lizard Man is getting closer, and Igor’s father’s past is catching up with them. But Igor is determined to find a way out of this life of fear, to discover the truth about his father’s past and his family’s connection to it.

Despite the odds, Igor clings to the hope of a normal life, and his determination to find a way out of the cycle of hiding and running makes him a hero in his own right. Will he be able to uncover the truth about his family’s past and put an end to the never-ending cycle of hiding and running? Only time will tell.

Deadman’s Castle is a gripping tale of adventure and mystery that promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats. From the very first page, readers will be transported to a world of danger and intrigue, where every turn of the page brings a new revelation and a new challenge for the protagonist, Igor. As the story unfolds, Igor finds himself embroiled in a web of lies and deceit that threatens to destroy not only his own life but the lives of those he loves most.

The plot of Deadman’s Castle is both intricate and compelling with a rich and immersive world that readers won’t want to leave. There are heart-stopping action scenes that will leave readers breathless with fear and suspense, as well as heart-warming moments of tenderness and compassion that will bring a tear to the eye. 

But it’s not just the plot that makes Deadman’s Castle such a captivating read. The characters are fully fleshed-out and multi-dimensional, with their hopes, fears, and motivations making them feel like real people. Readers will find themselves cheering for Igor as he struggles to uncover the truth about his family’s past and break free from the never-ending cycle of hiding. They’ll also be drawn to the other characters, such as Zoe and Angelo, Igor’s two new friends, who each have their own unique story to tell. Zoe, if that even is her real name, is a mysterious orphan struggling to find her sense of identity. Constantly changing her entire style and name without warning, she still knows how to remain true and honest to those she keeps closest to her. Angelo, on the other hand, is a rough and tumble boy with a hard exterior but a soft inside. Zoe and Angelo make for loveable and relatable sidekicks to Igor’s adventures.

In short, Deadman’s Castle is a must-read for anyone who loves a good adventure story. The book masterfully explores the theme of living a life of constant movement, while recognizing and empathizing with the struggles of adolescents. It addresses the themes of identity, family, and the lengths taken to protect loved ones. It’s a novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end and leave them longing for more.  Readers who want more suspenseful stories should also read The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown and Dreaming Dangerous by Lauren DeStefano.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • On the first day of school, the other kids treat Igor like an outcast. A group of three boys threatens to harm Igor. One of the bullies, Angelo, “turned to [Igor]. He pointed a finger like a stabbing knife. ‘I’m going to kill you,’ he said.” At this point, Igor becomes worried that his dad may have been right; starting school so suddenly with a strange name would make him an easy target for being picked on.
  • Igor decides he must face Angelo and he goes outside with Angelo and his posse. “The others held my arms and pinned me there, one on each side . . . his hand swept up again,  and in his fist was — snow. He had a handful of snow, and he squashed it into my mouth and my eyes. He forced it between my lips, against my teeth; he pushed it up my nose.” The boys only stop their torture when Igor starts laughing because it wasn’t as bad as the things he imagined in his head.
  • Trevis, Angelo’s former best friend, likes to make up bizarre stories instead of answering questions truthfully. Igor asks about Zoe, one of Igor’s new friends, and Trevis tells Igor, “Both of her parents were killed. Zoe grew up as an orphan. . . It was a 747. A jumbo jet . . . Three hundred and forty people were killed.”
  • Angelo, Zoe, and Igor decide to go to Deadman’s Castle. Igor inquires why it is named Deadman’s Castle. “‘Cause there’s dead men in it,’ said Angelo. ‘There were bodies sealed in the walls.’” Although they never confirm what the actual story behind the name is. 
  •  While at Deadman’s Castle, Igor faces the Lizard Man. Igor “didn’t know what to tell him. [The Lizard Man] swung his foot and kicked me in the ribs.” Igor lay on the ground, unable to get out of reach of the Lizard Man. He ultimately joins Angelo, who has already been placed in a cell in the basement. 
  • The Lizard Man corners Angelo and Igor who use their video game skills to defend themselves. Igor describes how Angelo was “suddenly Johnny Shiloh, and I was Colt Cabana. We leapt from the floor and tackled the Lizard Man. The whip fell from his hand; his hat went rolling into a corner . . . With fists and feet we attacked the Lizard Man.” It deters the man for a few seconds but doesn’t take long for him to get back up and chase after the boys, before recapturing them.
  • Angelo’s dog, Smasher, tries to protect the boys from the Lizard Man. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much for the Lizard Man to fend off the dog. “Either way, it didn’t matter. The door slammed against her. There was a thud and a cry that came together, the most terrible sound I’d ever heard.”
  • The Lizard Man chases Angelo and Igor when they try to break free. To escape, the kids must cross a very deep pit that is only crossable by planks of wood. “With a scream, he fell. The lantern dropped from [the Lizard Man’s] hand and went tumbling down in a whorl of light. It hit the walls and went out, and we heard the thudding of the planks as they boomed from the sides of the pit. Everything landed at once, what seemed a long time later: the light, the Lizard Man, and the planks of the bridge.” The kids presume he has died and run for help.

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Rise of the Earth Dragon

When King Roland’s guards whisk Drake away from his family’s onion farm, Drake never imagined that he’s about to learn that dragons and magic are real. Even better, he learns that he is a Dragon Master —  along with three other children — Ana, Rori, and Bo. The Dragon Masters must learn how to connect with and train their dragons and they must also uncover their dragons’ special powers. But Drake wonders what King Roland wants with the dragons. And why did the Dragon Stone choose four children to be the Dragon Masters? Most importantly, will Drake and his dragon learn to cooperate? 

Rise of the Earth Dragon, the first installment of the Dragon Masters Series, sets up the rest of the series by introducing the main cast of characters and giving hints about the rest of the Kingdom of Bracken. The primary conflict in Rise of the Earth Dragon is Drake’s struggle to learn about the dragon’s world and to bond with the other Dragon Masters. Plus, Drake must learn how to be a dragon master and understand his dragon Worm’s power.  

Despite being taken from his family and feeling insecure about not knowing much, he finds solace in his fellow Dragon Masters, and his confidence increases as he learns more. Drake is fairly optimistic because he has his own dragon and is making friends. At first, he gets frustrated when his dragon doesn’t exhibit powers, but he doesn’t give up trying to cooperate with Worm or his classmates. He is friendly and resilient, which young readers will like. 

The other Dragon Masters have been training for longer than Drake. They have varying reactions to Drake and his somewhat underwhelming dragon, but ultimately, they become friends. Bo offers to dictate a letter for Drake, who cannot read or write, and eventually, Bo teaches Drake how to do so. The other two students, Rori and Ana, are more wary of Drake and are occasionally condescending. Drake earns the others’ respect when he and Worm save them from a collapsed tunnel. In that moment, Drake and Worm show that even those who are different can have extraordinary power. 

Rise of the Earth Dragon is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. The book is told in a straightforward manner with short sentences that ensure clarity. The oversized font and easy-to-read text make the story perfect for independent readers. Rise of the Earth Dragon includes black-and-white whimsical cartoon drawings on nearly every page. The illustrations bring the fantastical elements to life for young readers. Those interested in reading the rest of this series should begin with this book to understand the basics of the world and the characters. 

Rise of the Earth Dragon is a fast-paced adventure that incorporates the classic fantasy elements— dragons, wizards, and far-away kingdoms — that readers will love. Even though the book is mostly exposition, the quick bonds Drake forms with his dragon and with the other kids contain enough excitement to keep young readers interested. The story also shows that adaptability and being different are valuable qualities and that our differences should be embraced rather than hidden. After reading Rise of the Earth Dragon, dragon-loving readers will be eager to read the next book in the series, Saving the Sun Dragon. Readers looking for more adventure should also read the Dragon Slayers’ Academy Series by Kate McMullan. 

 Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Worm shows Drake his memories of being taken by King Roland’s guards. The images show Worm’s fear and explosions. The images aren’t graphic, but they depict the dragon in distress.  
  • Worm shows Drake a vision of what happened to Worm’s family, which Drake had also dreamt about the previous night. Drake notes, “Worm was trying to get out of the cave, but the other dragons were in the way. Then soldiers rushed into the cave. The soldiers wrapped Worm in chains. They dragged him out of the cave.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Rori, one of the other Dragon Masters, tells Drake that his dragon “really is like a big, ugly worm.”  

Supernatural 

  • Drake lives in the Kingdom of Bracken, and one day he’s whisked away from his onion farm by a soldier and brought to the castle. Inside, Drake describes seeing “the face of a giant, red dragon!” Drake thinks, “Dragons aren’t real,” showing that this is not common knowledge in his world, but dragons and magic do exist, and he learns about them throughout the course of the book. 
  • Drake meets a wizard. Drake describes the wizard, saying, “He had a long white beard. He wore a pointy hat and a dark green robe.” This is Griffith, the king’s wizard, and Griffith can do magic spells. For instance, Drake watches Griffith unlock a door. Drake describes, “Griffith pointed at [the door’s] big, brass lock. Sparks flew from his finger. The lock opened.”  
  • Griffith shows Drake something called the Dragon Stone, which “has the heart of a dragon . . . and those with the heart of a dragon become Dragon Masters for King Roland.” 
  • Drake has a piece of the Dragon Stone which helps him communicate with his dragon. Drake describes putting the stone necklace on and feeling “tingly all over his body.”  
  • When the Dragon Masters try to sneak their dragons outside to play at night, the Dragon Masters encounter a “glowing, red orb.” Another Dragon Master named Bo notes that it’s not Griffith’s magic, and that “it feels . . . scary.” One of the dragons panics and causes the tunnel to cave in. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Girl who Speaks Bear

Yanka, a twelve-year-old girl, lives in a small village with her foster mother, Mamochka. Yanka isn’t exactly sure of where she came from, but “Mamochka says I was about two years old when she found me outside the bear cave,” at which point, Mamocka took Yanka home and raised her as her own. Yanka has distinct memories of living in the bear cave and memories of “the bear who raised [her].” One day, a family friend, Anatoly, visits and tells Yanka about the Story of the Lime Tree’s Curse. In the story, Yanka recalls, “It was about an enchanted tree, and a woodsman and his family who were cursed to be bears” after the woodsman became too greedy while making demands of the magical lime tree. Yanka wonders if there may be a connection between this story and her past, as “that story was about people turning into bears and now my legs have become bear legs.” 

Yanka notices that she is different than the other children in her village. She says, “I tower above all the other twelve-year-olds, and most of the grown-ups too. And I’m stronger than everyone. Even the ice cutters and woodchoppers.” Yanka takes a great tumble at the village’s festival, and when she awakes, she realizes “My legs are enormous. Thick and muscular. And covered in fur . . . I have bear legs.” Yanka takes her new legs as a sign that she should explore her birthplace. She goes into the forest, hoping to discover more about her memories. 

Yanka is a very sympathetic character as she struggles to feel a sense of belonging that many readers may relate to. She explains, “But if I don’t know where I came from, how can I be sure where I belong?” Ultimately, When Yanka’s journeys to find her birth mother, Yanka discovers that her mother passed away, when she “was trying to rescue [Yanka’s] father. He was trapped in Smey’s [a fiery dragon] cavern.” Though her mother has died, Yanka learns that her mother left her with her grandmother, “The bear Tsarina.” Incredibly, Yanka realizes that her family has been cursed to turn into bears, but in some cases, they can periodically transform into humans. This makes Yanka wonder, “Am I meant to be a bear or a human?”  

Throughout her journey, Yanka shows immense growth, and she especially grows to appreciate the village people who love her. As she goes further into the forest to learn about her birth mother, Yanka begins to fully transform into a bear. However, once this happens, Yanka comes to understand “I’ve been so focused on where I don’t fit into the village that I’ve lost sight of where I do. I have a mother, Mamochka, who loves me. A best friend in Sasha . . . There is a place for me in the village.” This realization pushes Yanka to try to break her family’s curse so that she might return to her village once and for all.  

The folktale style of The Girl Who Speaks Bear will keep readers on their toes, as each chapter is set up as its own separate tale within the story. The chapters flow together in a way that helps readers understand Yanka and her family better. Readers will be interested in the use of many Russian words like “sbiten,” a hot honey drink, and they can find the meaning of each of these words in the glossary at the back of the book. 

Yanka ultimately finds that even the magic of the Lime Tree cannot undo “old curses,” such as the one placed on her family. However, Yanka learns to embrace the differences that make her stand out. She says, “I don’t want the curse to be broken. I don’t want to be only a human forever. I like being a bear too . . . I want to keep this gift and learn how to control it.” 

Overall, this story will capture readers’ hearts as Yanka embraces her love for the forest, as well as her love for her family in the village. The author employs folktales that connect with her grandmother’s Prussian heritage. This novel emphasizes the importance of appreciating the people who love you for who you are. Yanka explains, “I’ve seen so many amazing things on this journey . . . But above all, I’ve learned the importance of going home to the people you love.” 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Yanka decides to go into the forest to look for clues about the bears who raised her. She remembers the dangers that lie within the forest. “Fire dragons who would burn your life away and Yaga [people who collect souls of the dead] who would steal your soul.” 
  • In the forest, Yanka is attacked by a wolf called Ivan the Grey as she tries to cross through an area of the forest that is guarded by his pack of wolves. Yanka says, “I drop the lantern and raise my arms to protect myself. Ivan the Grey bites down on my elbow, crushing it between his powerful jaws, I yell in pain and fall back.” Yanka escapes further violence by telling Ivan the Grey that she knows about his missing claw and how it was stolen. 
  • Yanka and her pet weasel, Mousetrap, befriend a young elk who is being attacked by wolves. Suddenly, Yuri [the elk] screams… [Yanka] frowns at him, confused—then [makes] out a writhing dark creature on top of him. A wolf. Teeth flash as they bite into Yuri’s rump.” Yuri s escapes as Yanka and Mousetrap distract the wolf.  
  • Some animals in the forest explain how dangerous the fire dragon, Smey, is. The animals tell Yanka, “[Smey] poisons the air with his sulfurous breath and heats soil into bubbling mud . . . [Smey] sends fires through our forest, burning our trees, charring our den.” 
  • Yanka’s newfound ally, Ivan the Grey, attacks the dangerous dragon, Smey, “Ivan lets out a blood-chilling snarl and tears straight through the center of the dragon.” However, this does not kill the dragon, instead it exposes its heart, “a pulsing, beating heart made of fire.” 
  • Ivan the Grey is hurt after attacking Smey, “Ivan whimpers in pain as he lands awkwardly” after the dragon causes another explosion. Fortunately, Ivan is able to recover. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Mamochka is a healer who uses herbs. “People say Mamochka can cure anything — that if she wanted to, she could cure the sky from bleeding at sunset — because she has the wisdom of the Snow Forest inside her.” Mamochka’s healing skills are paralleled by her caring personality, as she truly loves to help others.  
  • Mamochka makes Yanka remedies when she is ill. Yanka explains, “Whenever I’m unwell, [Mamochka] has a tonic or a tea to make me feel better. This winter she even made a special ointment, just for me, when I complained that my feet ached from growing too fast.” 
  • When Yanka wakes up to find that she has bear legs, Mamokchka tries applying various herbs to help fix it. Yanka says, “Through [Mamochka] said her remedies weren’t working, [Mamochka] still covers my legs with so many different herbs that I end up smelling like her medicine-mixing corner.” 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Yanka is able to talk to all the animals in the forest. For example, while she passes by the edge of the Snow Forest a bird speaks to her saying, “Yanka the Bear! Come back to the forest!” 
  • Yanka believes Anatoly, a friend of Yanka and Mamochka who frequently visits their home, and his stories about the forest. Yanka explains, “There’s a forest filled with creatures . . . A fiery dragon flies across the night sky and regal bears dance in a crumbling castle overgrown with vines. A house with chicken legs sprints along a riverbank and a pack of wolves hunt beneath a silver moon.” 
  • Yanka recalls, “The villagers tell stories about Yaga—witches who live in houses with chicken legs surrounded by skull-and-bone fences. In their stories, Yaga eat lost children and steal their souls.” However, Yanka’s encounter with the Yaga prove that they are not dangerous to the living, as they help Yanka find her lost family.  
  • The Yaga that Yanka meets live in a house that is animated and able to walk and move about on its legs. Yanka notices, “The porch balustrades curl around my back, helping to support me.’ 
  • Yanka grandparents were curses and turned into bears, which happened overnight. “But all too soon, [Yanka’s grandfather] came home pale and trembeling, and everything changed. [Yanka’s grandfather] would not tell [Yanka’s grandmother] what had happened and fell asleep with his head on her lap . . . And when they awoke, [Yanka’s grandparents] were bears.” 
  • The Yaga bring one particular fisherman back to life. “The Yaga grabbed the fisherman’s soul and ran to his bosy. ‘Get back in!’ she ordered with such fierceness that the fisherman dared not refuse. He lay down in his body and breath surged into his lungs.” The fisherman was actually Yanka’s father.  

Spiritual Content  

  • As part of her village’s annual festival to celebrate the start of spring, Yanka is “chosen to carry Winter,” as “every year at the festival, a big straw doll called Winter is burned, to symbolize the end of winter and the coming of spring. Carrying Winter is a real honor, usually given to one of the grown-ups who has contributed most to village life over the season.” Yanka’s strength is central to her being chosen for this role.  
  • Occasionally, some characters exclaim, “for spirit’s sake.” 

I Kissed Shara Wheeler

Chloe Green wants nothing more than the title of valedictorian, and she’s almost got it in the bag. There’s just one little problem and her name is Shara Wheeler, who happens to be Chloe’s greatest competition and school sweetheart. Chloe and Shara have been competing forces since Chloe arrived at Willowgrove Christian Academy during her freshman year of high school. They have a completely normal academic rivalry, until Shara corners Chloe and kisses her, leaving Chloe angry and bewildered. 

Then, Shara goes missing after prom night and the whole school is enraptured by the perfect Christian girl’s disappearance. Chloe is unfazed, however; she knows there’s more to Shara than meets the eye. Chloe discovers that she isn’t the only person Shara kissed before magically disappearing. Right before disappearing, Shara also kissed Rory, Shara’s next-door neighbor, and Smith, Shara’s boyfriend. Thrown into an unlikely alliance, chasing a ghost through parties, break-ins, puzzles, and secrets revealed on monogrammed stationery, Chloe starts to suspect there might be more to this small town than she thought. And maybe—probably not, but maybe—more to Shara, too. 

I Kissed Shara Wheeler takes the reader on a journey through the rigid conservative Christian values of False Beach, Alabama. Readers will get an in-depth look through the eyes of the residents who have a myriad of complicated feelings about their town and the places they occupy within it. The book is narrated by Chloe, whose perspective is strongly influenced by her liberal, southern California roots, but most of the other characters don’t know life outside of False Beach and their staunchly religious private school. As much as Chloe’s strong-willed opinions drive change, the other characters teach her about the complicated love they have for their home, even when it strives to suppress various aspects of their identities. 

Much of the book’s content discusses sexuality as the characters grow and learn to accept themselves for who they are. The story opens with Shara kissing Chloe, though at this point Shara has never appeared as more than just a conservative Christian girl. In contrast, Chloe is openly bisexual and anti-religious, but it takes both girls most of the book to realize that they have genuine feelings and attraction for each other. Many of the other characters also go through their own reckonings in the book, including Smith and Rory, who discover that their feelings for each other are more than just that of childhood best friends.  

Fans of Casey McQuiston’s other books Red, White, and Royal Blue and One Last Stop will likely enjoy the fun energy in I Kissed Shara Wheeler. McQuiston balances the serious moments with the characters’ sense of humor. Some readers may find Chloe to be a bit single-minded in her quest to triumph over Shara, but this doesn’t draw away from the story. Ultimately, readers will be able to take away that there is always more than meets the eye, and there is always room to change and grow into the person you want to be. Readers who enjoy I Kissed Shara Wheeler can find more romance by reading Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon or The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith.

Sexual Content  

  • Chloe explains why she’s looking for Shara Wheeler. Chloe says, “Because two days ago, Shara found her alone in the B Building elevator before fifth hour, pulled her in by the elbow, and kissed her until she forgot an entire semester of French.” It then comes to light that Shara has kissed Smith (her boyfriend) and Rory (her neighbor) as well. 
  • No one knows where Shara is, and Chloe comes up with unlikely theories – one being that Shara has “some sugar daddy she’s holed up with or something.” 
  • Chloe writes a letter to her friend about being kissed by Shara. Chloe starts by telling her not to react while reading the letter because “if Madame Clark picks this one up and reads it out loud like she did with Tanner’s ranking of girls’ butt’s I will literally kill you.” 
  • Chloe notes that when she first moved to False Beach, Alabama, she was in freshman bio and noted that “the chapter on sexual reproduction was taped shut.” 
  • Chloe, Rory, and Smith go into Rory’s room to use his computer. Chloe “counts at least three different hand-drawn penises” on Rory’s bedroom wall. 
  • There is a joke school code of conduct that is presumably written by Chloe. Among other details, it includes, “No student may smoke, drink, dance, or have sex, which means half the students are smoking, drinking, dancing, having sex, and lying about it. Pills are fine. If you’re on the football team, just ask Emma Grace’s dad to write you a prescription.” This list lasts for a page. 
  • Chloe notes that once at a party, she “almost got French-kissed by Tucker Price from the Quiz Bowl team in his parents’ saltwater jacuzzi.” 
  • After a trip, Chloe’s two moms kiss. Chloe jokes that they kiss “like they’re on the bow of the freaking Titanic.” 
  • Chloe briefly mentions a situation where “a sophomore sent her boyfriend nudes and he forwarded them to all his friends.” This comes up on chapel day at school and the administration then gave “a very shame-y talk on modesty.” 
  • Chloe’s friend tells Chloe that he’s “a make-out hobbyist . . . I’ve kissed like, all my homies.” He doesn’t go into details. 
  • Shara’s neighbor, Rory, expresses his repressed feelings for Smith to Chloe. He says, “maybe I talked myself into [Shara], because when I looked at her and Smith together, I was so jealous, and she seemed like the right place to put it.” Chloe validates his feelings, telling him, “It would be okay. If you didn’t like Shara. If you didn’t like girls at all.” It is revealed later that Smith has similar feelings for Rory as well. 
  • Chloe finds Shara and Shara kisses Chloe. Chloe thinks that Shara “knows exactly what she’s doing when [Chloe] twists her fingers into the loose wisps of hair at the nape of Shara’s neck and kisses her back, hard. Her other hand grips the tulle where it fans out from Shara’s waist and holds Shara’s body up against hers like see, we’re a match, and it works — Shara sighs and lets go of the rail to slide her palm over Chloe’s cheek.” The description lasts for half a page. 
  • Chloe’s classmate Georgia gets caught “making out in the B Building bathroom” with their other classmate, Summer, and Georgia gets reported to the principal’s office. No other description is given for that kiss. It’s only said that Georgia has been dating Summer and Summer has “known she was bi since last year.” 
  • Smith and Rory kiss and Chloe walks in on their moment. She’s hiding and she describes only what she can hear, saying, “Then, after a few seconds, just long enough for a nervous first kiss, Smith laughs.” 
  • Two of Chloe’s classmates are arguing, and one tells the other that “if she wanted people to believe things she says, she shouldn’t have lied about giving her best friend’s crush a handjob at her birthday party.” 
  • Chloe and Shara kiss in Shara’s bedroom. Chloe describes, “She tips her head forward, and Shara kisses her. Chloe puts her arms around Shara’s neck and kisses her back.” The description lasts for a page. 
  • Chloe and Shara make out. “Chloe doesn’t know how long. It felt like a long time.” The page before, they have a conversation on how they both want to take it slow. Chloe says, “Shara’s hand drops from Chloe’s neck to her shoulder, and then she’s pushing Chloe down on the bed and kissing her, one hand pinning her to the mattress and the other on her waist.” 
  • Chloe fights against the school administration’s policies. For instance, she says, “Freshman year, she adjusted to Willowgrove by making problems on purpose, but nobody showed up to her GSA meeting, and she got suspended for bringing free condoms to school in protest of the abstinence-only sex ed policy.” 
  • Chloe’s classmate Dixon makes a rude sexual comment towards Chloe at the party, citing something he calls the Rachel Rule. He says, “‘It’s a rule the seniors made last year for Rachel Kennedy, who was a huge bitch but still got to come to parties because she had huge boobs.’ He’s looking down now. At her chest, and her wet shirt. He hands clench into firsts at her sides — ever since she sprouted D-cups in tenth grade, a guy staring at her chest has never ended well. ‘So, as long as you keep wearing that, the Rachel Rule says you can stay.’” Chloe does not like this, and she expresses her discontent by telling him that he peaked in high school and, even now, she “still wouldn’t sleep with him.” 

Violence  

  • Chloe finally finds Shara, and Chloe is furious. In her anger, she shoves Shara into a lake. Chloe describes, “with one solid shove, she pushes Shara — prom dress and all — over the railing and into Lake Martin.” 
  • Chloe “punched a mall Santa when [she] was five.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Chloe refers to her classmate, Jake Stone, as “Stone the Stoner.”  
  • Jake Stone was suspended once because he “was caught vaping” in the school bathroom. 
  • Every teacher at Willowgrove has to “sign a morality clause saying they won’t drink, express political opinions or be gay.” 
  • Chloe says that False Beach, Alabama has “the aura of a Mountain Dew bottle filled with dip spit.” 
  • Chloe goes to a high school party and is annoyed that she has to watch a classmate “slobber all over a beer bong.” There is plenty of drinking at this party, including something referred to as an “upside down margarita,” which is a drinking game. The party’s descriptions last for a couple of chapters. 
  • The Willowgrove school district hired a cop to scare the students about drugs, but instead, Chloe notes that the cop “ended up telling us exactly how many ounces of weed you can carry without getting arrested.” 
  • Chloe stays up too late thinking about Shara and has a massive headache the next day. She says, “This must be what a hangover feels like.” 

Language  

  • Chloe notes that Shara’s disappearance is odd. Chloe thinks to herself, “That’s the thing about popular kids: They don’t have the type of bond forged in the fire of being weird and queer in small-to-medium-town Alabama. If Chloe tried to ghost like this, there’d be a militia of Shakespeare gays kicking down every door in False Beach.” 
  • Strong language is used frequently. Profanity includes ass, fuck, idiot, d-bags, shit, megabitch, crap, dick, hell, and douchebag. 
  • Chloe says “Shara Wheeler is the most tragic heterosexual to ever cram herself into a Brandy Melville crop top.” 
  • Chloe describes her classmate’s understanding of her as “the weird queer girl from LA with two lesbian moms.” 
  • Chloe’s friend Georgia has a collection of books at her parents’ bookstore just for Chloe, and she “affectionately calls it Chloe’s Monster Fucker Collection” due to the fact that Chloe likes stories where the headstrong main female protagonist falls in love with the villain, which sometimes happens to be a literal nonhuman entity. 
  • Chloe and her friends identify as LGTBQ+, and they reference their sexualities somewhat often in-text. For instance, Chloe’s friend Benjy is worried about his future college roommate. He says, “My new fear is that he’ll be a hot straight guy. I cannot spend my first year away from home with an unrequited crush on a guy who wears neckties to football games…I don’t have high hopes for the gays of Tuscaloosa.”  
  • Chloe’s classmate is an unpleasant person by all counts. She details why, saying he’s “the type who insists it’s okay for him to make offensive jokes because he’s not actually racist/sexist/homophobic/transphobic/whatever so he doesn’t actually mean them, but aren’t the jokes so funny.” 
  • Smith asks Ash, a nonbinary student, to “explain the whole nonbinary thing” to him. Ash explains to Smith it’s, “Like if someone yelled your first name [William] at you. You might answer to it, but it wouldn’t feel right, because that’s not you.” Ash and Smith have this conversation for several pages. 
  • Chloe doesn’t want another student named Drew Taylor to be her salutatorian because “he has a YouTube channel about why girls at Willowgrove are sluts for taking birth control pills.” 
  • Chloe’s mom exclaims “Jesus Christ” when she finds out that Chloe has Shara’s expensive crucifix necklace. 

Supernatural 

  • Chloe sometimes wishes she lived in another place and time. An example of this is that she wishes she “were a vampire hunter in Edwardian England.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • The book opens with a service at the Willowgrove Christian Church, “where the Wheelers are spending their morning pretending to be nice, normal folks whose nice, normal daughter didn’t stage a disappearing act at prom twelve hours ago.” 
  • Chloe finds the spare key to the Wheeler’s house under a rock with “Joshua 24:15 engraved on it. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Bible quotes are scattered throughout the book. 
  • The students in this book attend “Willowgrove Christian Academy.” Chloe describes a billboard for the academy reading, “Jesus Loves Geometry! A Christ-Centered Education At Willowgrove Christian Academy!” The school also has “chapel days” where the students are required to attend service. 
  • Chloe greatly dislikes her religious school, but she attends the school because of its academics and theater program. She says, “If this was her only option, she could put up with the Jesus stuff.” 
  • Shara wore a somewhat revealing dress at homecoming. Chloe describes, “It was only a blue silk slip with a modest neckline, but it stuck to her like water, and she wasn’t wearing a bra . . . God’s favorite daughter shows one hint of nip.” 
  • Chloe half-jokes that Shara Wheeler’s family “has more money than God.” 
  • Mr. Wheeler is the principal at Willowgrove, and he has a reputation for “telling teenagers they’re going to hell.” He says many religious things to the students, including telling Chloe that “gossip is against God’s will.” This is how many teachers and much of the curriculum work at this school. 
  • Shara expresses in her journal entry that “the loudest Christians I’ve ever met were the worst ones.” 
  • Shara and Chloe go through their notes for their AP European History exam, which involves a lot of religious history. For instance, they reference the “Defenestration of Prague” where “Protestants threw a bunch of Catholic officials out of a castle window in Bohemia. Started the Thirty Years War.” There is a series of notes like this for a couple of pages. 
  • Georgia explains to Chloe that Summer’s church “is more into Jesus the brown socialist than the whole eternal damnation thing.” 
  • Chloe explains that her understanding of Christianity is based on Willowgrove’s variety – “judgmental, sanctimonious hypocrites hiding hate behind Bible verses, twenty-four-karat crucifix necklaces, and charismatic white pastors with all the horrible secrets that money can protect.” 
  • The school finds out that there’s been an admissions scam at Willowgrove, and Benjy sees all the fliers with the information and exclaims, “Jesus wept.” 

Magical Imperfect

Etan is a twelve-year-old boy whose life is full of silence, earthquakes, and a bit of magic. He lives in a world that is both familiar and unfamiliar. The ground beneath his feet is constantly shaking, threatening to upend everything he knows. But despite the danger, Etan finds solace in the game of baseball, a sport that has been a part of his life since he was old enough to hold a bat.

However, Etan’s world is turned upside down when his mother is admitted to a mental institution. He suddenly finds himself unable to express his thoughts and feelings because his words are trapped inside his head. Without the ability to communicate, Etan feels isolated from the other kids his age since he is unable to reach out and connect with them.

But there is one person who understands him better than anyone else: his grandfather. Raised in a close-knit community of immigrants, Etan’s grandfather knows the value of acceptance and understanding. He doesn’t judge Etan for his silence, but instead offers him the comfort and support he needs to navigate this difficult time.

Not everyone in the community is as kind-hearted as Etan’s grandfather. When a local shopkeeper asks Etan to run an errand for him, this sets off a chain of events that will change Etan’s life forever. While running the errand, Ethan Meets Malia Agbayani, whom the boys at school have nicknamed “the creature.” At first, Etan is hesitant to approach her, but when he finally does, he discovers a kindred spirit. Despite her nickname, Malia’s voice is like music to Etan’s ears. She sees the world in a unique way, and her perspective helps Etan to find his own voice. As they spend time together, Etan realizes that outside of his community, there is a world full of people who are different but just as valuable. With this newfound understanding, Etan’s world begins to open in ways he never thought possible.

Etan is a truly endearing main character that will captivate the reader’s imagination. His journey through the obstacle of selective mutism is truly inspiring, as he learns how to overcome his personal struggles and create new friendships. As the reader follows his journey, they are taken on a fascinating exploration of his family’s rich Jewish history, with all of its intricate traditions and customs. Through Etan’s eyes, the reader is transported to a world full of magic and wonder, where anything is possible if you believe in yourself. With each passing chapter, the reader will feel more and more invested in Etan’s story, eagerly anticipating what will happen next and how he will continue to grow as a person.

Readers will also be captivated not only by the wisdom and mysticism displayed by Etan’s grandfather but also by the rich cultural context he provides. Through his tales from his homeland in Prague, the grandfather shares his deep knowledge of the Jewish religion and the Hebrew language. Moreover, his character serves as a powerful reminder that everyone has the ability to create magic in the world – all that is required is a strong belief and a heart full of love. The reader cannot help but be inspired by the grandfather’s teachings, and they will come away with a renewed appreciation for the beauty and diversity of world cultures.

The Magical Imperfect is a heartwarming tale that emphasizes the value of embracing diversity and the true meaning of unity. The author beautifully showcases the power of empathy and compassion, and how they have the ability to bring people together. Through vivid descriptions and relatable characters, The Magical Imperfect teaches us that our differences should be celebrated rather than feared and that we should strive to build bridges of understanding and respect. Overall, this book is an excellent reminder of the importance of kindness and acceptance in our increasingly diverse world. This is a rich, rewarding, and deeply moving story that is sure to touch the hearts of readers of all ages.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • Malia, Etan’s friend, introduces Etan to a spot that is full of magic. “These are the Sitting Stones. This is where the trees listen the most. The pool is magical . . . But this water is magic.”
  • During an earthquake, Ethan gets a small cut on his arm. His grandfather sees the cut and decides to show him the power of the clay. Grandfather pulls Ethan close “presses down his two clay fingers on the cut on my arm . . . The cut is gone. I search with my fingers, trace my skin up and down, and back and forth . . . Then it feels like the world starts to spin cold and warm all at once. . .” Ethan’s grandfather explains, “Your body, Etan, it’s experienced something from another time, an ancient thing giving its power to something new right now.”
  • Etan and Malia visit the Sitting Stones and he begins to wonder if the clay inside the pool could heal. He wonders if it would help heal Malia’s eczema issues.
  • Another object that is considered magical is a small green stone that Etan is given. The stone helps give him the strength to find words to speak. His grandfather explains,  “This, he says, is a bareket, an emerald, an ancient, powerful stone, like from the breastplate of Aaron . . . When you feel afraid to speak, hold the stone in your hand, tight tight tight, and it will bring you courage.” 
  • In order to heal Malia’s eczema, Etan and Malia combine his grandfather’s clay and the clay from the Sitting Stones pool. Ethan puts “clay on two fingers, dab it onto her face, around her eye. I [Ethan] pray, think of the trees, the pool, my green bareket, somewhere in the water . . . When most of the clay is off my hands, Malia starts humming, her voice like light. ‘Look!’ she cries. Her red, swollen arms are smooth, clear, like the red was never there.” To both of their amazement, the clay makes the redness disappear. 

Spiritual Content 

  • Etan’s family holds religion near and dear to their heart. His grandfather is a Jewish immigrant that uses his religion and the magic associated with it to teach Etan different lessons about life. He often reminds Etan how important it is to remember his heritage and the different objects that help represent them. When Etan’s grandfather leaves his workshop early, it is usually for a specific religious activity, like lighting the Shabbat Candles. “When he leaves extra early so he can be home to light the Shabbat candles. The candles, he says, they make us Jews.”
  • Etan’s grandfather has a small box full of valuables from his life in Prague. He believes that the objects within hold a magical power that each represents a different thing. The object most talked about in the book is the clay. “This is the last of the clay taken from the Vlata River by your ancestor, the Maharal himself . . . It’s the clay of the golem; it once made a terrible monster that defended the Jewish people in their time of great need.”
  • There are mentions of aspects of the Jewish religion throughout the text, but it isn’t until Etan begins to pray when using the clay on Malia, that there is a full string of Hebrew language used. “Baruch ata Adonaim Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.” This is the prayer that they say for bread at Shabbat.
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