Reading Level: Elementary

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

It is January 1947, the Year of the Boar in China. As the Wong family prepares to celebrate the Chinese New Year, they receive a letter in the mail. Sixth Cousin, a young girl, realizes it is from her father, who has been living in the United States for some time. The contents of the letter make her mother smile, her grandmother cry, and her grandfather angry. She learns that this is because her father had decided to stay in America permanently, and she and her mother would be joining him. Sixth Cousin adopts the American name Shirley Temple after the famous actress, and soon she and her mother embark on a ten-thousand-mile sea journey to New York City, where her father is waiting at their apartment in Brooklyn. 

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, author Bette Bao Lord tells a wholesome, feel-good story about a girl who learns to balance her Chinese heritage with her new American life. The story is informed by Lord’s own experiences as a Chinese immigrant in the late 1940s, making the book feel authentic. It is divided into twelve chapters, one for each month of the Year of the Boar—a format that effectively shows the progression of Shirley’s adjustment to a new language, school, and culture.  

Although Shirley is extremely excited to explore her new home, adjusting to life in a new country proves challenging. She starts a new school in the middle of the year, not knowing English, and must navigate her way home through the busy, often hectic streets of New York. These challenges make her victories—improving her English, making new friends, and succeeding at school—all the more satisfying to read about as Shirley becomes more acquainted with life in America. 

One of the most compelling aspects of the story is Shirley’s growing fascination with baseball and her admiration for her hero, Jackie Robinson. What began as a game of stickball with her classmates soon developed into a passion for America’s pastime. Shirley becomes a huge fan of her hometown team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and its star player, Jackie Robinson. Shirley feels inspired not only by Robinson’s triumphs on the baseball diamond but also by his triumphs breaking the color barrier as the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. Shirley often listens to the games on the radio with her classmates—celebrating every win, lamenting every loss, and finding baseball to be an effective way to bond with her new friends over a common interest. 

 As Lord writes, “Suddenly, Shirley understood why her father brought her ten thousand miles to live among strangers. Here, she did not have to wait for gray hair to be considered wise. Here, she could speak up, question even the conduct of the President. Here, Shirley Temple Wong was somebody. She felt as if she had the power of ten tigers, as if she had grown as tall as the Statue of Liberty.” 

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • One day at school, Shirley accidentally ran into her classmate Mabel, causing them both to fall. Mabel is described as “the tallest and strongest and scariest girl in all of the fifth grade.” After a verbal confrontation full of profanities, Mabel “drew back her fist and punched Shirley square in the eye.” Then she punched Shirley a second time. The incident left Shirley with two black eyes.  

Language 

  • After colliding with Shirley, Mabel screamed: “Who the **** do you think you are? You ********”” She would also say, “You ********. Why don’t you **********?” Shirley would curse back at Mabel in Chinese, though the exact language she used isn’t stated. The expletives are censored with stars in the quoted text.  

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Supernatural Content 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • Throughout the book, Shirley refers to the Chinese Goddess Kwan Yim. For instance, “Then, muttering thanks to the Goddess Kwan Yim, she flung her weary self into the armchair to seek solace in the uninterrupted enjoyment of the last inning.” 

by Nicholas Paragano 

What Were the Twin Towers?

For much of the late 20th century, the Twin Towers stood as powerful symbols of New York City and the United States. Rising above the Manhattan skyline, the towers represented economic strength, innovation, and global connection. However, their story is also tied to a tragic day in American history. What Were the Twin Towers? explores both the construction of these iconic buildings and the lasting impact of their destruction on September 11, 2001.  

The book explains how the idea for the World Trade Center emerged in the 1960s. At the time, New York City leaders wanted to reestablish the city as a center of global trade and business. Minoru Yamasaki was chosen to design the towers, and his involvement led to the blueprints for two buildings, each 110 stories tall. The chapter “Up They Go” takes readers into the chaos of the construction, from collapsing cranes to the addition of 43,600 windows. Readers interested in construction will enjoy learning about the process of assembling what were, at the time, the tallest towers in the world and how they symbolized ambition and progress.   

Throughout the book, readers are introduced to the people who worked in, visited, and admired the Twin Towers. For example, in 1974, a tightrope walker secretly rigged a wire cable between the two towers. At 1,350 feet high, he walked from one side of the tightrope to the other as crowds watched from the ground. The author also highlights that the building was not only for office spaces but also a popular tourist destination, with observation decks and restaurants offering sweeping views of New York City. These details will help readers understand how deeply the towers were woven into everyday life and why they were so meaningful to a variety of people.  

The book has twelve chapters that carefully build towards the events of September 11, 2001. When addressing the attacks, the author presents the information in a factual, yet sensitive manner that is appropriate for young readers. Chapter 9 explains how hijacked planes struck the towers, leading to their collapse and the loss of thousands of lives. “After the second plane hit the South Tower, it became clear that this was an attack. That’s when first responders—rescue teams—began arriving. They rushed into the buildings to save trapped workers and give first aid.” Rather than focusing on graphic details, the book emphasizes bravery, resilience, and the ways people helped one another during and after the tragedy.  

In addition to discussing the attacks, What Were the Twin Towers? also explores the aftermath. Readers learn about how New York City and the nation mourned, rebuilt, and honored those who were lost. The book explains the creation of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, helping readers understand how the memory of the Twin Towers is preserved. This focus on remembrance allows young readers to grasp the importance of honoring history, even when it is painful.  

Like other books in the What Was? series, this book includes black-and-white illustrations and photographs that support the text. Images of the Twin Towers during construction, photographs of the skyline, and pictures from memorial sites help readers visualize the buildings and their significance. These visuals are especially helpful for children who benefit from seeing historical events alongside reading about them.   

Overall, What Were the Twin Towers? provides a thoughtful and accessible introduction to an important moment in modern history. By balancing architectural history, personal impact, and respectful discussion of tragedy, the book helps young readers understand both what the Twin Towers were and why they continue to matter today.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • On September 11, four planes were hijacked. “Everyone in all four planes was killed, including the nineteen men who had hijacked the flights and carried out the attacks.” In total, 2,977 people died on September 11, 2001. 
  • In 1993, a small group of people planned to destroy the North Tower by driving a van packed with 1,200 pounds of explosives into the parking garage. “The van exploded. It blew a hole through five underground levels of the building and killed six people.” 
  • Al Qaeda is a terrorist group that “was founded in the late 1980s by Osama bin Laden and other terrorists.” Bin Laden approved the plan to hijack jets and fly them into the towers, and members of Al Qaeda were trained to take over the crew and control passengers.    

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Madeline Hettrick 

Cameron Battle and the Escape Trials

After the capture of the evil enchantress Amina, Cameron Battle escaped the magical kingdom of Chidani with his two friends, Zion and Aliyah. However, the death god Ekwensu still wants to tear down the magical barrier between Chidani and reality and conquer everything in sight, and Cameron, the Last Descendent, is the only one who can stop him. However, Cameron also must go to school—at least until he’s called back.   

Middle school is not what Cameron is expecting. Bullied by Vince, Cameron must keep his head down and avoid fighting back with the magical fighting style Dambe, which would reveal magic to his entire school. The intelligent, laid-back Zion supports Cameron and helps him see the consequences of retaliation. Yet one evening, Vince attacks the trio on their walk home. During the fight, Vince reveals he’s possessed by a mmo, a terrible supernatural creature working for Ekwensu. The only way to save Vince is to return to Chidani. With this urgent mission, Cameron finally calls forth the Book of Chidani, opening a portal for himself and his friends, Zion and Aliyah.  

In Chidani, the kind and determined Cameron has his priorities straight: retrieve Vince from the Crystal City, heal him, and send him home. The friends encounter the gods Ala and Anyanwu and brave tricky trials, impressing the gods enough to win both Vince’s freedom and clues to magical relics that could defeat Ekwensu. Throughout these escapades, Aliyah proves especially helpful, cleverly outsmarting trials and saving her friends. After sending Vince home with their new clues in hand, Cameron and his friends set out to find the relics and protect Chidani. Along the way, Cameron grapples with his responsibility as the Last Descendent, learning to balance his desire to see his parents with the need to protect an entire kingdom. 

While this novel brilliantly brings Igbo gods and magic to life, the plot is more convoluted than it needs to be. Cameron experiences growth, but Zion and Aliyah don’t develop much as characters. The conflicts are more complex than the character development supports, and Cameron’s happy ending doesn’t quite align with his journey. That said, the accessible language and quick explanations of unfamiliar terms keep readers engaged.  

Fans of all things mythical will love the fierce fight scenes, elaborate magic system, and loyal friendships. Supernatural creatures—from spirits of the dead to violent sea serpents to gryphons—fill the pages. Cameron faces the wrenching choice of whom to protect and is forced to find a solution that benefits everyone or lose everything. Overall, this powerfully creative story delivers a strong message about leaning on friends and the importance of responsibility and decision-making, making it worth reading for its magnificent worldbuilding and entertaining adventure. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • At school, Cameron encounters a bully named Vince, who pushes him. Cameron describes the experience, “Something pushed me, hard, from behind, and I fell to the floor, dropping my gym bag in the process. I turned around and there was Vince, standing over me, that same smirk on his face. I thought I saw a red tinge of light surround his body, flickering in and out in the space.” 
  • While walking home, Cameron and his friends, Zion and Aliyah, are again attacked by Vince, and they realize that he is possessed by a mmo, a supernatural creature bent on destroying Cameron. “Zion grabbed Vince by the legs and pulled him back to the ground with all his strength. Vince maneuvered out of Zion’s hands and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying through the air. Dambe seized [Cameron] as [he] moved. . . [Cameron] caught Zion right before he fell; he clutched at his midsection, yelping in pain.” At the end of the battle, Zion, Cameron, and Aliyah barely have any injuries, and Vince’s condition is unknown since he falls through a portal to Chidani.  
  • While attempting to rescue Vince and Zion, Cameron and Aliyah fight off a monster serpent, called a mgbaji. In Cameron’s words, “I tried to grab the mgbaji once again, but I was too far away now. . . With a swipe, [the serpent] reared around and slammed its tail against my chest, sending me flying to the other side of the pool, my back striking the marble. . . The mixture of water and air slammed into me, sending me hurtling backward, right into the marble again. This time, though, I crashed through the wall and sunk into the rock. Pain radiated through every part of my body as my head jerked from left to right. I tried to gain my bearings, but I shook so violently from dizziness that I retched all over my clothes and into the water around me.” Cameron and Aliyah defeat the serpent, though Cameron has a concussion.  
  • In the journey to find the last magical relic, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah encounter more evil mmos they need to fight. “[Cameron] connected with two mmo almost immediately, the thought of seeing [his] parents again guiding [his] movements. When [Cameron] slashed [his] sword down, [Cameron] cut them both at the same time, slicing them right across the chest. They screamed, and when they died, they burst open, magma falling to the sandstone.” The fight lasts a full chapter, though none of Cameron’s friends sustain serious injuries. Cameron breaks his nose. 
  • A former Descendent describes her experience with slavery and mmo to Cameron. “After I escaped slavery, I went to Chidani alone. When I grew older, I tried to Summon my [family’s souls] through the barrier, to bring them back to me after years of being the Descendant. I almost destroyed the Book in the process. And I lost my life. You see, if I had succeeded, that which gives us power would be no more, the barrier would cease to exist, and the mmo would take over everything.” 
  • Growing desperate to find the Book, Amina lets the god of death, Ekwensu, possess her. In this form, she battles Cameron for possession of the book. “[Cameron and Amina] engaged in battle again, an equal match. When [Cameron] grabbed her by the shoulders, a look of surprise crossed her face. . . the mmo slashed at [Cameron] with gnarled nails, lifting [them] into the sky to escape [the mmo]. She punched [Cameron] multiple times, but [Cameron] continued to hold [Amina].” The whole battle for the Book and control of Chidani lasts three full chapters. In the end, the Palacia is reduced to rubble, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah have minor injuries, and Amina dies.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Language is very tame, using words like stupid, idiot, and hell infrequently. 

Supernatural  

  • The book is about three kids who travel to a magic kingdom to save it; therefore, there is magic on nearly every page in this book. There are also supernatural creatures, gods, and humans with magical powers. All characters use a mystical fighting style called Dambe that gives them enhanced abilities and instincts as they fight, no spells needed.   
  • Debating what to do in the aftermath of their first adventure, Aliyah asks Cameron to summon the Book of Chidani to consult it. Cameron describes the experience, “A deep intentional feeling settled upon my shoulders and then into my chest as I willed the Book forward, from its hidden place in my soul. An image of Agbala, the goddess of healing and justice, emerged in my mind as I pushed even deeper. Sweat beaded against my forehead with the effort.” 
  • While being bullied, Cameron notices something strange about his bully. “Vince sneered, staring at me. There it was again, that red glint in his eyes.” This later proves to be a sign that a mmo is controlling him. Cameron explains Vince’s appearance. “His appearance had started to change, to morph into something else. In one second, a dark smoke emerged from his body and a ruby illumination covered him. In another, it disappeared, and Vince became normal again. I knew what this was, but I was too scared to say it aloud, because if I did, then that meant it would be true.” 
  • Vince, Cameron, Aliyah, and Zion are all pulled into Chidani. Cameron describes the portal: “Vince and I continued to struggle as we spiraled through lightning, darkness, and rain. The rip opened into a void; it was full of shadows, swirling around and around, the wind threatening to pull us apart. The tornado we flew in kept us afloat, but I had a horrible suspicion that if we stepped out of its confines, we’d fall into the spinning darkness.” 
  • As Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah reunite with their friends from the Palacia in Chidani, their friend Makai explains that time runs differently between Chidani and the real world. “‘What’s going on?’ Zion asked, struggling out of Makai’s hug. ‘How long have we been gone? For us it was about two months.’ ‘You were gone for just a few days,’ Makai said.”  
  • Amina is being held in a magical dungeon. Queen Ramala takes Cameron and his friends to the dungeon. “The sun encircled [Amina] like chains, binding her into one place as she floated above the ground.” 
  • Going to rescue Vince, Cameron, Zion and Aliyah visit the Crystal City, home of the goddess Ala and the aziza. The aziza are “[magical creatures who] nestled their kingdom in the trees of the Igbo people, hiding in secret, but honoring their duty to the humans by healing them when needed. People believed in them, but none had ever seen them, for they had retreated once it was known that colonizers had breached Nigeria’s waters.”  
  • Later, Cameron describes an aziza. “Soft wings flew behind [the aziza], the color of night. He was tall, taller than an aziza should’ve been from what I had seen. A curved sword was hitched to the side of his clothing, which consisted of a ruby brocade vest, tight shokoto trousers, and light armor. He approached gracefully, almost as if he were floating across the ground.” 
  • While in the Crystal City, Ala binds Zion to the city to incentivize Cameron and Aliyah to participate in the trials. Ala snaps her fingers and “[Zion] gasped and choked, holding on to his neck. He fell against [Cameron]; [Cameron] caught him as his eyes closed, but he felt different. Light. As if all his weight had turned to nothing.” 
  • When they leave the Crystal City, Ala blesses Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah’s gryphons, Ugo, Ike, and Odum respectively, to better aid them in the battle ahead. “[Ugo’s] snow-white color had turned the color of flame, a mixture of different shades of oranges and reds. Connecting to [Ugo] felt familiar, though, as if [he and Cameron] were one. By the time [Cameron] was done marveling at Ugo, Aliyah and Zion had jumped on Odum and Ike. Flames covered our entire area of the desert for miles, the gryphons’ wingspans so large that they encompassed everything.” 
  • After the Crystal City, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah go to the Sun Kingdom to find the last magical relic they need to defeat Amina. Cameron discovers a special ability—that he can summon gods to him. He summons Anyanwu, the sun god. Cameron describes the encounter, “[Anyanwu] had changed his appearance again, his gigantic nature of earlier now human size. But, even looking at him now, he was nothing resembling normal. An emerald agbada flowed from his neck to his feet, while his hair spilled down his back, golden beads drawn through it. He produced flame out of thin air before walking around the small room, lighting the candles hanging on the ancient sconces in the wall.” 
  • Traveling back to the Palacia with all three magical relics, the trio meets more mmos, supernatural creatures created by Amina to destroy Chidani. “The mmo stepped out from the shadows, some falling to the floor, and some suspended in the air. They were dark-and-gray creatures, their eyes a deep scarlet, their skin the color of stone. Cloaks of darkness shrouded their shoulders as they materialized. However, these mmo were different from those [Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah] had encountered before; their bodies blazed with fire, flames reaching to the sky in place of their hair. Skeletal arms reached out toward us, mixed with gristle and marrow.” 
  • Cameron discovers he can also summon souls and tries it on a volunteering friend, Bakari. “A grunt escaped Bakari’s mouth as it fell open. A white, filmy substance floated out, flying toward [Cameron’s] hand. [He] grasped it, caressing it, as it flitted in and out of [Cameron’s] hands. [Cameron] marveled at it, feeling life teem within [him]. It took much effort to control it, but it was Bakari’s soul. When [Cameron] looked down at [Bakari], [he] noticed that the substance was still attached to [Bakari’s] mouth as he stared at [Cameron], the life in his eyes mostly gone.” Cameron decides not to use this power after this experiment.  
  • With a helpful tip from a god, Cameron discovers that his dad is alive in the underwater kingdom, living as a mondao (a kind of mermaid). “When [Cameron] looked down, [Cameron] noticed that [his dad] only had one foot. A mondao tail snaked to the sand in place of his left one, corded with diamonds and rubies. But when [Cameron] blinked, it changed into a human foot as Daddy took a step forward. While a beautiful necklace surrounded his neck, a deep wound marred his bare chest, right in the middle.” 
  • Growing desperate to find the Book, Amina lets the god of death, Ekwensu, possess her. She offers her soul for the power to destroy Chidani. Amina says, “Use me. Use my body and soul. Fuse yourself with me to directly intervene in the quest to kill the Descendant, Ramala, and take the barrier for ourselves. The pain would be great, but the victory would be greater. I admit I couldn’t do it the first time on my own; if you help me, we can and will win. Just think, if we are able to successfully kill the Descendant and steal the gifts. . . ” There is no description of this physical process. 
  • At the end of the great battle, Cameron meets his mother’s ghost, freed from mmo form. “[His mother] stepped out of the shadows, the most beautiful thing [Cameron] had ever seen in [his] life. She was dressed in a white robe that swept the floor as she walked, as graceful as an angel. Her braided hair fell down her shoulders and to the center of her back. A single necklace wrapped around her neck. A pinkish aura surrounded her.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • The traditional Igbo religion is a spiritual system predating Christianity, centered on a supreme creator god (Chukwu/Chineke) but also involving numerous lesser deities (Alusi) linked to nature, ancestors (living dead), and a personal spirit (Chi). It’s a pantheistic/polytheistic faith, deeply tied to community, nature (like the Earth Goddess Ala), and morality. Cameron meets several of the Igbo gods. 
  • Just like the first book, when Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah travel to Chidani, they encounter elements that have roots in the real world, like the gods of the Igbo culture. They fight with some gods and work with others to save the kingdom from the Queen’s treacherous sister Amina. Given this, the book discusses many creation myths and Igbo religious references. There are also the occasional vague references to Christianity and ghosts. 
  • The Book of Chidani serves as both a guide to the kingdom and a religious text. An example excerpt from the Book reads, “Agbala created the Descendants when she gave the Book to the enslaved Igbos as they were forcefully taken to the Americas. The Book followed them across the ocean, and Nneka was the first one who touched it, becoming the first Descendant, tasked with power and knowledge, to keep Igbo history alive.” 
  • Cameron has a vision of the goddess Mmiri. “[Mmiri] was undeniably beautiful, and immediately recognizable. A crown crested her head, covering it from side to side, silver spikes striking the air around her. A star sat on top of the middle spike, its light almost blinding [Cameron]. What looked like seashells were fastened to her chest and upper arms, multicolored and heavy. Her midriff was almost bare, with a tattoo in the form of a sun emblazoned around her naval. Her iro was cerulean, a skirt that flowed along the wooden floor [Cameron] was lying on. [Cameron] gasped when she stepped forward, as one of her legs was in the shape of a mermaid’s tail.” 
  • In the Crystal City, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah meet the goddess Ala and another god, her son Anyanwu. “[Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah] took a step back, stunned as [Ala] towered above [them], much taller than any god [they’d] seen so far. ‘Humongous’ was a word that came to mind, but even that didn’t embody all that Ala was. [Cameron] tried to avert [his] gaze from her to the male god behind her—who somehow was firmly asleep—but she snapped her fingers, bringing us back to attention.”  

by Kate Schuyler 

Pocket Bear

Thimble-born from tip to toe, Pocket Bear remembers every moment of his becoming: the glimmering needle, the silken thread, the tender hands as each careful stitch brought him closer to himself. Born during the throes of WWI, he was designed to fit into the pocket of a soldier’s jacket, eyes sewn a bit higher than normal so that he always gazed upward. That way, glancing at his pocket, a soldier would see an endearing token of love from someone back home, and, hopefully, a good luck charm.

Now, over a century later, Pocket serves as unofficial mayor of Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured, where stuffed toy animals are refurbished and given a fresh opportunity to be loved. He and his best feline friend Zephyrina, known far and wide as “The Cat Burglar,” have seen it all, and then some. 

Told from Zephyrina’s point of view, Pocket Bear tells readers a sweet, gentle story about the hardship of war and the importance of bravery. When she was a kitten, Zephyrina didn’t have a home or a family to help care for her. This makes her slightly cynical and standoffish toward her human family, Elizaveta and Dasha. However, Zephyrina is completely loyal to her best friend, Pocket. Throughout the book, the cat looks to Pocket for guidance, who wisely says, “Sometimes, the most precious things in life are right under our noses.” With the bear’s help, Zephyrina transforms from a lonely, self-serving cat into a strong, capable leader and a loving pet who comforts Dasha. 

The beginning of the story focuses on Zephyrina, Pocket, and the other stuffed animals living in the Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured. At first, readers may assume that these stuffed animals are just a random collection brought together by chance. This could not be further from the truth. Elizaveta, Dasha, Pocket, and another stuffed animal named Berwon have all been impacted by war. In a twist of irony, Pocket’s soldier served in the “war to end all wars,” World War I. In the story’s conclusion, Pocket reveals that his soldier had died in the war. 

Dasha’s story unfolds slowly, ultimately revealing that she and her mother, Elizaveta, left Ukraine after a bomb injured Dasha and her father died. Dasha’s story unfolds through Zephyrina’s eyes, which softens the effects of the war. Additionally, Dasha doesn’t like to talk about the war because, “Unless you’ve been through it yourself, you can’t really understand.” In the end, the book doesn’t describe what happened during the war; it focuses on the war’s aftereffects, allowing readers to understand that war doesn’t just affect soldiers—it also affects innocent children like Dasha. 

Pocket Bear conveys an important theme: Bravery comes in many forms. For instance, Dasha considers Pocket a hero because, “He has been through a lot. But he is still kind.” However, Pocket is not the only hero. Zephyrina shows courage when she saves Berwon from being auctioned off. Additionally, the bears and Zephyrina show the importance of loyalty, kindness, and friendship. One of the most heartwarming parts of the story is when the cat helps Pocket stay with Berwon, even though Zephyrina must say goodbye to Pocket forever. 

Black-and-white illustrations are scattered throughout the book. These drawings help readers understand not only what the stuffed animals look like, but also Pocket’s tiny size compared to them. Readers will adore the illustrations, but the beginning of the story drags, and younger readers may struggle with the difficult vocabulary, such as disemboweled, tenant, arctophiles, and decipher. Many of the words cannot be easily deciphered from context clues; however, some are explained in the text. For example, when Zephyrina reflects on Dasha, she thinks, “People say cats are inscrutable. But I’ve learned some people are equally hard to read.” 

In the author’s note, Applegate discusses the importance of recycling stuffed animals and other toys. “About 80% of stuffed animals and other toys worldwide are eventually thrown away, making up 6 percent of plastics in landfills across the globe.” Applegate also lists organizations that would provide a home for “gently-loved” stuffed toys. After reading the unforgettable story, readers will gain a new perspective on toys and those who have suffered the effects of war. The book will also empower readers: even if you feel like a “small speck,” with others’ help, you can make a difference in someone’s life, and that is heroic. If you know a child who has been affected by war, reading The Day War Came and Survival Tails: World War II may help them process their emotions. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Zephyrina finds a stuffed bear, she carries it home by using her teeth. On the way home, a dog named Goofus gives chase. “Goofus loped over, all spittle and stink. Goofus and Zephyrina play tug-of-war with the bear. Zephyrina was not in the mood for a game of tug-of-war, particularly with a dog who enjoyed eating his own poop.” The bear isn’t hurt because “everyone knows toys can’t feel pain.” 
  • To get Goofus to leave, Zephyrina “slashed him across the nose with a claw. . . It wasn’t a dramatic swipe. . . But it was enough to get my message across.” Goofus leaves. 
  • When a family takes in Zephyrina, she’s thankful. “To show my gratitude, I brought them deliveries of mice and rats, grasshoppers and salamanders, baby birds and newborn opossums. Still alive, ideally with just enough squirm to keep them interesting.” 
  • Zephyrina thinks about the stuffed toys she’s found. “Most of the stuffed toys I’d known had been through a lot of . . . stuff. . . They’d been slobbered on and tossed aside and buried in toy boxes. They’d had their eyes yanked out and their tails chewed off and their stuffing spread around the family room like little snowballs. They’d been left alone in playgrounds while squirrels chittered at them and raccoons gnawed on them and dogs peed on them.” 
  • Zephyrina lives in a house with a child named Dasha. Pocket tells the story of her injury. “Dasha’s leg had been badly injured when a bomb hit her house.”

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • Heck is used twice. 
  • When reflecting on Pocket, Zephyrina thinks, “He was my teacher. My coach. The guy who (gently) reminded me when I was being a jerk.” 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Mount Rushmore Face That Couldn’t See

The History Club, which includes Sam, Cat, Egg, and Gum, takes a field trip to Mount Rushmore. When they arrive, a group of Lakota kids who are protesters are in the parking lot. Instead of being curious about the issue, Gum says, “People will protest anything.” The trip gets more complicated when their tour guide doesn’t arrive. Cat and her friends find him tied up in his bed, and the mystery deepens. 

The kids visit the Sculpture Center. While there, a voice booms, “Get out!” Some believe it’s the voice of a Lakota spirit, while others believe it’s the voice of one of the dead presidents. Cat and her friends investigate to find out who wants to scare visitors away from Mount Rushmore. 

The mystery is told from Cat’s point of view. However, all four kids work together to solve the mystery. Since the story is short, there is very little character development, and the characters have no distinct personalities and are portrayed stereotypically. For example, Anton is portrayed as a typical bully, and there is no logical reason for him to be on the field trip. When Anton is being rude, Ms. Juniper says, “You are on this trip because your grade in history was beyond terrible. One more mean word out of you, my friend, and you’ll spend the rest of your life in the sixth grade.” The lack of character development makes it difficult for readers to connect with the characters or relate to their conflicts.  

At first, Sam accuses the caretaker of trying to scare people away from Mount Rushmore. However, there is little evidence to support this. Sam explains her reasoning, “He’s a grump. You saw how he looked at us, and how he talked to us. He doesn’t like kids. He wants us out of here.” Later, they discover that the park ranger’s daughter, Ruthie, is the culprit. Ruthie explains that she tied up her father because she was hoping he would get fired and they could move back home. Some readers may question the evidence, wondering how Ruthie could tie up her father without waking him up. Additionally, readers will question how Ruthie could have hidden speakers throughout the woods and in the Sculpture Center. In the end, the mystery is solved, but the lack of evidence and the unrealistic culprit led to an unsatisfying reveal.  

While the story includes Native Americans, they are not developed as people. Instead, they are protestors whose only purpose is to be suspects in the mysteries. The park ranger says, “This heritage village is the newest exhibit at Mount Rushmore. It was set up to show how the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota nations lived before the United States began its growth to the west.” Despite this information, the exhibit is never shown, nor is there any historical information about the indigenous people. While one of the illustrations shows teepees, they are used only as hiding places for a suspect. Additionally, the park ranger says, “My family is from Mexico. That means we have a lot of Native American blood in our veins.” Overall, the book misses an opportunity to showcase Native Americans’ vibrant culture or explain how Western Expansion affected them.   

The Mount Rushmore Face That Couldn’t See begins by using a graphic to introduce the narrator, Cat, and ends with a glossary, a report on Mount Rushmore, and questions to consider. The story contains very little information about Mount Rushmore or the Lakota people. However, the report gives a short explanation of the conflict. Unfortunately, the book uses stereotypical characters and clues that don’t quite fit the puzzle. Overall, The Mount Rushmore Face That Couldn’t See’s simple plot, recurring characters, and full-color illustrations make the story accessible to younger readers who aren’t ready for more advanced plots. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Cat and her friends find Anton hiding in the woods, Cat “slapped him on the arm. It didn’t hurt him. I just couldn’t help myself.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Two boys who are considered bullies are referred to as thugs and goons. 
  • One of the kids calls the bully a “dummy.” 
  • Anton calls Cat and her friends “dorks.” 
  • One of the kids calls the caretaker a “grump.” 
  • Anton refers to his teacher, Ms. Juniper, as “Ms. Jupiter.” 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • When the kids hear a voice warning them to leave, a protester says, “This ghost was a Lakota spirit. You have to listen to the spirit’s warning and leave this Lakota land at once.” 

Christopher Columbus and the Americas

In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas. Or did he? Look at all the facts and discover the fiction through primary sources, infographics, and leveled text. Readers will learn the full story about Christopher Columbus’s famous voyage. 

Columbus sought a faster route to Asia because Europeans “liked the exotic spices and were willing to pay a lot for them.” King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella funded his journey as “an opportunity to gain wealth.” When Columbus reached land, he didn’t realize he had missed Asia entirely. His search for gold and other riches proved fruitless. 

Christopher Columbus and the Americas dispels many myths surrounding the famous explorer. Contrary to popular belief, people in Columbus’s time knew the Earth was round, and he wasn’t the first sailor to reach the Americas. In fact, there is little to celebrate about Columbus, given his cruel treatment of Indigenous people. “For the Taino living in the Caribbean, Columbus’s explorations would have a devastating effect.” His men killed many Taino, while countless others died from disease. Survivors faced enslavement. “The Spaniards committed many acts of horrific violence against the Taino. Columbus did nothing to stop it.” 

Public perception of Christopher Columbus has begun to shift. “Through the work of Indigenous and non-Indigenous activists and historians, people are remembering the darker side of his story,” including his brutal behavior and broken promises. Despite four expeditions, Columbus “was disappointed with his failures” and “left behind a trail of broken promises and crimes against Indigenous peoples.” 

Visually appealing with large black-and-white illustrations, colorful section titles, and concise paragraphs, the book includes fact boxes, a glossary, and a timeline that enhance the reading experience and help readers trace Columbus’s voyages. 

This historically accurate account reveals important truths about Columbus’s treatment of native populations that may surprise many readers. Rather than accepting traditional celebrations of the explorer, Christopher Columbus and the Americas encourages critical thinking about whether his legacy deserves honor. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Columbus kidnapped “some Taino people and displayed them before the royal court.” 
  • When Columbus left Hispaniola, he left men behind. “While he was away, the Spaniards he had left behind had become violent toward the Taino. . . The fort was burned to the ground, and all 39 of Columbus’s men had died.” Columbus killed many Taino “to try to stop any resistance to his rule.” An illustration depicts Columbus’s men with swords and the village in flames. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • One reason King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella funded Columbus’s journey was because “they wanted to spread the Catholic religion.” 

Seeds of Hope: The Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild

Seeds of Hope presents a diary account of fourteen-year-old Susanna Fairchild’s life in 1849. After losing his wife and money during their steamship journey from New York, Susanna’s father succumbs to gold fever and abandons his plan to establish a medical practice in Oregon. Instead, he takes his two daughters to a mining camp, where they face danger from untrustworthy men and wild animals. 

Susanna and her sister Clara are devastated by their father’s decision, but after losing their mother, they want to stay close to him. The sisters are often left alone as their father searches for a more productive claim. Though afraid, they spend their time transforming their cabin into a home. Susanna’s diary chronicles both her fears and her grief over her mother’s death. 

Despite difficult circumstances, the Fairchilds find friendship within the camp. The girls occasionally visit Rosita and her family, who are from Peru. This friendship allows the book to illuminate the era’s discrimination. When people from other countries began arriving in California, Americans complained “that the foreigners are taking up space and if allowed to step on Californian soil, they will be trespassing. Since the gold belongs to the United States, they will be thieves, plundering what is not theirs.” Greed drove some miners to steal from, beat, and sometimes kill minorities. These harsh realities may be upsetting to some readers. 

Few women lived in California during the Gold Rush, which gives Seeds of Hope a unique perspective and highlights the daily dangers they faced. Death from accidents, gunfights, and murder occurred frequently. Despite this violence, Susanna and Clara show kindness to others. When a family friend steals from the Fairchilds, this saddens them, but it also demonstrates that “true character often isn’t revealed until a person is faced with temptation.” 

Seeds of Hope reveals the bleak reality for many individuals who hoped to improve their circumstances through sudden wealth. This creates a depressing tone, especially as Susanna’s father becomes increasingly obsessed with gold and neglects his daughters. Despite the dangers, he leaves the girls alone for long stretches while he searches for gold. Eventually, he realizes that wealth cannot bring happiness. He abandons mining, returns to practicing medicine, and decides to move to Oregon as originally planned. 

Although Seeds of Hope features fictional characters, it depicts significant events in American history and helps readers imagine the daily lives of young girls during the Gold Rush. While Susanna is a likable protagonist, she frequently writes about mundane tasks such as food preparation, laundry, and household chores. Even though Seeds of Hope is not full of action and adventure, Susanna’s diary allows readers to peek into the past and see how gold fever affected one family. True to history, the story highlights the difficulty and sometimes deadly nature of searching for gold. The story’s slow pacing and depressing atmosphere make Seeds of Hope best suited for readers already interested in the Gold Rush. Despite these limitations, the book conveys a meaningful message: when given a choice, always prioritize family and friendship over money. Readers seeking more information about this era should consult the non-fiction book Sutter’s Mill and the California Gold Rush. 

Sexual Content  

  • One of the minor characters is a lady who works at a dance hall. “Her dress was satin, her cheeks and lips were painted red. Papa wouldn’t look at her, and he told us to never go near that place.” 
  • Clara stops wearing a corset because “she didn’t like so many men staring at her womanly figure.” 
  • While on a ship, Susanna tripped and “fell against Sam. But before I could gather myself, he enfolded me in his arms and bent down to kiss me. . . I burst out laughing. I don’t know why.” Later, Sam and Susanna get married. 

Violence  

  • While sailing to California, Susanna’s mother died when “a wave broke over the bow, sending such a flood of water on deck that we were all swept off our feet. . . She threw up her arms in surprise, and passed us swiftly in green water. . . she was swept away.” 
  • Clara mentions several gunfights but doesn’t describe them all.  
  • Boys were kicking a baby donkey. When Susanna and Clara see them, Susanna picks up “some stones and threw them at the boys’ feet, not to hurt, but to let them know we meant business. Clara peeled a thin branch from a tree and began whipping their legs.” The boys ran away. 
  • Susanna mentions that “three men were killed last week when the mine they were digging caved in on top of them.” 
  • In a mine, there was an explosion. “Three boys were killed right away, but Sam was rescued from underneath some rocks.” Sam’s leg and ribs are broken. “Because the broken bone is exposed to the air, Sam is in so much pain he keeps slipping in and out of consciousness.” 
  • Sam’s leg has to be amputated. “Clara and I prayed with the boy and gave him a good swig of laudanum.” Susanna, Clara, and another man hold Sam down. Later, “Papa’s clean shirt was spattered with blood. So were the bed and floor. . . The friend dug a hole beyond the cabin to bury the damaged leg.” Sam recovers. 
  • Foreigners were often beaten and robbed. “Chinese especially.” Rosita, one of Susanna’s friends who is from Peru, had all of her cooking things stolen. Rosita describes how two Chinese men were robbed and a “Yankee cut their hair off. To shame those poor boys.” 
  • Susanna’s father is a doctor. In the past, he “cut off a man’s broken foot that had turned black with gangrene.” 
  • There are several murders in the gold camps. A storekeeper says, “A young blacksmith had been murdered last night behind one of the saloons.” Later, a dance-hall lady finds the body of a man who “was shot. He bled all over the stairs.” 
  • There is a shoot-out at a Saloon that “landed four men in the hoosegow and four full of bullet holes. Their bodies were displayed on Main Street. . . Their faces were purple and bloated. Flies swarmed over the wounds.”  
  • Susanna and her sister are in the river when a man floats by them. “He was on his back with dead staring eyes.” He has a knife in his chest. 
  • Men ran off “foreigners” who were panning for gold. “When some of them put up a fight, vigilantes found a tree and hanged five of them! Then they jumped their claims and stole their gold.”  
  • A bear attacks two sleeping men. One dies. “The other lost his right ear and right eye and most of his scalp. Papa was able to stitch up his cheek where the bear had clawed him.” The dead man’s “face was completely gone and one shoulder had been eaten.” 
  • Two kids are playing with a gun when they “accidentally shot off three fingers of [a miner’s] left hand.” 
  • After a palm reader’s prediction, a young man is hanged for murder, even though there was no proof. Afterwards, the dance hall lady is so upset that she confesses, saying, “I am guilty of one death, not three. He was a thief, a man without integrity.” She apologizes for not admitting the deed earlier. “Suddenly, the thick rope was put around her neck, like a brown collar that came up to her chin. . . [Papa said] the woman died instantly.” 
  • After the dance hall lady dies, Papa explains how he had to treat cuts on her hands. “Someone had stolen her money, then tried to stab her. When she held up her hands to stop the blows, the knife made deep wounds.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Susanna’s father smokes a pipe. 
  • When Sam is injured, his friends give him whiskey for the pain. He is also given laudanum, which is “opium mixed with alcohol.”  
  • The town is setting up a fight between a bear and a bull. Susanna and Clara cannot watch because Papa “did not want us to be around men guzzling whiskey or eating the spoils of a bear fight.”  

Language  

  • “My god” is used as an exclamation twice.
  • The Peruvians working on a ship are often referred to as “Tar Heads.”   
  • Someone says a murderer is a “no-good Mexican.” 

Supernatural 

  • When three murders take place, “the palm reader studied tea leaves to help the vigilantes catch the killer of those men. She said he would be a foreigner who lives alone.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Susanna and her sister pray before they go to sleep. 
  • When someone needs medical help, Susanna and her sister go to find their father. “We are praying that God will guide us to him.” 
  • When Susanna and Clara find gold, they do not file a claim, and others take it. “Papa said that some injustices we must leave up to God to make right.” 
  • After a friend named Jesse Blue steals Papa’s money, Susanna thinks, “I know anything is possible with God, but I don’t know if Jesse Blue cares.” Later, Susanna writes to Jesse Blue’s wife, telling her about his thieving ways. “I pray that his heart will change. . .” 
  • Susanna wonders why “thieves and vigilantes run free,” but her mother died. “When I get to heaven, I’m going to ask God about all this.” 
  • Susanna and her sister boil a fish for dinner. Afterwards, they find gold in their cooking pot. Papa “thanked God for providing the fish with gold in its belly.” He prays, “Lord, please grant us enough money so we won’t have to steal to eat, but not so much that we’ll forget you. Thank you, amen.” 
  • While the house is empty, a man steals the family’s money. Afterward, Papa keeps his gun by the cabin’s door. “He said he will trust God to deal with the thief, but he must still be ready to protect us from him.” 

Historic Williamsburg: A Revolutionary City

In the 1770s, before the United States was a nation, most people lived on farms. But Williamsburg in Virginia Colony was a busy town with wide streets, grand public buildings, bustling shops, and a large market square―and 2,000 people! Discover how Williamsburg today offers a fascinating glimpse into America’s past. 

Historic Williamsburg focuses on the steps taken to preserve Williamsburg as a living history museum. This was not an easy process, as many of the buildings had to be restored, while others had to be rebuilt to resemble the originals. One reason Williamsburg is so significant is that many notable individuals spent time there, including James Madison, George Washington, and James Monroe. “Many of the ideas of democracy were first formed by our nation’s leaders in Williamsburg. It was here that the revolutionary Patrick Henry protested against unfair taxes imposed by England. Thomas Jefferson studied and practiced law in Williamsburg, and it was here that Jefferson formed his ideas of liberty and freedom that were reflected in his Declaration of Independence.”  

Unfortunately, most of Williamsburg’s stories were “about rich white men who made history. Visitors did not hear much about women or Native Americans.” The stories did not mention servants, the poor, or slavery. However, today, the museum has reconstructed slave cabins and has included women, slaves, and free black men in their story. 

The book’s design effectively supports its content through thoughtful graphic elements that break the text into digestible sections. Large red titles announce each new chapter, while red-shaded fact boxes provide additional context. Black-and-white historical photographs, as well as color photographs of the buildings, are included. Additionally, pictures of reenactments depict colonial soldiers carrying rifles. The book enables readers to step back into the 1700s and gain a fresh appreciation for history. 

Historic Williamsburg will appeal to readers interested in history and help them understand the significance of this colonial capital. “Historic Williamsburg can also help us understand how our own lives are connected to the lives of those who lived in the past. . . We may live in a very different world and have very different customs. But deep down, we face the same fears and joys as people did more than two hundred years ago. These common themes help us understand what it means to be an American, no matter what the date is.” 

Readers can explore more true stories about the 1700s by reading George Washington’s Spies and Anna Strong and the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring. Readers who want to jump back in history by reading a fiction book should read George Washington’s Socks, Night of Soldiers and Spies, and Rebecca Rides for Freedom.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • The church played a vital role in the lives of those who lived in Williamsburg. “The church and the government ruled the colony together. Taxes were paid to the church. Each Sunday, everyone was required to attend church.” 

What is the Constitution?

In 1783, thirteen American colonies officially became states in an independent nation after winning the Revolutionary War against Great Britain. However, this newfound freedom brought unexpected challenges. The states struggled to unite, with many citizens identifying more strongly with their individual state than with the United States as a whole. What is the Constitution? explores how the United States addressed these challenges and created a document that would unify the nation. 

In the summer of 1787, fifty-five elected men from twelve states met in Philadelphia with the goal of revising the Articles of Confederation—the United States’ first constitution. These men faced weighty questions: “Who decided if the United States would go to war again? What powers should be given to the head of government?” With the nation’s future in their hands, they wrote a new, more effective constitution. 

Demuth introduces readers to the framers of the Constitution, including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and George Washington. While Washington and Franklin are described as bringing a sense of “calm and dignity,” Madison is portrayed as being “no bigger than a half piece of soap. Yet his intellect impressed all who knew him.” Young readers may recognize these historical figures and enjoy hearing more about their different personalities and contributions. 

The book is organized into nine chapters, each delving into different aspects of the Constitution’s creation. Chapter three, for instance, discusses the rules the delegates established to ensure a respectful and productive debate. One important rule required secrecy, allowing delegates to speak freely without fear of public backlash. Another rule allowed delegates to change their minds after voting, encouraging open discussion and repeated debate. This chapter not only explains how the Constitution was formed but also teaches readers the value of discussion and compromise—skills that remain relevant today.  

In addition to the main chapters, the book includes two supplementary sections titled “Photographs” and “Timelines.” The “Photographs” section features portraits of key figures, paintings of the Constitutional Convention, and images related to the era, helping visual learners imagine what the experience may have been like. The timeline begins in 1787, when delegates arrived in Philadelphia, and extends into the 1870s, highlighting key amendments such as the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted African American men the right to vote. This section provides readers with a clear and accessible overview of the Constitution’s lasting impact. 

What is the Constitution? is an engaging and informative book for young readers interested in American history and government. By combining clear explanations, historical storytelling, and helpful visuals, Demuth presents a complex topic in an accessible and meaningful way. Understanding the Constitution is essential for everyone because it remains the foundation of American democracy and protects our fundamental rights. This document governs how our government operates, defines the relationship between citizens and their leaders, and establishes the principles of freedom and justice that shape daily life. By learning about the Constitution’s creation and purpose, readers gain the knowledge needed to participate as informed citizens who understand their rights and responsibilities. This book makes that vital learning both enjoyable and achievable for young minds. To more fully understand this time period, read Forgotten Founders: Black Patriots, Women Soldiers, and Other Thinkers and Heroes Who Shaped Early America. You can also explore Sneak Peek’s reviews on other books about the American Revolution, George Washington, and other aspects of early American history.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Madeline Hettrick 

Forgotten Founders: Black Patriots, Women Soldiers, and Other Thinkers and Heroes Who Shaped Early America

The founding of America was not accomplished by a handful of people; it required the heart, soul, and grit of an entire nation. Today, we rightfully honor the work of the Founding Fathers, but what about everyone else who sacrificed for the cause?  

Introducing Forgotten Founders, the inspiring book of stories about the heroic women, African Americans, Native Americans, immigrants, and others who played pivotal roles in America’s birth. Make no mistake: these were no historical footnotes. These were brave men and women without whom the war simply could never have been won, and the new republic never begun. 

Readers will meet: 

  • Sybil Ludington, the sixteen-year-old girl who rode all night to warn of a British attack 
  • Nancy Hart, the indomitable woman who captured six Loyalist soldiers 
  • Cuffee Wells Saunders, the talented physician who won his freedom and saved lives serving in the Continental Army 
  • Phyllis Wheatley, the gifted Black poet whose work was praised by Voltaire and George Washington 
  • Deborah Sampson, the colonial woman who dressed as a man to enlist in the Continental Army 
  • Peter Salem, the former slave who became the hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill 
  • and many more patriots, soldiers, thinkers, and heroes!
  • Read, learn, and discover in beautiful new ways that America’s origin story really is everybody’s story. 

Forgotten Founders begins with a brief history of the Revolutionary War, the people of colonial times, and a timeline of slavery. Each two-page spread then introduces a person who played a role in making America a free country. One page provides a brief explanation of why the person is significant, while the other features a large, full-color illustration along with short excerpts from historical documents. Each spread also includes a “Think Better” quote box that invites readers to think critically. For example: “Could you have imagined that music would play such an important role in the army? What talents or abilities do you have? How might they be helpful in a cause that’s important to you?” 

Anyone interested in the Revolutionary War or the Colonial period will enjoy Forgotten Founders for its unique perspective. The book’s bright colors and pleasing layout clearly distinguish different types of information. Many pages include fascinating facts, such as how the Culper Spy Ring used invisible ink to send messages. Since the biographies are short, readers eager to learn more can consult the works cited page at the end of the book. 

Through engaging text and illustrations, each person’s unique story reveals the creative ways ordinary people contributed to America’s victory. By highlighting these diverse voices, Forgotten Founders reminds us that the fight for freedom belonged not to a few celebrated heroes, but to countless individuals whose courage and ingenuity shaped our nation’s beginnings. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Nancy Hart was home, six Loyalist soldiers barged into her house and “demanded that she cook her only turkey for them. . . Nancy grabbed a rifle and ordered them to stay still. When one moved, she shot and killed him. When another made a move toward the weapons, she shot him, too, and held the rest at gunpoint until her husband and neighbors showed up.” The men were hanged.  
  • Salem Poor, a slave who fought for freedom, “was given credit for firing the shot that hit British Lieutenant Colonel James Abercrombie, who later died.” 
  • Prince Estabrook, the first Black man to fight in the Revolution, was shot in the shoulder during a skirmish between the British and Americans. “He fully recovered and was back in action.” 
  • During a battle, a British major was commanding the rebels to surrender when “a Negro soldier stepped forward and, aiming his musket at the major’s bosom, blew him through.” The Patriots lost, but the British “had twice as many casualties as the Americans and lost many officers.” 
  • Crispus Attucks was the first person in the Revolutionary War to be killed. Crispus “became part of an angry Patriot mob throwing stones, clubs, snowballs, and ice at the British soldiers guarding the Customs House, where taxes were collected. . .” Someone yelled fire, and “the British opened fire and five men fell dead. The first was Crispus Attucks, with two musket balls in his chest.” 
  • Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man and fought in the army. “Once, near New York City, she was gashed in the head by a sword and hit with two bullets in her thigh. . . She let doctors treat her head wound, but then slipped out of the field hospital, dug one of the bullets out of her leg with a penknife, and closed the wound herself with a sewing needle!” She lived to fight in other battles. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • “Apothecaries often used lavender, mint, basil, dill, thyme, rosemary, and sage to treat patients.”  

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • “Quaker beliefs forbid violence. During the American Revolution, Quakers who wanted to fight for the American cause often changed their religion so that they could. Many became Episcopalians.” 

I Am George Washington

George Washington is known as the first president of the United States, but he had to overcome many challenges to reach that position. His father died while he was very young, and his cold and distant mother raised him. As a teenager, he finally moved in with his older half-brother, Lawrence. What followed was an idyllic upper-class childhood at Mount Vernon, a tobacco farm, where George lived with Lawrence and his wife. George faced his challenges—working hard on the farm and struggling in school—but the real trouble didn’t start until Lawrence died of illness. After losing his half-brother, George enlisted in the army. 

During George’s time in the army, he experienced his greatest failures as he led his men into defeat after defeat. Though a natural leader, George didn’t believe in himself. He lost many battles during the French and Indian War, which deepened his self-doubt. Haunted by the violence and tragedy of the war they had just won, he took time off to marry and live at Mount Vernon with his new wife and her children. However, when England began taxing the colonies unfairly, George was once again called into action—first in the First and Second Continental Congresses, then as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.  

During the Revolutionary War, George ultimately led the army to victory, but along the way, he suffered numerous defeats and lost many men. George was respected because he had led the Continental Army, was a virtuous man, and was eternally loyal to his country. After the war ended and the United States declared independence, George was named the first president. Even while serving as president, he questioned whether he was the right man for the job and had to be persuaded to accept a second term. 

George served as president for eight years and died shortly after stepping down. Now he is remembered for leading the country in the right direction. Washington helped unite the young country and did his best to prevent division. He was an instrumental part of setting up the government so no one man could have all the power, and so the people always had a voice. He persevered through challenges and failures, never letting them stop him from doing what he believed was right. He was a good leader because he cared about the people. Readers will learn that making sacrifices is necessary for leaders and that doing the right thing is always worth it, even when you don’t believe in yourself. 

This biography is divided into five short chapters with black-and-white illustrations on almost every page. Highlighted vocabulary words are defined in a glossary at the back. Other features include twenty fun facts, a timeline, a map, and illustrations of the important people in George’s story. There is also a section on places to visit and references to how he laid the groundwork for our current government. Through clear writing, engaging illustrations, and supplemental information, young readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of George Washington—not just as a founding father, but as a flawed human being who grew through adversity and whose legacy of principled leadership continues to shape our nation today. Readers who want to learn more about George Washington and the Revolutionary War should also read George Washington’s Spies, Night of Soldiers and Spies, and George Washington’s Socks. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Many men died in battle during the French and Indian War. “A hundred soldiers on the side of the British died. Washington had no choice but to agree to a humiliating surrender.” 
  • Later in the French and Indian War, British troops were ambushed by the French and Indian troops. “More than nine hundred men were killed. . . George was unharmed even though his coat was shot four times, his hat was shot once. . . and two horses were killed while he was riding.” This battle cemented George as a war hero, even though he lost. The British later won the war.  
  • George Washington owned slaves, and the book describes slavery: “They were treated like property, no better than horses or plows, and sometimes even worse. Slaves were beaten and humiliated to a point where they were afraid to rebel.” 
  • During the Revolutionary War, many men died. In the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, “two hundred and fifty-nine soldiers died trying to defend New York.” Many other men died from starvation, illness, or the cold. “Many of their frostbitten feet had to be amputated.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Abigail Clark 

If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving

What if you lived when the English colonists and the Wampanoag people shared a feast at Plimoth? What would you have worn? What would you have eaten? What was the true story of the feast that we now know as the first Thanksgiving, and how did it become a national holiday? 

Chris Newell answers all these questions and more in this comprehensive dive into the feast at Plimoth and the history leading up to it. Carefully crafted to explore both sides of this historical event, this book is a great choice for Thanksgiving units and for teaching children about this popular holiday. 

Unlike many books about the Mayflower landing, If You Had Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving focuses on how Europeans affected the Native peoples, especially the Wampanoag, who had lived in the area for thousands of years. The book discusses the cultural differences between the Europeans and the Wampanoag tribe. For example, the Native tribes did not view land as personal property, nor did they believe it should be changed. Instead, “All Wampanoag people worked for the good of their village, and the welfare of the village depended on preserving nature’s systems. By following the natural cycles of life in everything around them, the Wampanoag and other tribes adapted and thrived for thousands of years before the arrival of European ships.” 

As the colonists expanded, Native communities were forced “to give up land and traditional spiritual ways; they were enslaved and indentured with the intention of forcing them to become like the English settlers.” For Native people, the English colony caused devastating consequences. This is one reason some states have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. For some Native people, Thanksgiving Day is a reminder “of the disease, slavery and war their ancestors endured. . . Many of these tribes have a day of prayer or mourning rather than a feast around that time of year.” 

The book also discusses how Thanksgiving celebrations have been held throughout the world for thousands of years. While many are taught that Thanksgiving began the first year the Mayflower landed, this is not true. Many may be surprised that it wasn’t until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday as “a way to ‘heal the wounds of the nation’ as a result of the Civil War.” 

If You Had Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving‘s format will appeal to children. Each chapter begins with a colored question, such as, “What did life for Wampanoag people look like when the Mayflower arrived?” Most pages feature large, full-color illustrations, allowing readers to see the landscape, settlements, and period dress. Words from the glossary appear in bold font, and some pages include colored boxes titled “Did You Know” that provide additional information. While the book’s format will draw readers in, children may need help understanding its complex sentences and vocabulary. 

Both children and adults interested in American history will find the book full of facts that prompt readers to examine the holiday’s origins and consider Native peoples’ perspectives. By presenting an honest account of how European colonization impacted Indigenous communities, this book offers an important resource for understanding why recognition of Native voices and experiences matters today. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Six years before the Mayflower landed, a “ship had kidnapped twenty people to be sold into the Native Slave trade.” When the Mayflower landed, “several Nauset men ran out and began shooting arrows at them, thinking they were one more ship coming to steal hostages.” 
  • English captain Thomas Hunt tricked twenty Wampanoag into boarding his ship. The captain “kidnapped them, along with seven Nauset people, and took them to Spain to sell as enslaved people.” 
  • The Wampanoag people would kill deer. “They skinned it clean with sharpened bone scrapers made from large animal leg bones.” The hide was used to make many things, including clothes.  
  • The first war between the Europeans and Native peoples was the Pequot War in 1636. “The war was brutal and weakened the strength of their people to such a degree that they were no longer an obstacle to English expansion in their territory.” There is a one-page illustration of the fighting. The illustration shows houses burning, with Natives and Europeans fighting. One man has been shot in the heart by an arrow, and a Native has been shot with a rifle. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • The English called the natives “savages” or “Indians,” which are “inaccurate and dehumanizing” words.  

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • A group of English citizens moved to Holland “to practice Christianity freely as they chose. These people were known as religious separatists because of their wish to separate themselves from the large, established, organized churches of the time.”  
  • The separatists “referred to themselves as Saints.” The leader of the group that went to America wrote, “They knew they were pilgrims, and looked not much on those things, but lift[ed] up their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country; and quieted their spirit.” 
  • “Many cultures celebrated days of thanksgiving as part of their religion. They brought this tradition with them from England. The English colonists viewed their relationship with God as a sacred agreement. A day of thanksgiving was a way of honoring that sacred agreement.” 
  • The Wampanoag and other tribes celebrated days of thanksgiving throughout the year. “Offering thanks through ceremony, prayer, or sharing food acknowledges the gifts of the natural world that give people life.” 

Rescue on the Oregon Trail

Meet Ranger! He’s a time-traveling golden retriever who has a nose for trouble. . . and he always saves the day! 

Ranger has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog, but he can’t officially pass the test because he’s always getting distracted by squirrels during exercises. One day, he finds a mysterious first aid kit in the garden and is transported to the year 1850, where he meets a young boy named Sam Abbott. Sam’s family is migrating west on the Oregon Trail and, soon after Ranger arrives, he helps the boy save his little sister. Ranger thinks his job is done, but the Oregon Trail can be dangerous, and the Abbotts need Ranger’s help more than they realize! 

When Ranger is transported to a different time, he is understandably confused, but this doesn’t stop him from using his search and rescue training to help the Abbott family find their missing child, Amelia. Unsure of how to get back home, Ranger follows the Abbott family on their journey, where they face many dangers, including a buffalo stampede, raging rivers, and deadly illnesses. Through it all, Ranger saves the day. Along the way, he stays devoted to keeping Amelia from wandering off, and he learns to love Sam. However, Ranger misses his forever family, and he’s constantly looking for a way to return home. 

Readers will instantly fall in love with Ranger, who is dedicated to helping others while still acting very much like a typical dog who likes to chase squirrels and eat bacon. During his travels, he learns about the difficulties and dangers of the Oregon Trail. However, Ranger can’t solve every problem. One couple dies, leaving their daughter, Sarah, an orphan. Sarah’s story thread ends on a hopeful note as she reunites with her uncle, who provides her with a home. The wagon train’s difficulties add suspense and keep the story moving at a quick pace while weaving in accurate facts about the Oregon Trail. 

Rescue on the Oregon Trail is printed in a format that will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Each chapter begins with an attention-grabbing title, and the text is printed in a large font. Each chapter has one full-page black-and-white illustration that helps readers visualize the journey. The illustrations also include information about the time period by showing how people dressed, what life on a wagon train was like, and the dangers posed by animals such as buffalo and rattlesnakes.

Rescue on the Oregon Trail is the first book in the Ranger in Time Series, and it sets up the plot structure for the other books in the series. Despite this, the books do not have to be read in order because Ranger visits a different time period in each book. 

The book will appeal to a wide variety of readers because it’s told from Ranger’s point of view, which gives it a unique perspective. The history of the Oregon Trail is presented in an interesting story that revolves around a young boy and his family. While it’s clear that the hardships they faced could be deadly, the descriptions are not graphic, and Ranger almost always finds a way to help. Rescue on the Oregon Trail is the perfect book to start readers on an adventure through time. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • Two men get in a fight. “One shoved the other so hard he flew backward into one of the horses. It neighed and reared up. . . The man who had fallen got up and ran at the other man. . .” The men’s fighting caused a yoke of oxen to stampede. No one is injured. 
  • While traveling, a herd of buffalo stampeded. The men shoot at the animals. “Pa fired his rifle again and again. Finally, one of the buffalo stumbled and sank to the ground.” The herd changes course. “Ranger followed Sam up to the collapsed buffalo. Its legs were crumpled underneath its great body. Its fur was matted with dust and blood.” 
  • Sam’s father butchers the buffalo. “Pa slit the buffalo’s hide from its throat all the way to its tail. Sam had to turn away.” 
  • While fording a river, Sam’s father falls into the water. Ranger jumps into the river. “Ranger caught the scent of death, too, rising up from the water. There were bodies down there. But Pa was still alive.” Sam’s father is rescued. 
  • When Sam is sick, the doctor checks on him daily. “He cut Sam’s arm so the bad blood could drain out.” Sam recovers. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • After two men fight, an adult says, “They got gold fever, and it’s turned them into a pack of fools.” 
  • When Ranger starts barking, someone asks him, “What in heaven’s name is the matter, Dog?” 
  • Sam’s mother uses “Oh Lord” as an exclamation once. 

Supernatural 

  • Ranger finds a first aid kit. The metal box began to vibrate. “The box felt warm at Ranger’s throat. Bright light spilled from cracks in the old metal and seemed to swallow up the whole yard. . . The light spread and grew. There was a blinding flash, and Ranger felt as if he were being squeezed through a hole in the sky.” He is transported to the Oregon Trail. 
  • Ranger knows it’s time to return home when he hears “a high-pitched humming. . . The metal box was humming so loud it seemed to be shaking the whole earth.” Then, Ranger is transported back to his time.  

Spiritual Content  

  • One family is traveling to Salt Lake because “there was a much bigger community of Mormon families” there. 
  • When Sam’s mother is worried, she hums a hymn from church. Sam thinks, “With such a long list of bad things that could happen out on the trail, she was humming a lot these days.” Sam’s mother does this often throughout the book. 
  • Before crossing a river, “Sam could hear her [his mother] whispering prayers.” 
  • When buffalo stampede, Sam’s mother prays, “Oh, Lord, keep us safe.” 
  • While eating buffalo steak, Sam’s mother says, “This is a little bit of heaven.” 
  • A man and his wife die, leaving their daughter alone. The daughter “watched as they laid her mother and father down in the prairie, said some prayers, and shoveled all the dirt back in.” 
  • When Sam is sick, the doctor says, “All we can do is pray.” 

The Stowaway: A Tale of California Pirates

The year is 1818, and the coastal village of Monterey, California, is a peaceful home for 11-year-old Carlito and his family. . . until pirate ships appear on the horizon. Carlito and his friends are excited at first. They can’t wait to see what real pirates look like. But once the ships drop anchor, they attack. And on one terrible night, Carlito witnesses a murder—his father’s. When Carlito climbs onto the pirate ship in search of revenge, the ship sets sail, and he becomes a stowaway. Can Carlito bring his father’s murderer to justice? Or will he suffer the same horrendous fate? 

The stakes are high in this action-packed adventure when Carlito inadvertently becomes a stowaway on Captain Bouchard’s ship. The book opens with historical information about the Argentine privateer known for his cruelty, which immediately raises the suspense by forewarning readers that Carlito’s death could come at any moment. Being trapped on a ship with a cruel captain and manipulative pirates creates an atmosphere of fear and highlights the perils everyone on board faces. 

Despite Captain Bouchard’s cruelty, Carlito finds solace when the ship’s navigator, Montague, shows him kindness and protects him from the other pirates’ abuse. Montague isn’t the only person trapped by circumstances—Billy, another young boy forced into labor, befriends Carlito, and the two bond over their similar situations. Unlike Carlito, however, Billy’s father is still alive but imprisoned in a cage in the ship’s hull. Despite his harsh circumstances, the enslaved man remains kind. When Carlito has an opportunity to escape, he chooses to stay because he doesn’t want to endanger Billy or his father. Despite his fear and difficulties, Carlito demonstrates bravery by prioritizing others’ needs over his own. 

The Stowaway chronicles the events of Captain Bouchard’s Raid of 1818, offering an engaging story that will entertain anyone who loves pirate adventures while also teaching California history and showing the destruction Captain Bouchard left in his wake. The book focuses on a young protagonist with whom readers will easily connect. At one point, Carlito is given an opportunity to let Parvo, a cruel pirate, die, but sets aside his hatred and refrains from taking revenge. As Carlito says, “This pirate needs to be brought to justice for his terrible crimes. That is something Governor Sola can do.” Ultimately, Carlito learns the dangers of making rash decisions and the importance of relying on others for guidance. Readers who want to get lost in another pirate adventure should also read The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates Series and The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • The book begins with a note about the story’s historical pirate, Hippolyte de Bouchard, who tracked down mutineers on Kaua’i, Hawaii. “[One mutineer] was dragged from the jungle to the beach, blindfolded, then shot by four marines. . . Other mutineers were found on the island of Maui and flogged until their backs split open.” 
  • After leaving Hawaii, Bouchard went to California and attacked the port of Monterey. During the attack, one of the pirate ships was hit. “Carlito peeked over the tower ledge to see flames on the ship’s deck, a mast snapped in two, and spars torn through the rigging.” The ship does not sink.  
  • As the townsmen were retreating, an officer “raised a musket and fired. One of the fishermen threw his arms in the air, then fell to the sand. Another shot hit a man in the shoulder, but he kept running.” The man was on the wet sand, “Blood staining the water’s edge. When Carlito focused on the man’s face, the open eyes that no longer held life, he gave an anguished cry.” The dead man was Carlito’s father. Two other people had been killed during the pirates’ attack. 
  • After the attack, Carlito sees “a screaming soldier about to have both hands amputated. The floor was sticky with blood.” Five pirates were killed during the fight. 
  • When Bouchard found a stowaway aboard his ship, the stowaway’s “lips [were] sewn shut, then he was dangled over the side until the sharks found him. . .” 
  • Billy, a boy forced to work on a pirate ship, was disfigured by a pirate. “The eye socket was empty and red. The knife that had cut Billy’s face and throat had also taken out the eye.” Billy obeys the pirates because his father is being held captive in a cage. 
  • A pirate is upset that two boys don’t have his boat ready. “He shoved one of the older boys into the water and kicked sand into the other’s face.”  
  • A pirate grabs Carlito and another boy, Little Edward, to punish them for not following orders. “He grabbed the boys by the arms and dragged them across the deck. As the boys struggled, he lashed their wrists to an overhead ratline and pulled out a whip that had been soaked in a bucket of salt water. . . [Carlito] could hear Little Edward crying.” A woman stops the pirate before he can hurt them further. 
  • One of the pirates, Red Cap, “was too drunk to know he was being rolled out the window. Down he went like a stone. His arms and legs flew up in a splash.” The man sank to his death. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • A captain smokes a pipe.  
  • After a meal, Carlito’s mother and aunt “lit their cigars.” 
  • After the pirates attacked the port of Monterey, “there was drunken laughter as the thieves ransacked each home and shop.”  
  • A pirate who was taunting Carlito “reeked of rum.” 
  • The cook sends a jug of rum to a prisoner.  
  • After attacking another town, “pirates began stumbling down the path. Some were so drunk their mates dragged them by their hair along the rocky beach.” The men had raided “the fiery home-brew whiskey” hidden in a bodega. As punishment, “twenty men were strung up, stripped to the waist, then bloodied with twelve lashes each.” 
  • After Captain Bouchard maroons Carlito and others on an island, Carlito imagines Captain Bouchard and Captain Corney “raising their goblets of wine in a victory toast.” 
  • The epilogue explains how Captain Corney and his men had a “shore party” and accidentally ate a poisonous root. Twelve men “suffered agonizing deaths.” 
  • After retiring from piracy, Bouchard “treated his slaves with such cruelty, however, they staged a revolt in 1837 and killed him.” 

Language  

  • Bouchard often calls Carlito and others names, such as “stupid pig farmer,” “vermin,” and “worms.” 
  • A woman calls a pirate a “piece of bait” and “scum.” 
  • A pirate calls Carlito and the other boys “scum. Pig farmers.” 
  • The ship’s navigator, Montague, has scars on her face. A pirate says, “Everyone knows women are bad luck at sea, especially those with the face of a dog and a big. . .” Montague throws the pirate into the ocean. 

 Supernatural 

  • Women are thought to be bad luck at sea. 

Spiritual Content  

  • In a letter warning the governor to surrender, Bouchard writes, “May God keep you many years.” 
  • Carlito disobeys his father and sneaks back into the mission. “Papa put his arm around his son and nodded toward the altar where a carving of Jesus looked down at them. He began to pray. ‘The Lord is my shepherd. . .’” Carlito and his family were baptized Catholics and are Spanish citizens. 
  • Bouchard yells at the ship’s navigator, Montague. She replies, “When the Spaniards’ guns killed seven of your buffoons, you blamed me. Now God chooses to send no wind, and you blame me again.” 
  • Captain Bouchard maroons Carlito and others on an island. Carlito and another boy find a canoe and prepare to go for help. A man prays, “Dear Lord, watch over these brave boys. We ask for Your mercy on all of us. Amen.” 
  • Carlito and the other boy’s canoe gets caught in a current. Carlito’s uncle finds them and says, “Thank God your boat floated into the channel or we would not have found you in time.” 

Sutter’s Mill and the California Gold Rush

In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California. Word quickly spread, and the California Gold Rush was on! Thousands of people went to California in hopes of finding gold and striking it rich. But did that really happen? What was the real impact of so many miners rushing to the state? Discover what’s real and what’s fiction about the California Gold Rush through infographics, primary sources, and leveled text. 

Sutter’s Mill and the California Gold Rush doesn’t glorify the Gold Rush but instead examines its harmful effects, including discrimination against Indigenous people and the Chinese. For example, before the Gold Rush, about 160,000 Indigenous people and 700 to 1,000 non-Indigenous people were living in California. By the end of 1849, about 90,000 non-Indigenous people had arrived from across the U.S. and around the world. This influx led to widespread discrimination against both Indigenous people and the Chinese due to the newcomers’ greed for gold. 

This greed harmed not only people but also the land when companies began using hydraulic mining that “could bring down an entire hillside in minutes.” This practice changed the landscape forever and caused “riverbeds and lakes [to become] clogged” with debris, leading to flooding that destroyed homes and killed cattle and wildlife. Today, visitors can see the permanent damage at Coloma, California, where the land was altered forever. 

The book is visually appealing with large black-and-white pictures on each page and colorful section titles. The engaging text is broken into short paragraphs, making it easy to read. The book features fact boxes, a glossary, and an exploration of Gold Rush mythology that distinguishes facts from fiction. While these elements combine to create an enjoyable reading experience, the book’s title is misleading since Sutter’s Mill is mentioned only twice. 

Sutter’s Mill and the California Gold Rush is essential reading for anyone seeking to learn about California’s history, as it explains how the Gold Rush forever changed the state. Unlike other books, it doesn’t romanticize the Gold Rush as a time of universal opportunity. As the book notes, “Many view [the Gold Rush] as a time of great adventure when fortunes were made. But the truth of the Gold Rush is far less shiny.” Exploring these darker aspects gives readers crucial insight into the state’s complex history. Curious readers can learn more about a significant period that shaped America by reading the nonfiction book The Dust Bowl by Michelle Jabès Corpora. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • The Gold Rush had a devastating effect on Indigenous people. “The people coming from the eastern U.S. pushed Indigenous people off their land. Many were killed in the process. . . White miners began to view them as competition. Hostility toward Indigenous people grew, and they began to be attacked and killed.” An illustration shows a white miner pushing Indigenous people off their land. 
  • Like the Indigenous people, the Chinese people were also harshly treated. “White miners attacked Chinese miners to drive them away from their claims.” A picture depicts miners beating an immigrant with sticks.  
  • As the gold supply shrank, immigrants were pushed out of the area. “Immigrants were often hurt and treated unfairly. . . Many American miners believed that California gold should belong only to whites. They began using threats and violence to drive foreign miners out of the land they had claimed for mining. In 1849, armed groups of white miners attacked several Chilean mining camps.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None

The Gateway Arch: Celebrating Western Expansion

This magnificent arch rises on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri. The nation’s tallest monument is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, honoring Thomas Jefferson’s vision of Westward Expansion. Despite its controversial beginning, this amazing structure is now a national treasure and symbol of the nation’s reach from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 

The first four chapters of The Gateway Arch focus on Westward Expansion, providing a brief overview of the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark’s expedition, and the motivations behind westward migration. While one paragraph mentions Sacagawea and the Native Americans who inhabited the West, the book fails to adequately address how Westward Expansion affected indigenous peoples—a significant omission in any comprehensive treatment of this topic. This section includes helpful maps and migration statistics, but while it explains the motivations for westward movement, it provides virtually no information about the actual experiences of settlers once they reached their destinations. 

The subsequent eight chapters examine how St. Louis sought to honor Thomas Jefferson’s role in Westward Expansion by creating a monument, ultimately leading to the construction of the Gateway Arch. These chapters thoroughly cover the architect who designed the monument, various construction delays, and the complete building process from conception to completion. The authors also include practical information about visiting the arch and exploring the Museum of Western Expansion. 

Readers interested in Westward Expansion and monument construction will find The Gateway Arch informative, particularly those researching the history of the Gateway Arch’s construction. However, the book suffers from a lack of personal stories and anecdotes that could have made the writing more engaging and humanized this important historical period. Instead, the authors focus primarily on facts, dates, and biographical details, creating a somewhat dry academic tone. The book concludes with a brief one-page glossary, two recommended books for further reading, and one suggested website—resources that feel somewhat limited for readers seeking to explore the topic more deeply. 

The Gateway Arch exemplifies how Westward Expansion shaped America by commemorating both the historical movement and the individuals who made it possible. Through its comprehensive overview, readers will gain insight into the events that helped define the nation. As the book concludes, “The Gateway Arch is an important symbol of America… It is a powerful symbol of how our nation grew and changed because of the settlers who were not afraid to travel west into a new world.” While the book succeeds as a factual resource, it would benefit from more engaging storytelling to fully capture the complexity of this pivotal period in American history. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Diary of Hattie Campbell

After the death of her two sisters, thirteen-year-old Hattie and her family make a fresh start. They sell their farm in Missouri and journey across the Oregon Trail toward Oregon City. At first, the adventure is exciting, but as the days, weeks, and months pass, Hattie realizes what a dangerous and tedious trip it is. As they cross the prairies, news of the fate of the Donner Party reaches them, and death, disease, weather, and the terrain take a terrible toll on their traveling party. The Campbells lose neighbors and friends until they can hardly bear to continue. But Hattie and her family must persevere or risk the same misfortune. Hattie’s diary chronicles the hardships of such a harrowing journey, but also captures the small moments, friendships, and celebrations of life that keep hope alive. 

Hattie and her family’s adventure is filled with danger—perilous rivers to cross, deadly animals, unpredictable weather, and accidents. Despite these daily perils, Hattie focuses on conflicts that today’s readers will relate to. She is sad to leave her friends behind but becomes excited when she meets fourteen-year-old Pepper. When a boy begins courting Pepper, Hattie worries about losing her newfound friend and wonders when she will fall in love. While Hattie doesn’t find romance, she does meet many interesting people along the trail. 

Like many thirteen-year-olds, Hattie’s life revolves around her friends and those she cares about, which often makes her seem self-centered and uncaring when others face problems. For example, when Hattie discovers that Mrs. Kenker, a member of their wagon train, is a thief, she struggles to treat the woman kindly. While this reaction is understandable, Hattie is repeatedly rebuked for her lack of compassion. Her mother provides wise counsel: “In order to move on we must forgive the past. Sometimes that means forgiving someone who hasn’t apologized and probably never will.” Through these trials, Hattie learns to show greater kindness to others. 

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie is told in diary format, which limits the development of other characters but still allows readers to understand the importance of Hattie’s relationships with friends, family, and adults. The characters draw readers into the story while the narrative teaches fascinating facts about the Oregon Trail, including landmarks, dangers, and the various reasons people traveled 2,000 miles to start new lives. Although there is no direct interaction between the wagon train and Indigenous peoples, Hattie writes: “I have decided Indians are like white folks in that some are honest and kind, others are liars and thieves.” This observation reinforces a theme woven throughout the story: making assumptions based on appearance is not only wrong but can harm both yourself and others. 

If you’re interested in learning about the Oregon Trail, Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie offers a compelling glimpse into this historic period and will spark your curiosity to explore the people and landmarks along the trail. However, like the pioneers themselves, you may wish you could stop to explore these places in greater depth. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • While in Independence, Missouri, a group of “boys yell and wave their rifles around. One of them accidentally shot a nine-year-old in the neck. He died quickly, right where he fell.”  
  • Tall Joe, the leader of the wagon train, shows off “what looks like two short brushes hanging with a string of beads. . . Tall Joe said proudly, ‘Them is scalps, ma’am. . . Pawnee.” Tall Joe said he shot the men. 
  • Tall Joe and Mr. Kenker, another member of the wagon train, get into an argument. Mr. Kenker points a gun at Tall Joe. Tall Joe says, “And the next time you point a gun at me, mister, I’ll slice your ears off — don’t you forget!” When Mr. Kenker’s wife defends him, Tall Joe “grabbed Mr. Kenker’s pistol and aimed it at their wagon seat where a pie was cooling. The first shot made the pan spin, the second splattered it.”  
  • Tall Joe and Mr. Kenker get into another fight. Mr. Kenker “walked to the edge of the cliff, stepped into midair, and dropped out of sight. For a moment there was silence, then the piercing scream of Mrs. Kenker.” It is implied that Mr. Kenker died. 
  • While on the trail, “a boy playing with his father’s gun accidentally shot our front ox in the head. It dropped dead so quick the ones behind stumbled onto it.” 
  • Hattie’s little brother Ben fell off the wagon. “The wheels rolled over his left arm so that it hung like a broken stick. He cried and cried, while Pa set it in a splint.” He eventually recovers. 
  • A boy fell off the wagon and “was trampled by the mules behind. There was so much dust that it wasn’t until three wagons passed did they find him.” 
  • While crossing a river, a family’s mule panicked, and the animals began to drown. They sank so fast they pulled the wagons underwater before anyone had a chance to jump out. Two families disappeared just like that. I’m sick at heart. The screams of their friends on shore I will never forget as long as I live.” 
  • Mrs. Bigg, a kind woman whom Hattie admires, falls off her wagon. “Mrs. Bigg had fallen in the water and was trying to grab her husband’s hand. . . Each time she managed to grab a wheel or harness, the wagon tipped deeper toward her. . . In an instant, Mrs. Bigg and her rescuer disappeared under the tongue of the wagon. . . then they were gone.” 
  • A woman on the wagon train receives news that her friend has died. “It seems there was a measles epidemic. When some of the Indian children died, the Cayuse thought Dr. Whitman was a sorcerer. So they burned down the mission.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • A couple who were traveling with Hattie’s group has “two crystal wine goblets, for she and the mister tip back a few each night.” 
  • Hattie’s friend Wade is accidentally poisoned. While he’s sick, his parents “gave him a sip of rum” to help him relax. 
  • When Hattie’s brother is injured, he is given whiskey to help him with the pain. 

Language  

  • Brigham Young has “three nigras, servants look like.” 
  • “Lordy” is used as an exclamation once.  

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Several people from the wagon train eat water hemlock, which is poison. When they get sick, Hattie’s father says, “God help us.” Several people die, and Hattie’s friend Wade “is breathing hard and fast through clenched jaws so it sounds like he’s hissing. Blood is at the corners of his mouth.” Hattie and others pray for Wade’s recovery. 
  • Hattie’s mother and Wade’s mother pray, “Asking God, that if it be His will, to please heal Wade.” Wade eventually recovers. His mother “cries and cries she is so thankful to God for healing her son.” Wade’s healing was attributed to God. 
  • When a wagon flips over and crashes, Hattie thinks, “Thank God, Mrs. Anderson and her daughters were watching from the top of the hill.” 
  • Along the way, Wade sings a hymn: “May our good Lord watch over you always.” 
  • When Mrs. Bigg dies, Hattie wonders, “Why did someone as generous and loving and honest as Mrs. Bigg have to die while Mrs. Kenker gets to live?” 
  • Hattie continues to mourn Mrs. Bigg’s death. Hattie’s mom says, “I know two things for sure. God loves us and he has a plan for our lives. I wish I knew why He took Mrs. Bigg and Cassia and the other children, but this I do not know.” 
  • Brigham Young, American religious leader and second president of the Mormon church, was traveling close to Hattie’s wagon train. She writes, “I think something’s wrong with a religion that says men get to have as many wives as they please all at once.” 
  • Hattie thinks Brigham Young is “very religious because he makes his people rest on the Sabbath—no traveling.” 
  • Brigham Young’s group travels alone, which makes some of the people on Hattie’s wagon train dislike them. Some say he is acting “high and mighty.” However, Hattie’s father says, “Brigham Young’s people are trying to start a new life, just like us. And I’ll tell you something else. . . we ain’t their judge, God Almighty is, so let’s get going and not be so mad about everything.” 
  • While trying to ford a dangerous river, Hattie’s aunt goes into labor. Hattie writes, “Why God sends babies into the world at times like this I’ll never understand, but he does.”

Sarah Journeys West: An Oregon Trail Survival Story

In the midst of the California Gold Rush, twelve-year-old Sarah and her family are living in the North as free Black people. Seeking a better life, Sarah’s parents decide they will venture west on the Oregon Trail. On the trail, Sarah and her family face all kinds of hardship, including racism, extreme weather, difficult terrain, and disease. But the journey will be worth it if they can find fortune in California. Will Sarah and her family endure the trail and make a new life out west?  

Sarah Journeys West gives a broad view of the Oregon Trail, allowing readers to understand the dangers of going west by following Sarah’s family. Although the trip was difficult, most of the dangers that are discussed aren’t directly related to the wagon train that Sarah’s family is traveling with. This decreases the story’s suspense and, similar to traveling on the Oregon Trail, the book sometimes goes at a very slow pace. 

Since Sarah’s family is the only Black family in their wagon train, the story offers a unique perspective that highlights the additional difficulties they faced, including discrimination from other members of the wagon train. However, they were not alone in facing prejudice. Many travelers feared Native Americans and harbored discriminatory attitudes toward them. For example, when a member of the wagon train, Mr. Adams, first encounters Indians, he wants to shoot them on sight, but Sarah’s father intervenes to stop him. Sarah’s mother provides insight into their shared struggles, explaining, “They aren’t that different from us. Our people got stolen from home, and their home got stolen from them.” 

The book’s structure makes it easy to follow, with each chapter beginning by noting Sarah’s location and the time. Black-and-white illustrations appear every 10 to 17 pages, including one that shows a family grieving over a grave. The back of the book includes nonfiction material on the Oregon Trail, a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts that provide brief explanations of African American and Native American perspectives. 

Throughout the journey, Sarah’s family encounters several historical landmarks along the trail and discusses the Hastings Cutoff and the Donner Party. While the book provides limited information about these topics, curious readers can learn more by reading Koda by Patricia Hermes. 

Sarah Journeys West focuses on a caring family that dreams of a better life. Although the story occasionally lacks action, Sarah is a likable protagonist who worries about what her new life in California will look like. Despite the difficult trip, the book reinforces the message that “a woman can do anything a man can do.” The story concludes on a hopeful note—Sarah and her family safely arrive in California, where Sarah has found a best friend, and the two girls plan to help their families become prosperous. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • As Sarah’s family prepares to go to Oregon, one of their companions, Mr. Adams, says that Indians had killed “a lot of people heading west.” The man promises to “shoot an Indian on sight if I have to.” 
  • The wagon train approaches a river and sees Indians. Mr. Adams plans to shoot the Indians, even though they have done nothing to provoke him. “Daddy lunged at him, which made the gun aim into the sky, and a shot went off. . . Mr. Lee grabbed the gun from Mr. Adams, and Daddy wrestled him to the ground.” No one is injured, and the Indians help them cross the river. 
  • A man mentions the Donner Party, saying, “They got stuck in these mountains in the middle of winter. Almost all of them died.” 
  • The author’s note explains that “American Indians suffered greatly because of Europeans and the California Gold Rush. Native Americans across the country were forced off their homelands and killed in battles over the land. . . Their way of life completely disrupted.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Sarah sees women who were preparing to leave for Oregon carrying medicine bags. 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Before leaving to head west, James’ granddaddy gave him a gun and said, “James you’re going to need this to hunt. I pray that’s all you need it for.” 
  • Sarah’s friend, Maddie, gets lost in the woods. At first, no one realizes she is missing. A group of men goes looking for Maddie, and Sarah sneaks off after them. When Maddie is found, her father says, “Thank God.”

What Was the Berlin Wall?

Berlin has long been a magnetic city, attracting artists, creatives, and scholars from around the globe. Yet its history is marked by dramatic rises and falls. Following World War I, Germany faced a severe economic depression, during which crime and unemployment reached high levels. These conditions enabled Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. His leadership ultimately led to Germany’s downfall in World War II. What Was the Berlin Wall? traces the events of the period that followed, focusing on the city’s division and the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.  

Following World War II, the four victorious Allied powers divided Germany into four zones, and Berlin was split into two zones. The Soviets controlled East Berlin, while the United States, Britain, and France controlled West Berlin. “The famous Brandenburg Gate stood at the dividing line, just inside East Berlin, controlled by the Soviet Union.” As tensions between the Soviets and other Allied forces increased, the Soviets imposed an Iron Curtain, restricting movement in and out of West Berlin. With the city isolated, the United States was forced to find new ways to deliver essential supplies to West Berliners.  

The book pulls readers in from the beginning with a short retelling of Peter Fetcher’s tragic experience with the Berlin Wall. Peter, who lived in East Berlin, dreamed of moving West as “there were better jobs there, and Peter longed for a better life.” However, after the Wall’s construction in 1961, Peter felt his dreams being stifled. He watched people lose jobs, be separated from families, and become “prisoners in their own city.” Hoping to escape, Peter and his friend attempted to cross the wall, but guards opened fire, and Peter was shot. This heartbreaking moment immediately establishes the emotional weight of the story and will make readers feel invested in the lives of those who were impacted daily by the Berlin Wall.   

The book features eleven chapters, each delving into a different aspect of the Berlin Wall’s history. For example, Chapter Four covers the Cold War, describing it as “a war of ideas: communism versus capitalism,” rather than a traditional military conflict. While many chapters explore the growing tension between the Soviet Union and Western powers, Chapter 11 captures the excitement and relief that East and West Berliners felt when East German official Gunter Schabowski announced that citizens were allowed to cross the border freely. Learning about the hardships people endured makes the book’s depiction of the wall’s fall especially rewarding.   

Visual learners will also benefit from the book’s black-and-white, detailed illustrations, which appear throughout and directly support the text. One page, for instance, describes Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson’s visit to West Berlin, where he was greeted by children holding up letters that spelled Freiheit— “freedom” in German. Below the text, a matching illustration shows the children with their signs. At the end of the book, a “Photographs” section features twenty-two real images from Berlin between 1933 and 1990, offering young readers additional insight into the era.  

Overall, What Was the Berlin Wall? is a great option for young readers who are curious about history. By covering everything from the political climate that preceded the wall to the celebrations of its fall, What Was the Berlin Wall? provides a clear, engaging overview of one of the 20th century’s most defining symbols. Its blend of factual storytelling, emotional narratives, and historical visuals makes it both informative and compelling for children learning about this time period for the first time.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • After Adolf Hitler came into power, his supporters “arrested, beat up, and even killed his political enemies.” 
  • In 1941, the United States joined World War II after Hitler bombed a US naval base. 
  • Hitler committed suicide after it became clear that Germany would be defeated in World War II.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party blamed Germany’s economic problems “on communists and Jews.” 

by Madeline Hettrick 

The Jumbie God’s Revenge

Even after everything Corinne has done to protect her village, they still don’t trust her. Her friends—Dru, Bouki, and Malik—have come to look past her jumbie heritage, but others refuse to believe she can help. When a large storm blows in, Corinne volunteers to lead her people to safer ground. As the first winds arrive, Corinne encounters the witch, who hints that not all may be as it seems. Corinne ignores the warning because she has more pressing matters, but as the weather intensifies, she’s forced to admit something supernatural is at work. During a brief reprieve, she seeks out the witch for answers, only to find that she has drowned. 

Determined to understand what’s happening, Corinne goes to Papa Bois, the jumbie of the forest, who reveals that the sky god Huracan has awoken angry and vengeful. If Corinne doesn’t find and appease him, the hurricanes could destroy the entire island. Summoning all her power and allies—including Mama D’Leau’s mermaids, a forgotten mountain village, and a lost monster at the sea’s bottom—Corinne dedicates herself to finding the sky god and saving her home. 

The Jumbie God’s Revenge skillfully weaves Caribbean folklore into the worldbuilding, making for an interesting read and delivering a very creative story. That said, readers averse to horror may want to avoid this book due to the macabre creatures and tone. 

While the book incorporates magical and monstrous elements, the chapters are often too brief, resulting in a jarring rhythm. The frequent perspective changes interrupt the story’s flow rather than enhancing it, especially for a novel with a primary narrator. Additionally, the storm sometimes overshadows the characters, driving the plot more than it should. The ending feels a little too neatly tied, though it provides a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.  

The Jumbie God’s Revenge presents powerful themes of community and heroism through imaginative monsters, a complex world, and wonderful friendships. The story builds upon previous books, presenting Corinne with more challenging tasks and a larger support system. She discovers that monstrous appearances don’t always indicate monstrous character, and that building community means accepting people for who they are. Ultimately, this story delivers a powerful message through its fierce protagonist: spite doesn’t have to consume people—the more love is freely given, the more it grows. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • As a direct result of the sky god’s actions, Corinne’s friend, the witch, is trapped in a box and cannot get out during the storm. “The water was up to her bottom lip. As it continued to rise, the white witch sent a final message. It rippled out on the water, stretching out of the swamp and into the sea. And then the witch slept.” The witch drowned.  
  • During the storm, the sea witch, Mama D’Leau, is whipped around. “The water pulled her away and crashed her into the rocks again. She felt the sting of another cut near the end of her tail. The pain traveled up her body and brought tears to her eyes that mixed with the saltwater of the sea. She wrapped her tail around the rock, anchoring herself in place. She would have to wait out the storm there, cowering, angry that it made her feel so small and helpless.” She is injured but eventually heals.  
  • When Corinne dives into the water to confront Mama D’Leau, they fight. “[Mama D’Leau] squeezed harder and pulled Corinne into its depth like a slowly turning screw. When Corinne was wholly engulfed in the tail, she looked directly into a pair of deep blue eyes that blinked out at her from the darkness.” Corinne cannot breathe but Mama D’Leau lets her go and Corinne is fine.  
  • Corinne tries to save her Aunt Severine, who doesn’t remember who Corinne is. Severine attacks Corinne. “[Corinne] crashed into the branches. Some of the sticks stabbed her skin, others scraped her flesh and scales, another gouged her tail. The branches folded into a cage around her. Her plaits were caught and her arms and tail were trapped. Her skin burned in the places the sticks had cut and bruised. She tasted her own warm blood in the cold water.” Corinne eventually gets through to Severine and heals from her injuries.  
  • Corinne confronts the sky god about the storm. “Corinne hurtled to earth [because of the sky god’s powers]. Her flames extinguished and every particle of air burned her raw, exposed body as she fell. She hit the beach hard, sending sand in every direction. Corinne screamed. The combination of the fall and the sea salt against her raw skin ravaged her. She tried not to move.” Her injuries heal quickly, and the sky god doesn’t stop the storm. The fight is described over a chapter.  
  • The storm attacks Corinne. “Each time, Corinne pressed against the side of the mountain for protection, but the rocks still hit her. Larger ones left bruises that made each of Corinne’s movements ache. Sharper ones left scratches that burned in the rain. But [the sky god] wouldn’t stop, so neither would she.” She heals quickly.  
  • After Corinne and Mama D’Leau’s fight, Mama D’Leau is trapped under rocks. When Mama D’Leau tries to get out, she gets cut. “Mama D’Leau refused to be pinned down again. She whipped her tail, cracking it against the current, trying to bend it to her will, but she flailed in the water and had to grab on to the edge of a piece of broken coral to steady herself. The coral cut into her hand but she didn’t let go. As blood darkened the water, Mama D’Leau sensed the smallest of the mermaids trying to reach [Mama D’Leau].” 
  • During the worst moments of the storm, some children end up in the water. The mermaids try to save them but aren’t successful. “[The mermaid] looked into the water and smiled when she saw [the boy she was trying to save], his arms reaching out to her. Her heart caught and she paused, waiting for him to arrive, but his face changed, from calm to anguish in an instant, and he opened his mouth. He gasped bubbles, pulling one hand to his throat. [The mermaid] raced to him and caught his limp hand to drag him to the surface. She turned his face up toward air and patted his back. She pulled him close to her body, hoping to feel his warmth again, but it was slowly draining away. It was too late for him.” He was the only child who died. 
  • During the storm, a boulder gets loose and rolls towards one of the villagers, Victor. “Victor just got his feet under him and looked back to see the rock coming at him from one side and the lagahoo [a kind of jumbie] from the other. The only way to get away from both was toward the cliff. He ran. As the rock closed in, Victor skidded to the edge and tried to come to a stop, but couldn’t. His arms flailed over his head as he teetered on the same ledge that Mama D’Leau had leapt from.” It is implied that Victor dies.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • This novel incorporates Caribbean folklore and references to the supernatural on nearly every page. Corinne and her friends have many interactions with magic, mostly through magical creatures (called jumbies). Since Corinne herself is half-jumbie, she has magical powers.  
  • The jumbies are aptly summarized while Corinne sits by the ocean, alone with her thoughts. “Corinne hadn’t believed in jumbies before Severine followed her out of the forest. She thought they were only stories that grown-ups told to scare the children on the island, stories about things that came out at night so little ones would stay in their beds. But then she encountered creatures with backward feet, women who shed their skin, and men covered in spiky fur with teeth as sharp as daggers. There was a jumbie who cared for the woods, and one who lived beneath the waves who would turn anyone into stone at a glance and who ruled the mermaids in the sea.” 
  • When Corinne needs information about a strange storm, she goes to the jumbie of the forest, Papa Bois. “The boulder seemed to tremble at the annoyance, and slowly unfolded itself, softening and smoothing, shaking dust and pebbles off its surface until it was a real man with hairy goat’s legs. Matted gray hair entwined with moss and leaves tumbled down the man’s back. Still crouched, the man looked up at the sky, slowly, as was his way. He reached a hand out, and a drop of water plopped into the center of his palm. He brought it to his wrinkled mouth and sipped. The ancient creases of his face deepened, his jaw tightened, and his light brown eyes went a reddish color like the ground that was muddying at his hooves.” 
  • Trying to find a stop to the storm, Corinne has a lucid, psychic dream, where Papa Bois appears and tells her what to do. Her dream ends when Papa Bois uses his powers to engulf her in flames. “Corinne looked down at herself. She was standing in the middle of the fire. Flames licked at her body. But it was not exactly her body. Her skin was gone, leaving only her raw flesh, red like the fire and slick as the rain.” 
  • After Corinne and her friend Dru jump off a cliff, they’re saved by their mermaid friends. “Two mermaids pushed themselves halfway out of the water next to Corinne. Their faces were deep brown with dark eyes, and their long, thick hair was braided in dozens of plaits that fell over their shoulders and down their backs. The smaller of the two mermaids lifted herself out of the water to the dark yellow scales that began at her waist, and slapped Corinne on the back.” 
  • When they need Mama D’Leau’s help again, one of Corinne’s friends, Bouki, offers her a jewel as payment. Mama D’Leau summons Bouki to her. “The surface ruffled and then smoothed. It began to swirl like the water in a drain. Bouki dug his toes into the sand and stood his ground for as long as he could, but the pull of the water got too strong. He closed his fist around the shard of rock as the eddy sucked him under.” 
  • After Bouki is returned to the surface, he can barely breathe after almost drowning. Corinne saves his life. “Corinne reached toward the rock in [her mermaid friend’s] arms and felt until she could sense the heart at the middle of it. She pulled moisture to Bouki’s body, softening the stone until his skin went from dull gray to soft reddish brown, starting at the tips of his toes and trailing toward his stomach and chest.” 
  • Knowing Corinne is looking for him, the sky god Huracan summons Corinne to him. “A strong breeze took [Corinne] higher. She spread her arms, trying to stop herself, but the effort flipped her to the side. She screamed and a tongue of flame burst out, pushing Pierre and the others back.” When she is above the cloud level, she sees Huracan. “[Huracan] was young-looking, with straight hair that fell to his shoulders, a wide, flat nose, and thin lips curled into a snarl, which turned slack with surprise when Corinne wasn’t where he thought she would be. The face disappeared. Corinne felt for the air current again, turning when it turned, trying to see Huracan form again, but he was mist and she had no hope of keeping up. She stayed still.” 
  • After the storm, Corinne finds her jumbie aunt, Severine, in her father’s boat. “A creature peeked out that was Corinne and not Corinne. It had her soft brown eyes and the long hair that Pierre carefully plaited every night, but where Corinne’s bright smile should have been, drool dripped from sharp teeth in a red, angry mouth. Her body was covered in scales, fish-bright on one side and snake-dull on the other. One of her hands was dark as ash with blue flame playing around the fingers. The other was hairy at the knuckles with claws at the end of her fingers. One leg ended in a floppy fish tail with a bright orange fin, while the other was a girl’s leg with a goat’s hoof where the foot should be.”

Spiritual Content  

  • While Corinne and Dru speculate about the origins of the storm, her other friends, Bouki and Malik, interject, insisting that a god is behind it. Malik says, “It’s the god of storms. This god can break mountains, rip up forests, and flatten everything else. When he rages, the sea trembles, the ground, even the sky.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms

A few years ago, Cameron Battle’s parents went missing. Now, his grandmother takes great care of him, though she forbids him from the attic, and the book his parents used to read to him before bed, for reasons she refuses to explain. The Book of Chidani is a wonderful storybook that reminds him of his parents every time he reads it, but he hasn’t seen it since his parents disappeared. So, on the last day of the school year, as Cameron has his friends, Zion and Aliyah, over for a sleepover, they decide to sneak into the attic to find it. As they read the stories, they notice anomalies with the illustrations: they move and shift, seemingly trying to communicate with the trio of kids. Startled, the kids attempt to leave the attic, but the book glows, opens a magical portal to the kingdom it describes, and sucks them in.  

When the kids arrive, supernatural monsters immediately attack them. Running for their lives, the trio stumble into a group of guards who slay the monsters. Noticing the kids’ strange attire, the guards escort them to the palace and present them to Queen Ramala. The queen explains that Cameron is the last descendant of his family’s line—people from the kingdom of Chidani who were forcibly kidnapped and taken to the United States hundreds of years ago during the slave trade. The Igbo gods and the people of Chidani entrusted the Book to his family because it’s a portal home and a lifeline to protect them.   

Now, Chidani is in trouble, and Cameron is the only one who can help. The queen’s jealous sister, Amina, has partnered with the death god Ekwensu, who seeks to destroy the magical barrier between the worlds in an attempt to wreak havoc and gain more power. The guards of Chidani train Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah in an Igbo fighting style, arm them with weapons, and give them gryphons to ride, so they can recover the three magical objects Chidani needs to fight Amina. Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah prove to be brave, intelligent, and kind kids who put their own lives on the line to protect people they don’t know.  

Cameron is a likable, powerful protagonist who grows when challenged, leading by example and standing up to bullies. Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah are incredibly supportive, and they work well as a team. His friends also help him learn how to fight, trust, and stand up for what he believes in. Zion adds humor, where Aliyah adds the heart to the story. They both support Cameron in their own styles, Zion lifts his spirits, and Aliyah helps him work through his problems. Cameron fights an evil enchantress and gods, while also struggling with insecurities and feeling like he is not enough. With strong character development and powerful worldbuilding, the story explores issues of kids’ identity and self-worth, especially for kids of color.  

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms’ plot is overcomplicated, with many elements that might be hard for younger readers to track. However, this is a minor flaw in an otherwise very entertaining book. Readers who enjoyed Black Panther, Percy Jackson, and The Jumbies will love the Igbo folklore, the good-versus-evil violence, and the elaborate magic system of Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms.  

This book is filled with supernatural creatures, from dramatic gods to spooky spirits of the dead and scary enchantresses. Overall, this is an inspiring story with creative twists, action-packed fight scenes, and heart-warming friendships. The book’s message is sweet and teaches kids not to be afraid to ask for help.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Once in the Chidani, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah are attacked by frightening monsters called mmo. Cameron describes the fight, “The mmo reached out with what looked like sharp nails made of smoke, just as a second group of them slithered up the trees and launched themselves toward the opening in the sky we had just fallen through. The one closest to me growled deep in its chest and tried to strike me across the face, but I parried the attack with my arm. The force sent me sprawling across the clearing. I wiped my nose and picked up a nearby branch, striking haphazardly, not waiting for the mmo to hit first. It stumbled backward, made a gurgling noise as black blood rushed from its body, and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving behind the stench of rotten meat.” The fight lasts for three pages. They all make it out with light scratches but no serious injuries.  
  • Shortly after the mmo encounter, kingdom guards find Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah. The guards threaten the kids and force the kids to follow them. When the guards take Aliyah, Cameron “ran after her, but the cold pressure of a sword at [his] neck stopped [him]. ‘You follow us, boy,’ a guard said to [Cameron]. [The guard] was tall, with muscles so big, they seemed to bulge out of his heavy armor. His face was striking, as if his features had been carved by the sharpest angles of a knife. His eyes reminded [Cameron] of Zion’s. His skin was dark, like [Cameron’s], and his words were harsh. ‘The queen demands an audience.’”  
  • While in the palace, the guards train the trio to fight. The guards have Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah watch a two-paragraph long demonstration between two of the guards, Halifa and Bakari. “Halifa jumped in the air, coming down on Bakari with a slash of her sword. Equally fast, Bakari shifted, kicking at the sand as he moved out of the way of her sword, dirt flying around them like a tornado. He moved, crouched to the ground, and kicked Halifa’s legs. She fell. A second later, she was up again, moving fast as a bullet, slashing her sword, striking his arm, drawing blood. Bakari yelped but moved away from her attack just as quickly.” 
  • While training to fight, a sword nicks Cameron’s cheek. “By the time [Cameron] turned to [the guard training him, Makai], [Makai] had thrown his sword at [Cameron]. Once [Cameron] saw it flying, [he] moved [his] head to the side, causing the sword to graze [his] cheek as it passed [him].”  
  • Later during the same fight, Cameron gets slammed to the ground. “[Makai] grabbed [Cameron’s] feet, turned [him] around, and threw [him] on the ground. ‘Oof,’ [Cameron] said as blood filled [his] mouth.” Zion and Aliyah experience similar injuries during their own fights. 
  • During their retrieval of Queen Ramala’s crown, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah encounter more mmo. “[Cameron] opened [his] eyes and grabbed [his] sword from the ground, ignoring the pain that racked [his] body from the slash of mmo nails. . . [He] could make out at least ten other creatures stalking [them] inside the cavern, but [he] could also see the crown glistening on a wall behind the dais. [Cameron] moved forward and started to slash, bringing down mmo. [He] turned to see Zion battling four creatures at once. Three more rushed at [him]. [He] fell to the floor and slid underneath their feet, slashing as [he] went. The mmo fell to the ground. . . [He] slammed [his] legs into their chests; [they] all tumbled to the ground. Before they could move, [he] brought [his] sword down and slashed at their faces; their bodies turned to smoke.” Nobody is seriously injured.  
  • In a confrontation with the god Agwu, Cameron is tortured for information. “At [Agwu’s] words, [Cameron] felt a pain in [his] chest. [Cameron] kneeled on the ground. Something in [him] reached for the god and the lightning radiating through [Agwu’s] body. [Agwu’s] eyes followed [Cameron] as [he] sank to the dead grass.” 
  • During the confrontation with Agwu, Zion is injured. Cameron and Aliyah help hold him down while the goddess Agbala heals him. “[Zion] shifted on the ground and moaned even louder as the bones stitched back together in a sickening crunch. Then suddenly, it was over. [Cameron] watched his breath come back. [Cameron] looked down at [Zion’s] leg again and saw that it was healed.” 
  • In a vision, Cameron watches as Amina sells her soul to gain power from a dark god. “[The god, Ekwensu] pulled back the sleeves of his kaftan and snapped his skeletal fingers. A long blade appeared in his right hand, the hilt of it made from shards of bone. With a swift movement, he swiped down both her arms, leaving blood to fall to the rock. [Cameron] cringed as the blood began to boil, releasing a noxious smell as Amina moaned in pain. Ignoring her agony, Ekwensu thrust forward, slicing Amina in the chest, right in her heart. She screamed as she fell to her knees. . . Whoosh. A substance is extracted from her wound, something milky white.” 
  • Trying to find Amina, the trio kills more mmo. “[Cameron] moved to the side and sliced down, cutting [the mmo’s] arm off. It screamed as the appendage turned to dust and fell to the floor. Before it could regain its composure, [Cameron] sliced straight through its chest. [He] turned just in time to see Zion killing his mmo, too.” 
  • Shortly after Cameron and Zion rescue Aliyah, the two, along with Queen Ramala, battle Amina. “Zion tripped, and when [Amina] slashed at his cheek, he stumbled backward, causing her to advance on him. [Cameron] reached out and kicked her in the back. She turned to me, and the dance began again, Zion, Ramala, and me weaving around one another, striking at her with our swords whenever we could, taking small hits, and retaliating with our own. Amina jumped in the air and twirled in a deadly arc. Ramala jumped after her.” The fight with Amina lasts about three chapters. No one is hurt, except the MMO.  
  • Soon after Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah escape the kingdom, they’re attacked by a mmo that followed them. Cameron’s grandmother comes to the rescue. “Grandma reeled back and threw the knife with all her strength. [Cameron and his friends] ducked out of the way, then heard a scream. [Cameron] stood up to see a mmo standing near the attic’s window. The knife was protruding from its chest. It screamed again before falling to the ground and turning to dust.” 

 Drugs and Alcohol  

  • As Cameron and Zion try to recover a tool to defeat Amina from the god Agwu, they are drugged. Agwu laces the food he offers Zion and Cameron with a substance that forces them to sleep. Agwu says, “It must have been forever since you last ate anything of substance. You are certainly tired and sleepy after all that food. . .” and Cameron and Zion fall asleep.

Language  

  • Words like stupid, idiot, and hell appear frequently.

Supernatural  

  • This book is about three kids who are summoned to save a magic kingdom. Therefore, there is magic on nearly every page. There are also supernatural creatures, gods, and humans with magical powers. All characters use a mystical fighting style that gives them enhanced abilities and instincts without casting spells.  
  • The supernatural creatures are called mmo. They serve the Queen’s sister, Amina, and the Igbo death god, Ekwensu. The first time Cameron encounters them is near his house, in the real world. Cameron describes the experience, “A dark shadow ran across my vision as I stared at Grandma’s house. The rain shower stopped falling, as if someone had pressed Pause. The apparition took on a monstrous, humanoid shape right next to the old shed in the backyard. It was dark, tall, and obscured by shadows.” He later describes them as “spirits whose deaths were so traumatic that they were stuck in a sort of limbo that kept them from passing to the afterlife. They could either be benevolent spirits or malevolent demons, depending on who controlled them.” 
  • When Cameron reminisces about memories of his grandma reading to him, he suddenly realizes that he has seen magic before. Cameron describes the experience, “Grandma read about Queen Ramala, the main character in the Book, and was showing me her picture when suddenly it glowed golden, and I could have sworn the pictures began to move. The queen’s hair, which had been dark brown, started to turn gray before our very eyes.”  
  • Cameron remembers when his parents were reading to him and his friend, Zion. “Mama had flipped back to the page of Queen Ramala on her throne, while Amina stood behind her with no expression. As [Cameron and Zion] watched, the image moved, the sisters moved, and Ramala disappeared. Amina sat on her sister’s throne, a sly smile appearing on her face.” 
  • During a sleepover, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah are sucked into the Book, landing in a magical kingdom. “Zion’s entire body lifted off the floor. [Cameron’s] grip was slipping, [his] hands beginning to sweat. [Cameron] could feel [Zion’s] fingers releasing. . . [Cameron] tried with all [his] might, but [his] sweaty hands slipped from the carpet, and [Cameron and Zion] were both lifted into the air. It was almost like time stopped for a moment. And then [they] were flying. . . One second, [they] were frozen in midair, and the next, [Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah] were sucked straight through the hole in the wall.” 
  • The palace is coded to use magic in the place of servants if guests choose this option. “Before [Cameron] could respond, the air whipped around [him] and [his] clothes rippled, drowning out Zion’s voice. [Cameron] peeled off [his] soiled clothes and waded deep in the steaming-hot pool, sighing in contentment. Droplets of water lifted from the pool, twirling around [his] head. [Cameron] watched in amazement as they transformed into a comb, a brush, and bars of soap.” 
  • The Book can also be used as a magical map. Cameron describes, “The lines on the map moved, and the pictures came to life, lifting off the page as if we were looking at a hologram. The queen moved her hand, and the images in the air shifted until we were looking at the Royal Court. She pointed at the floating picture, the castle turning in diamond light, gryphons flying in the air. ‘This is where we are,’ she said. She curved her hand downward, the Palacia collapsed back into place, and the scene changed until I was looking at a familiar outline of a location surrounded by water at its southern border.” 
  • To travel freely throughout the kingdom for their quest, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah bond with gryphons. Cameron thinks about this process, “Connecting with Ugo almost felt like. . . love. The magic in me attached to Ugo’s, and Mama appeared in my mind, granting me access to her own relationship with the gryphon. It was even more of an emotional feeling, too, because the Book gave me visions, even when I wasn’t expecting it.” 
  • Going into the water to recover a magical item, the Book’s magic allows Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah to breathe underwater. Cameron describes this process, “My chest began to glow as soon as we entered the water, and I felt a surge of power. The Book stirred inside me, and I let out a howl of pain, but no water entered my mouth to drown me. Red light spread from my chest and into the arms and bodies of Aliyah and Zion on my right and left. It felt as if my chest was going to burst open, like a weight was dragging us through the water at lightning speed, deeper and deeper into the ocean. I closed my eyes against the excruciating pain.” 
  • When Amina appears to battle her sister, she makes an entrance. “In the middle of a cloud, a deep white line appeared, so bright that it almost burned [Cameron’s] eyes. The rip opened farther and farther until a figure, riding on the back of a fearsome gryphon—much bigger than the ones we had ridden—appeared.” 
  • During the final battle, Amina has a devastating trick up her sleeve; she changes one of the mmo back to human form briefly. “The figure emerged from the mmo like a butterfly from a chrysalis, its hair blowing in the wind, its brown skin shining in the light that surrounded it, its dark-brown eyes trained on [Cameron]. It was dressed in a flowing gown, almost angelic, but its face was contorted in unbearable and unmistakable pain.”

Spiritual Content  

  • While Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah travel to a fictional, magical kingdom, they still encounter elements from the real world, like gods of the Igbo culture. They fight with some gods and work with others to save the kingdom from the queen’s treacherous sister Amina. Given this, the book discusses many creation myths and Igbo religious references. There are also the occasional vague references to Christianity.  
  • When the kids first encounter a god, she heals them from their sparring practice. The goddess describes herself as, “The star goddess, daughter and priestess of the Supreme Mother, Ala. I’m Mother’s justice in this world. I dole out punishment when necessary and heal those who have been hurt.”  
  • Ala heals Aliyah. “The warmth of the magic radiated from Aliyah’s body as the gash on her forehead healed. It felt like [Cameron’s] father’s last hug; it smelled of the peppermints [his] grandma gave [him] during Sunday service to keep [Cameron] quiet and still as the pastor preached his sermons.” 
  • As an example of the creation beliefs, Agbala tells the children about the queen’s history. “Ramala ventured into Igboland, finding the most powerful priests to connect with the gods. With their help, she prayed, telling the gods that she would do anything for their protection. Three gods appeared to her: Ala and two of her sons, Anyanwu and Amadioha. They offered her three gifts—a crown of wisdom, a ring that granted immortal life, and a scepter of thunder and lightning.” It’s those three items that Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah need to find to save the kingdom.  
  • The kingdom itself also has a religious history. “[The bargain the gods made with the kingdom’s citizens was] for their eternal prayers. Meaning, the humans would be closed off from the larger world, and they would never age. The gods would always exist because prayers would feed them. Ramala’s parents believed that a barrier between both worlds that would cause immortality was unnatural, so they would not agree to it, [but Ramala did].” 
  • There are also gods aligned with the queen’s evil sister, Amina. Ramala explains, “We have gained intelligence from the Onitsha clan to my crown’s whereabouts. It is as I feared. Amina has aligned herself with Ekwensu, the Igbo death god. He controls the mmo. I didn’t think it could be true, but this is the reason she has been able to use the mmo to fight you.” 
  • While trying to find one of the magical items, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah encounter another god. “Welcome to my temple, Nsi said. His mouth didn’t move, but [Cameron] could hear him in [his] thoughts. He wore a long, flowing ivory kaftan, embroidered with rubies. Gold bangles covered his arms, and his hair rolled down his back in waves of green, red, and brown. His dark skin was smooth, in sharp contrast to the flowing water beneath him.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

The Sea of Always

After defeating the Memory Thief, Rosie Oaks has become a target for the other witches—especially the Time Witch. Angered by the loss of her friend and bored after an eternity in the shadows, the Time Witch vows to destroy Rosie and her long-lost brother, Wolf. There’s just one problem: Wolf is trapped in 1855 San Francisco. 

Determined to rescue him, Rosie and her best friend Germ recruit Chompy, a magical time-traveling whale. But Chompy takes them to the future instead, where they meet Aria, a young witch-hunter who offers to help. Aria warns them that their real challenge isn’t finding Wolf or the Time Witch—it’s staying ahead of someone who can see the future. With no clear plan, the three friends board Chompy again, hoping to buy themselves time to figure out their next move. 

Their hopes are dashed when time pirates working for the Time Witch board their ship. The pirates take them to a city beyond time to await the Time Witch’s arrival. Before she can get there, the pirate king comes to meet them. Rosie and Germ are shocked to discover that the pirate king is none other than their ghost friend, Ebb, who was kidnapped by the Time Witch before they left on their quest. Determined to escape captivity as the Time Witch’s servant, Ebb joins their crew and reveals the only way to defeat the Time Witch: they must defeat all the remaining witches at once. The witches keep their hearts separate from their bodies, and with Chompy’s help, the four heroes can track down the witches throughout time, steal their hearts, and meet the Time Witch in 1855 to destroy them all simultaneously.  

Along the way, all four kids learn what it means to grow up. Rosie especially learns to be independent, responsible, and braver than she’s ever needed to be. 

The Sea of Always brings the Thirteen Witches series to another level, incorporating time travel, magical animals, and even more supernatural elements. The amalgam of all these creative elements is a little overwhelming and feels overdone. Additionally, the story has a few plot points that could be simplified. However, Rosie and her friends are inspiring and well-developed characters. The language is easy to follow, and the book walks the reader through the complicated magic system so that it’s understandable, even if it’s a bit much.  

Readers who enjoy time-travel shenanigans, wicked witches, and small bands of mighty heroes will love the complex magic, clever tricks, and witty banter in The Sea of Always. This book is filled with supernatural creatures—from time-stealing hummingbirds to soul menders to ghosts—that all complicate matters for Rosie as she tries to fix what the Time Witch is intent on breaking.  

Best of all, Rosie is an empathetic and kind protagonist who befriends everyone she meets and is determined to save everyone from the witches. Rosie is a powerful tween protagonist who stands up for what’s right and for her friends, no matter how much danger lies ahead. Overall, this is a sweet story with a fierce message: never give up, even in the face of certain doom. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • On their time-traveling journey, Rosie and her friends encounter the Time Witch for the first time. Rosie sends her bird, Little One, to fight the Time Witch. However, the witch sends hummingbirds to fight Little One. Rosie thinks, “And even as Little One grows in size—she’s now as big as an elephant—taking more and more hummingbirds out with each bite, they surround her. Over my shoulder, as we run, I see her struggle. And then, with a terrible screech, she tumbles out of the air. She plummets to the ground, and is engulfed. I stumble too, the flashlight dropping from my hands.” Rosie’s new friend, Aria, manages to hit some of the hummingbirds with a slingshot, and everybody makes it out unscathed.  
  • While time-traveling, Rosie and her friends land in Salem during a witch trial. A judge is sentencing a woman to death. He says, “Martha Parker, you hereby stand convicted of witchcraft. You shall now face trial by water. If you drown, you will die the death of the innocent. If you float, we will know for certain that you’re a witch.” They don’t see the trial, but it is implied that someone saves the woman from the water. 
  • During another encounter with the Time Witch and a different witch, Rosie and her friends are attacked by hummingbirds, bats, and hyenas. “Above, the hummingbirds and bats rise high enough to block out the stars. Below them, thousands of tiny beetle feet tap across the dry ground, but it’s the hyenas that reach us first, leaping out of the night toward us. Screaming, Germ falls back under the weight of one, defenseless, but Aria holds her slingshot aloft and aims at them as they struggle. . . Her shot goes crooked and crazy, missing Germ and the hyena completely and slamming into a boulder that breaks apart.” They manage to outrun the creatures, and nobody is injured.  
  • When Rosie and her friends face all the witches to save Rosie’s brother, the Time Witch captures them and traps them in hallucinations. Rosie’s mother appears from the water and shoots the Time Witch with a bow and arrow, releasing Rosie and her friends from the torture. “The Time Witch clutches her chest, and falls into the ground. It happens so fast, you can barely see it. One moment she is there, and the next, she is swallowed into nothing. As if she never existed at all.” The Time Witch dies.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • This book is full of supernatural elements that appear on nearly every page. Rosie and her friends experience magical whale time-travel, witch battles, and encounters with creatures that live in the clouds. Rosie is also good friends with ghosts.  
  • Magic primarily appears through special abilities and not spoken spells or with wands. Each witch can steal something from humans, such as memories, time, hopes, or motivations.  
  • For example, while Rosie is gone, her mom describes what their house is like in her absence. “The room, which would look empty to almost anyone, is actually full of spirits. More and more have come every day since Rosie left, ghosts from nearby towns and counties trying to get a glance at the Oaks family home before drifting back to their graves by morning. The death of the Memory Thief has made this house more infamous than it already was.” 
  • While time-traveling, Rosie describes their transportation. “Still, there are some indicators that we’re not in Kansas anymore. For one thing, there’s a giant glass ‘moonroof’ above that affords us a view of the blue ocean water above. There are travel brochures littering the room that offer guidance on trips to the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, specific eras like the Han dynasty, the Gupta empire, and so on. There’s also a full-color coffee-table book called Welcome to the Sea of Always that includes a primer on the magical creatures of the ocean of time, and a terrifying who’s who profile on someone called the pirate king and his army of bones.” 
  • When Germ and Rosie travel to the future, they meet Aria, a girl near their age. She explains why the future appears to be a wasteland. “This used to be a tropical island; it’s not supposed to be frozen solid. The moon isn’t supposed to be so far away. All I know is that the witches have covered the world in so many curses, it’s propelled the moon away from us, and things are. . . frightening.” 
  • As Rosie, Aria, and Germ leave to find the witches’ hearts, they encounter the Time Witch. She steals time from Rosie before Rosie and her friends escape. “’The hummingbirds stole time when they engulfed you,’ [Aria] explains [to Rosie]. ‘They sucked ten days away from you. You’ve been witch touched already.’” Rosie has time stolen from her at another point in the book as well.  
  • While traveling inside the whale, Rosie and her friends find a book that defines the Sea of Always. “Time on Earth does not disappear as it passes, but rather, it sinks into the sea, becoming an invisible layer of history hidden within the ocean. Just as above there is surface reality and then the magical layer underneath, in the sea there is the real ocean and the invisible ocean of time. Still, the time ocean is very real in its own way, and any changes to time inside the sea will impact the course of history above.”  
  • The book also describes and defines time whales like the one Rosie and her friends travel on. “Time whales are magical creatures adapted to swimming the magical sea. For most living things, swimming in the ocean won’t mean swimming through time. But time whales have an inner space-time compass that has evolved in them alone, which allows them to navigate time’s spiral.” 
  • When discussing how they’ll defeat the Time Witch, Aria mentions another crueler witch, the Nothing King. “He’s more powerful than all of the rest combined. But he’s imprisoned in a black hole at the other end of the universe. He had a big fight with the Moon Goddess in ancient times, and she prevailed.” 
  • During their adventures, Rosie, Germ, and Aria encounter the pirate king, a ghost, and a servant of the Time Witch. “[The pirate king] is dim. So dim that he’s nearly invisible. Frail. Withering. I can see at a glance, he is dying. . . the pirate king is as near to becoming nothing as a ghost can get.” Further inspection reveals that the pirate king is none other than Ebb, Rosie’s ghost friend, who had been kidnapped by the Time Witch.  
  • While riding the whale, Rosie and her friends decide the only way they can defeat the witches is to steal and destroy the witches’ hearts. Ebb says, “I heard the rumors, but I’d never given them much thought until that night. A witch’s heart doesn’t pump her blood, but she still needs it to live. In other words, if you destroyed a witch’s heart, she’d die.” Along the way, they collect the hearts, but they aren’t anatomically correct hearts. The hearts take different shapes, such as a tattered book, an apple, or a trinket box. 
  • Many of the witches have familiars—magical pets that do their bidding. As Rosie and her friends try to steal their first heart, they also see a familiar. Rosie describes the scene, “There’s a creature waddling across the road in front of us. It’s a chameleon, green and bright. . . and totally out of place in Massachusetts. The evening is just dark enough for us to see its ghostly glow. My heart thuds faster; there’s no mistaking the iridescent sparkle of a witch’s familiar.” 
  • As a witch-hunter, Rosie also has a magical ability. She can summon a creature called Little One, which usually takes the shape of a bird that attacks witches.  
  • While trying to steal their first heart, Rosie discovers her powers are more complicated than she thinks. Rosie describes the scene, “standing on the ground in front of me, Little One is not Little One anymore. Or at least, not the Little One I know. I only recognize her by her glow, and the bond between us that’s tied around my heart, but she is no longer a bluebird at all. She’s a cricket.” Rosie can imagine Little One in any form.  
  • To escape the Time Witch during yet another encounter, Rosie imagines Little One into a doorway. Rosie and her friends end up on a cloud and meet the Brightweaver. “[The Brightweaver] points to a small sign over the doorway. BRIGHTWEAVER: MENDER OF SPIRITS, SOULS, AND HEARTS. FREE ALTERATIONS! ALL ORGANIC! ‘I’ve been called different things by different people over the years. Fairy, angel, muse. . . I can’t be fussed either way. I’m here to help; that’s all you need to worry about.’” The Brightweaver mends souls and demonstrates for Rosie and her friends by making Germ’s soul appear. “Instead of seeing the things you’d expect to see inside a person’s body—a heart, bones, blood—a luminous, tiny lion rises inside Germ’s rib cage, as filmy and bright as the music making bridges and wings.” The Brightweaver doesn’t entirely explain what she is, but she saves them and returns them to their whale. 
  • In their final showdown with the witches, Rosie imagines a horde of aliens pouring down from the sky to attack them. Her imagination manifests them. “[Rosie] gasp[s] for air as even the familiars fall away from [her] to gape up at the sky at thousands upon thousands of purple eight-armed aliens.” 
  • During the same showdown, Rosie and her friends are trapped in a hallucination by the Time Witch. Rosie thinks, “as the birds swirl around my face, batter my eyes, my cheeks, my arms, I catch glimpses. Germ’s face is getting plumper, her hair longer, her legs shorter. She’s getting smaller and smaller. She looks like the Germ I knew when she was eight. Then more like Germ at five—the Germ I met in kindergarten. And then she’s a baby, sitting in the sand and surrounded by hummingbirds, all reddish-blond curls, her freckles gone. She lets out a wail, tears running down her baby cheeks.” After Rosie’s mother kills the Time Witch, Rosie and her friends are released and return to their normal ages.  
  • After the battle, Rosie and her friends return to the time whale. Aria sings, sad from the people she’s lost over the years. Her song summons her long-lost sister and other witch-hunters, free from the Time Witch’s prison. They were trapped in a snow globe Aria had found. “The tiny thread of Aria’s song wraps around the tiny knob of the door and pulls it open. And then. . . five very tiny figures come swimming out, unmistakably human, each the size of a pinky nail. That’s when Aria’s hands jerk in surprise, and she drops the globe.” Aria’s singing voice is her witch-hunter power, activated when the Time Witch died.  

Spiritual Content  

  • There are mentions of “the Moon Goddess,” but they are minimal, and the book doesn’t explain the specific belief system it’s referencing, save that the Moon Goddess is the enemy of the witches.  
  • While time-traveling, Germ whispers a small prayer before bed one night. “Germ kneels by her bed and does her nightly ritual: a Hail Mary and an Our Father. Then a prayer to the Moon Goddess for good measure. It’s not all that conventional for a Catholic to believe in a goddess who lives on the moon, but Germ is her own person.”

by Kate Schuyler 

Ella Enchanted

When Ella of Frell is a baby, the fairy Lucinda bestows her with the “gift” of obedience. Thereafter, Ella is compelled to obey every command she is given – a predicament at odds with her bold and lively personality. For protection, Ella’s mother orders her to never reveal the curse. However, when Ella’s mother dies and her father remarries, Ella’s new stepfamily, including a bitter stepmother and two wicked stepsisters, discovers and exploits her secret.  

Desperate to finally retake her freedom, Ella resolves to track down Lucinda to rescind the gift, leading her on an epic quest throughout the kingdom. Along the way, Ella faces magical creatures, such as giants and ogres, and navigates a budding romance with Char, the kingdom’s prince. After all of her efforts, Ella just might discover that the magic to end her curse was within her all along.  

Ella of Frell is a charming and likable protagonist who disrupts common critiques of the original source material. While the passivity of her fairy tale counterpart, Cinderella, might frustrate some audience members, the curse gives Ella a sympathetic reason not to stand up for herself – she literally cannot disobey a direct order. Nevertheless, Ella is not complacent. She takes responsibility for her situation and uses her wit and determination to save herself, subverting the damsel-in-distress trope. For example, after trolls capture and plan to eat her, Ella sings them to sleep in their native language, then successfully flees their camp. Readers will like the bravery and spunky attitude Ella exhibits and root for her to break free of her curse.  

As his name would suggest, Prince “Char” Charmont is Ella’s friend and charming love interest. He serves as a compelling motivation for Ella to finally break free of her curse, because her susceptibility to outside influence could put him in a dangerous position as king. Their romance unfolds primarily over letters, in which Char reveals his character flaws of pride and anger, especially when it comes to protecting those he loves. For example, he dismisses a tutor who belittled his younger sister and ensured the tutor never found work again. However, Char is also kind and sympathetic. He is frequently “tormented” by his push-pull dynamic with Ella, not knowing the important reason she has to keep him at arm’s length.  

The large supporting cast of female characters provides many positive representations of female relationships that balance the negative ones. For example, there is little nuance in Ella’s stepfamily. Similar to their fairytale counterparts, they are cruel to Ella and exploit their position of power simply because they can. At times, their mean-spirited commands border on cruelty, such as when stepsister Hattie demands a necklace Ella inherited from her late mother. However, Ella has a loving relationship with her family’s cook and her mother figure, Mandy. Mandy is a good role model who is often strict, yet well-meaning and down-to-earth. While Mandy is a fairy, in contrast to Lucinda, Mandy preaches responsibility, using magic out of necessity rather than as a shortcut or convenience.  

Ella Enchanted is told in the first person, with part of the narrative told through letters. This gives the reader intimate access to Ella’s thoughts and feelings, making her a sympathetic character. Readers will enjoy the whimsical plot, including Ella’s journey across the magical land of Frell, and the romantic subplot between Ella and Char. Given the adversity Ella has faced, including her curse and the mean-spirited demands of her stepfamily, readers will root for Ella to succeed and reclaim her freedom.  

Ella Enchanted is a charming spin on the Cinderella fairy tale that fleshes out some underexplored elements in the original source material. It provides reasonable explanations for why Cinderella never resists her stepfamily’s orders and why the prince fell in love with her after only one meeting at a ball. Instead of anchoring the love story around Cinderella’s beauty, Ella Enchanted puts a greater emphasis on the prince falling for Ella’s personality. It also introduces positive female relationships into the fairy tale, such as Ella’s friendship with another girl at finishing school and her mother-daughter dynamic with Mandy.  

Readers who enjoy fantasy stories with fairytale elements will enjoy this entertaining and fast-paced story. While Ella faces some danger, such as a comedic run-in with human-eating ogres, the most upsetting moments are the ones grounded in reality, such as the cruelty of Ella’s stepfamily or the death of her mother. Overall, Ella Enchanted is a fun and whimsical story, well-suited for younger audiences.   

Sexual Content      

  • Ella and Char develop their relationship through flirty, yet fun banter. For example, after being asked if she enjoys sliding down stairs, Ella replies, “‘I wish I could enjoy it. This fear of heights is an affliction.’ He nodded, a show of sympathy but not much interest. I was losing him. ‘Especially,’ I added, ‘as I’ve grown taller.’ He stared. Then he laughed in surprised delight.” These moments are especially effective because they emphasize that the prince falls in love with Ella’s personality, rather than solely her appearance.   
  • Char confesses his love and proposes marriage to Ella through a letter. He writes, “What a beautiful bride you’ll be, whomever you marry at whatever age. And what a queen if I am the man! Who has your grace? Your expression? Your voice? I could extol your virtues endlessly. . . Love (it is such relief to pen the word!), love, love – Char.”  
  • Though Ella initially rebukes Char, her internal monologue returns his feelings. She thinks, “I hadn’t loved him as long, perhaps, but now I loved him equally well, or better. I loved his laugh, his handwriting, his steady gaze, his honorableness, his freckles, his appreciation of my jokes, his hands, his determination that I should know the worst of him. And, most of all, shameful though it might be, I loved his love for me.” 
  • After Ella breaks her curse, she and Char share a kiss. As Ella describes, “I kissed his cheek. He was safe from me. He turned my head and kissed me on the mouth. The kiss swept through me, and I clung to him, trembling.” 

Violence      

  • While traveling in a carriage, Ella and her two stepsisters, Olive and Hattie, spot an ogre. Olive is hysterical until “the coachman stopped the carriage, came inside with us, and slapped her smartly across the face. ‘Sorry, miss,’ he said, and popped back out.”  
  • At age eight, after a childhood friend discovered her curse and gave her several orders, Ella “punched her. She screamed, and blood poured from her nose. [Their] friendship ended that day.” 
  • Once, Ella’s stepmother gave Ella a task that resulted in injury. Ella had to “wash the floor in the hall. . . As soon as [she] submerged [her] hands, they smarted and burned. . . the task took three hours, but [her] knuckles were bleeding in a quarter of the time. Occasionally, other servants passed by. Some gawked, some seemed sympathetic.” Ella is not left with permanent damage to her hands.  
  • Ella often fears the damage her curse could do. For example, she “imagined future commands, awful ones, ones that would kill [her], and [she] glowed at the idea of obeying them.”  
  • While traveling across the kingdom to find Lucinda, Ella is captured by ogres. Even though they promise to kill and eat her, the scene maintains an overall comedic tone. The situation is technically life-or-death, but readers never feel like Ella is in any real danger. For example, an ogre pokes Ella and says, “Wake up, Breakfast. How do you like to be cooked? Bloody? Medium? Or done to a crisp?” There is no violence because the ogres quickly discover they can command Ella, and Ella uses her wits to escape unscathed, essentially hypnotizing them into submission by using their mother tongue.  

Drugs and Alcohol      

  • At a family dinner, Ella’s father offers a sip of his wine. Ella spills it before she can drink any.      

Language     

  • None   

Supernatural     

  • There are fairy godmothers, who can cast spells and curses. The acts of magic in this book are divided into two categories: big and small magic. Big magic includes life-altering transformations. For example, in addition to cursing Ella with obedience, the well-intentioned, yet dim-witted Lucinda curses a newlywed couple to never be apart, reasoning that she gave them “companionship and felicitous union.”  
  • Small magic is low stakes, and the effects are either reversible or inconsequential. For example, Lucinda gives Ella elaborate jewelry to wear at a ball, provided the jewelry disappears by midnight.  
  • There are passing mentions of several magical creatures, such as fairies, gnomes, elves, and giants. Ella attends a giant’s wedding and is nearly eaten by a group of trolls.  
  • Mandy is a fairy godmother, yet refuses to perform most magic. Lucinda’s curses drive the conflict.  

Spiritual Content      

  • None 

by Kerry Lum     

A Risky Game

Deadly stakes, dangerous secrets, and a cut-throat game where the winners are set for life. Welcome to the Boston School, and the world of the Liars Society. 

Weatherby and Jack have been tapped to join Last Heir, the most powerful secret society in the world, but the night of the first gambit, the game takes a terrifying turn. Now, Jack and Weatherby are in a race against time to discover the truth about the game—and themselves. But how do you know who to trust when everyone is a liar?  

A Risky Game follows cousins Jack Hunt and Weatherby Walker as they try to unravel their families’ secrets. In an attempt to join the Last Heir, Jack, Weatherby, and three of their friends work together to win each gambit. To accomplish this, the friends agree to always be honest with each other, even as they lie and manipulate the truth for anyone outside the group. This leads to a murky theme about honesty as the teens plan to uncover the truth by deceiving others. 

The Liars Society—Jack, Weatherby, Iris, Harper, and Prescott—can’t trust the adults in their lives. Jack’s father has made it clear that he will use any means necessary to remain on top and encourages Jack to manipulate others. For example, to win a gambit, Jack’s father says, “It’s fine for you to use Weatherby to win.” Additionally, all of the other adults also have trust issues and questionable morals. According to Iris, her mom “doesn’t believe in friends. She always says, Trust no one. It’s like her personal slogan.” Unfortunately, trustworthy adults are missing from the story’s plot. 

The story’s plot doesn’t always ring true. Throughout Weatherby’s life, her mother has worked to keep Weatherby away from her father’s family, the Hunts, who are described as “bad people.” However, in A Risky Game, Weatherby and her mother move into a house on the Hunts’ property and accept everything that comes with being a Hunt—a new car, new clothing, and a membership in the country club. Weatherby enjoys the perks of being wealthy, thinking, “The best part is that now whenever Mom isn’t working, we get to be together. There’s no laundry, grocery shopping, or errands getting in our way. We have time to talk and cuddle up on the sofa with popcorn and an old movie.” As a member of Boston School, Weatherby quickly adopts an elitist attitude and wants everyone to know she is part of the powerful and wealthy Hunt family. 

Despite initially disliking Weatherby, Jack is now completely on Weatherby’s side and is determined to keep her safe from his father, who wants Weatherby dead. Initially, Jack lacks confidence and often feels stressed. When worried, Jack picks at his nails, a habit that he cannot break because “the pain burns in a good way, until my fingers start to ache.” This habit is mentioned often, which may lead readers to think about self-harm. Out of all the characters, Jack comes off as the most genuine, and he truly wants to live a life that he can be proud of, even if that means distancing himself from the Hunt family. 

A Risky Game will entertain readers who want to immerse themselves in a world where wealth and lies rule. Neither Weatherby nor Jack is a trustworthy character, but the mystery revolving around the Hunt family is interesting, and readers will enjoy trying to decipher the clues. However, readers must be willing to suspend their disbelief and overlook the plot points that just don’t seem credible. Before reading The Liars Society Series, readers need to understand that the book glorifies wanting to be part of a wealthy, powerful secret society for personal gain. 

If you’re looking for an exciting series packed with action and mystery, you may want to leave The Liars Society Series on the shelf. Instead, read the Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter, City Spies Series by James Ponti, and Jack and the Geniuses Series by Bill Nye & Gregory Mone. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • During an individual challenge, Jack drops an important key. Ulysses, another boy in the challenge, sees this, and he “lunges towards [Jack] and tries to pry the key from [his] fist.” Jack describes, “I don’t dare let go. Even after he starts kneeing me in the ribs.” Another boy jumps in and helps Jack. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Someone puts poison in Weatherby’s water bottle, which Jack drinks from. Later, they learn that the doctors found “benzodiazepines, a type of medicine that slows down your brain and puts you to sleep,” in Jack’s system. 
  • Jack and Weatherby discover that their grandfather, Kingsman, “poisoned Grier [a relative] with a medicine prescribed to [Jack’s father].”  

Language  

  • Name-calling, such as jerk, is used infrequently.  
  • “Oh my God” is used as an exclamation several times. 
  • A boy uses “jeez” as an exclamation one time. 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • Jack is poisoned. When he wakes up in the hospital, his father says, “Oh, thank God.” 
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