Reading Level: Elementary

Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle

Ana María Reyes’s last name means “kings,” but she doesn’t live in a castle. Instead, she lives in a two-room apartment with too many people—her parents and her three sisters. When her parents tell the family that a new baby is on the way, Ana María isn’t thrilled. With so many people in the house, Ana María wonders why her parents would want another child.

To make matters worse, Ana María is given a chance to earn a scholarship for the Eleanor School, New York City’s best private academy. She is excited at the prospect, but in order to earn the scholarship, she has to amaze the judges at her piano showcase. Every time she tries to practice, something or someone gets in the way!

Then the family takes a trip to the Dominican Republic, and Ana María realizes that while she may not live in a castle, she isn’t as poor as she thought. When disaster strikes her family, Ana María must figure out what’s most important to her. Will following her dreams conflict with doing what’s best for others?

Ana María Reyes does not Live in a Castle follows the struggle of a large first-generation Dominican family living in New York City. Despite having a loving family, Ana María wants more—more space, more attention, and more nice things. She struggles with how her parents always help those in the community, even if it means putting Ana María’s needs aside. When she sees others struggle, Ana María thinks, “other people’s problems weren’t my responsibility. We should take care of ourselves.” However, in the end, she realizes the importance of helping those in need. Unlike many stories, Ana María does not Live in a Castle highlights the fact that giving to others doesn’t always make a person feel good. Sometimes helping others means making painful sacrifices.

Ana María’s story is realistic fiction that deals with the hard topics of substance abuse, child labor, and complicated family relationships. Because the story is written from Ana María’s viewpoint, the topics are covered in child-friendly terms. Ana María feels ignored, but later realizes that she has misinterpreted her mother’s actions. She thinks, “Maybe instead of being mad at Mami for hanging out with my sisters, I should have been thanking her for helping me concentrate on my practicing.”

Despite the fun cover, Ana María Reyes does not Live in a Castle is not a lighthearted children’s story. The number of characters, the tough topics, and the length of the story will be difficult for many readers. The story has some Spanish words, which also may confuse readers. Ana María’s story is interesting, but readers who are still used to illustrated children’s books may have a difficult time finishing Ana María does not Live in a Castle.

 The themes of hard work, supporting your family, and giving to others are reinforced throughout the book. In the end, the reader will come away knowing, “That’s one of the great things about family. Nobody’s perfect, but we still love and support each other.” Ana María is a relatable character who learns some valuable lessons. The positive messages in Ana María Reyes does not Live in a Castle make it well worth the read.

Sexual Content

  • One of the teen characters is pregnant and unmarried.
  • Gracie went to the apartment’s lobby to meet a boy. When she went, Gracie “was wearing lipstick and a white tank top, and she had rolled up the elastic waistband on her red shorts to make them even shorter.” When Ana María says she is going to the apartment lobby to meet Pedro, her little sister “made kissing noises.”
  • On Halloween, Gracie’s friends dress up. “Vicky was dressed as a ‘sexy cat,’ and Rebecca was a ‘sexy nurse.’”

Violence

  • When Ana María says something mean, her mother slaps her. Later her mother apologizes and says, “I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that.”
  • While driving drunk, Ana María’s uncle hits someone with his car. “The car slammed into Rosie and sent her flying up in the air. . . The car rammed into the streetlight, which tumbled to the ground with a vibrating clash. . . But Rosie was lying completely still in her ripped tutu on the edge of the sidewalk.” Rosie has a “concussion, a broken leg, and two fractured ribs.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Ana María’s uncle likes “to have a little drink ‘every now and then.’”
  • At a graduation party, Ana María’s uncle was “swinging around a beer.” Later in the story, he hugs Ana María and “he smelled like beer.”
  • Ana María’s father says that her uncle “drinks too much, and driving drunk is illegal and dangerous. It’s only a matter of time before he kills someone.”
  • When Rosie is injured, the doctors give her painkillers.
  • A mother of one of the characters is “addicted to drugs.” The mother “came home one day and the house was empty. She had sold everything for drug money. Even my little brothers’ shoes.”

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Ana María’s family attends mass. The services are not described.
  • When Ana María’s aunt gets engaged, the aunt’s mother “looked at the ceiling in thanks to God.”
  • When Ana María gives a poor man some food, he says, “God bless you.”
  • When Rosie is injured, her Abuelita says, “God will protect her.” Later Abuelita “took her rosary out of her purse. Then she closed her eyes and prayed.”
  • Abuelita says that “God knows how to take care of us.”

Monsters on the Run

Vanessa, the Loch Ness monster, doesn’t like being alone. In the lake where she lives, everyone seems to have another friend just like them—the turtles, the fish, the frogs, and even the seaweed. Vanessa wants a friend just like her. When Vanessa calls on Blizz Richards, he’s willing to help out. His team travels 65 million years into the past to find another sea monster. But when they get there, they realize there are other jagged-toothed creatures that want to snap them up.

Monsters on the Run has a variety of interesting characters including a bigfoot, goblins, leprechauns, arctic foxes, and more. All of the creatures work together to help Vanessa find a friend that looks like her. The story is a bit random and jumps from topic to topic, but is still enjoyable.

Each page has black and white illustrations with googly-eyed monsters and cartoonish dinosaur predators. Most pages have one to two sentences, while a few pages have up to six sentences. This is a fast-paced, silly story that will engage readers who are just beginning to pick up chapter books.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • After someone accidentally sits on a dinosaur’s tail, the dinosaur chases him.
  • While swimming, a predator tries to eat Nessie.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • To time travel, a leprechaun takes “strands of the rainbow and separates them, picking out two colors to combine.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

Big Trouble

Friday has found a home at her exclusive boarding school, but she’s unprepared for her father being a guest professor. However, her father isn’t the only new arrival. A Norwegian princess has just arrived, just when a thief called the Pimpernel is causing chaos across campus. Can Friday avoid her father, rein in a royal brat, and discover who the Pimpernel is?

The third installment of the Friday Barnes Mystery Series will entertain readers with its page-turning mystery and the reappearance of some lovable characters. Although Melanie’s best friend and possible love interest Ian reappears, new and interesting characters are added. Many of the characters are portrayed in an exaggerated, stereotypical way, which adds to the story’s humor. For example, when Friday catches a girl eavesdropping, the girl replies, “. . .we’re preteen girls. We’re supposed to have a cavalier disregard for the sensitivities of our peers.”

Melanie’s brother, Binky, makes an appearance and wants to know how to attract a girl. His interactions with Friday are heartfelt. Middle school readers will relate to his dilemma. Binky adds a welcome dose of romance to the story.

Like the previous books, Friday focuses on several smaller mysteries that end up all coming together for a big reveal at the end. Even though the story’s ending is mostly predictable, readers will still enjoy discovering how Friday used her power of observation to solve the mysteries. Friday doesn’t shy away from using large vocabulary words or feel like she needs to hide the fact that she is smart.

Black and white illustrations appear every 4 to 8 pages. The illustrations help bring the quirky characters to life and show some of the story’s action. Although the Friday Barns Series does not need illustrations to get readers to turn the pages, they add a nice touch and are often humorous.

Although Big Trouble can be read as a stand-alone book, readers will enjoy the story more if the previous books in the series have been read. Big Trouble will keep readers entertained with new mysteries and new characters. Friday’s curious personality and search for the truth will captivate readers and keep them turning the pages.

Sexual Content

  • When Friday says she doesn’t think Ian is a thief, Melanie asks, “Because you love him even more than you love Marie Curie?”
  • A magazine prints a picture with the heading, “Secret Smooching at Swanky School’ and a grainy black-and-white photograph of Princess Ingrid kissing a boy. Melanie is upset that the boy was Ian and yells, “How dare he kiss another girl just because she’s beautiful, rich, and royal.”
  • While looking at the picture of the princess and Ian kissing, Friday notices his messed up hair. “Maybe Ingrid ran her hand through his hair,” said Friday. “That is something kissing people are known to do.”
  • When Ian tries to explain that he wasn’t kissing the princess, Friday doesn’t believe his story. Ian replies, “What interest would I have in being chivalrous? It would be more to my advantage if everyone thought I was the type of guy who made out with European royalty on a polo field.”
  • One of the boys decides to wear clothes to show off his muscles. He hopes to attract a girl by being “eye candy.”

Violence

  • Friday’s uncle, “accidentally hit the lady who sang the national anthem.” He says the lady, “burst onto the ice with a bunch of spectators to try to punch our goalkeeper . . . He’d just let in a home goal, so they were feeling emotional. Fists started flying, and my fist just happened to connect with her nose.”
  • A dog “launched himself at Uncle Bernie’s bottom.” He is not seriously hurt by the resulting bite.
  • One of the characters talked about how during a race someone tried to stop people from winning by putting down banana peels. It didn’t work, and “the winner punched Rajiv in the nose and kept running.”
  • During the race, a boy “whipped off his size 14 shoe and threw it at Patel. It hit him neatly on the ankle, causing him to trip and slam into a vending machine.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Friday’s father calls someone a buffoon.
  • Melanie calls Ian a rat.
  • Friday says that a thief is “an idiot with a get-rich-quick scheme.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

Ghosts

Caterina doesn’t want to move. But moving to the coastal town Bahia de la Luna, with its cool, salty air, will help her little sister Maya’s cystic fibrosis. When the two sisters start exploring their new home, they meet their neighbor, Carlos. According to Carlos, Maya isn’t the only one that likes the cool, salty air—so do the ghosts who visit Bahia de la Luna.

As the town prepares for El Día De Los Muertos, Maya is determined to meet a ghost. But Cat doesn’t want to have anything to do with the celebration, and she certainly doesn’t want to meet a ghost. Will Cat be able to put aside her fears? Will Maya fulfill her dream of a ghostly encounter?

Ghost focus on Cat’s fear of losing her sick sister, who has cystic fibrosis. The story shows Maya’s treatments in a fun, illustrated format. Even though Maya is sick, she remains adventurous and inquisitive. Maya is curious about what will happen to her after death.

The beautiful color pictures help tell Cat’s story. Cat is also fearful of the ghost and wants them to leave her family alone. Cat doesn’t want to learn about the Día De Los Muertos or think about her sister’s illness. The illustrations portray Cat’s varied emotions—fear, worry, embarrassment, and love. Even though Cat’s fear is a central part of the story, the ghosts are not portrayed in a frightening manner.

This easy-to-read story gives readers a glimpse into the life of someone with cystic fibrosis. The traditions of Día De Los Muertos come alive through the illustrations. For readers who want to learn more, the end of the book contains more information about Día De Los Muertos and cystic fibrosis.

Ghost is a simple story told through both illustrations and text. Each page contains seven or fewer sentences. The easy vocabulary, simple sentences, and fun pictures make Ghost accessible to all readers. The story contains some Spanish words, but most readers will be able to understand the meaning through context clues. The message and the plot will be interesting for readers in elementary and junior high.

Sexual Content

  • Cat kisses a boy on the cheek.

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “Oh my gosh” is used several times.

Supernatural

  • The story focuses on the Day of the Dead. “It’s a day to welcome back the spirits of the loved ones we’ve lost.”
  • The town’s mission is “a doorway to the spirit world.” Later in the story, someone takes Maya and her sister to the mission because “It’s where the ghosts’ world and ours most closely overlap. . . so heading up there is our best chance of making contact.”
  • When Cat and Maya see a ghost, the ghost hurts Maya because “ghosts just get a little overly excited by kids. Their energy is like a breath of fresh air.”
  • On the day of the dead, ghosts come to the town and interact with the living. “Some of them can speak, and some of them can’t.” One of the ghosts grabs Cat’s hand and flies her home.
  • A character thinks that “keeping seashells in your house is bad luck. . . unless you want to lure the discontented dead.”
  • At the end of the story, traditional Mexican foods magically appear on Cat’s family’s table.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Ace’s Basement

Ace and Lisa play in a duo called Two. They hope to get their music heard, so when Ace’s friend, Denny offers to help them create a music video, they agree. Unfortunately, Denny only captures film of the two of them looking ridiculous. Even though Ace tells Denny not to, Denny posts the embarrassing video online. Soon, the video goes viral and both Ace and Lisa are being laughed at. Will anyone ever take their music seriously again?

Reluctant readers will be drawn into Ace’s Basement because of the teen-focused conflict and the musical theme. Teens will relate to Ace and Lisa as they deal with the embarrassment of having an online video go viral. Ace has a crush on Lisa and often finds it difficult to talk to her, which is something that many teens struggle with.

Ace’s Basement is an easy-to-read story written specifically for reluctant readers. The characters’ dialogue and Ace’s thoughts keep the plot moving. However, the story’s plot is underdeveloped, as are the characters. Still, Ace’s Basement will engage struggling readers while helping them build reading skills.

Sexual Content

  • Ace notices when “Lisa’s top bounces in time to the music.”
  • When an embarrassing video is posted of Ace and Lisa, someone tells Ace, “That’s the kind of thing Gonzo would have done after a few brewskis.”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • When an embarrassing video is posted of Ace and Lisa, someone tells Ace, “That’s the kind of thing Gonzo would have done after a few brewskis.”
  • Ace and Lisa play music outside of a bar. While playing, “three beefy guys with six-packs of beer and I-need-a-shave look are cheering.”

Language

  • Lisa calls Ace a dork. She calls someone else an idiot.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

 

According to Aggie

For 11-year-old Aggie, life is routine. She spends her time with her family and her best friend Fiona. When Fiona begins acting differently, Aggie isn’t sure what’s going on. They didn’t have a fight. Nothing has really changed, but Fiona isn’t spending time with her. Aggie wonders why Fiona is canceling plans and ignoring her. How should Aggie act around Fiona? Will she be able to make new friends?

Written in graphic novel format, younger readers will enjoy According to Aggie’s easy-to-read format and the cute colored pictures. The story has eight or fewer sentences per page, which makes the story accessible to even the most reluctant readers. Plus, readers will relate to Aggie’s fear that she will not be able to make new friends. Aggie is afraid that others won’t want to be her friend because they will think she is “weird” and “will catch the no-friend disease.”

All of the parents in the story are portrayed in a positive light and give different examples of healthy relationships. Three different mothers appear in the story, and although they make a brief appearance, they are clearly portrayed in a positive, caring light. Aggie’s mother helps Aggie work through her problems and suggests that Aggie write her feelings in a diary.

Because the story is told from Aggie’s point of view, the reader will understand her confusion and fear. The illustrations do an excellent job of portraying Aggie’s emotions. Even though the story focuses on Aggie’s internal struggle, there is enough action to keep readers interested. According to Aggie uses delightful illustrations and an interesting story to teach about the struggle to make friends.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

News Prints

As a newsie, Blue can sell just as well as the boys in her town of Nautilene. Living in a home with other newsies, Blue feels safe even though her homeland, Goswing, is fighting a war. But Blue is afraid that danger isn’t just lurking in the shadows of her war-torn country. She’s afraid that others may discover her secret—Blue is not a boy.

When Blue is offered a job as an apprentice to a scientist named, Jack, Blue is excited to learn new skills. While working with Jack, Blue meets Crow, a reclusive boy, who has secrets of his own. The two instantly become friends, and together, they help each other to become their true selves.

Beautiful color illustrations combine the newsies era to life. Unlike many graphic novels, News Prints illustrations include vibrantly colored cityscapes and backgrounds. The amazing artwork will keep readers turning the pages.

News Prints is a combination of steampunk and historical settings. Even though the story has old friends, conspiracy, and interesting inventions, the story is not original. Blue disguises herself as a boy, which requires her to answer questions about her identity. Her new friend’s crow also has a secret about his identity. The theme is clear: people should not make assumptions about others and people should have the freedom to be their true selves.

Although the artwork is stunning, younger readers may be confused because the basic story lacks important background information about the setting. Even though the illustrations help tell the story, some scenes were confusing. The frantic pacing allows the story to skip over information that may have made the scene’s action clear.

Blue comes to realize that even though the war has torn families apart, strangers can come together to make their own family. The story also shows how the media is not always truthful and how the government bends the news to lie to people. In today’s world, this is a theme worth exploring.

News Prints is told from Blue’s perspective, which allows the reader to connect with her. Blue is honest, loyal, and compassionate. She doesn’t back down from causes that she believes in. Younger readers may be confused because of the lack of background information, but for strong readers who have already jumped into reading graphic novels, News Prints will entertain.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Blue and other newsies fight. Someone knocks Blue down.
  • The military shoots down a flying machine. No one is injured.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Blue said “goose butts” several times.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry cannot wait to return to Hogwarts for his second year of magical schooling. But a powerful force seems determined to keep him away. From a meddling house elf to a flying car, Harry’s fight to get to school nearly gets him expelled! When he finally gets to Hogwarts, it is with a warning that someone at the school wants Harry Potter dead.

Harry’s second year continues to go downhill, with a clueless Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and a growing rivalry with Malfoy. Then, even worse, it is discovered that a monster is lurking in the castle. Students are being attacked, and Hogwarts is in danger of being closed—permanently. Can Harry discover what Slytherin’s monster is, with the help of Ron and Hermione? Or will Harry lose his new home and be forced to return to live the rest of his live with his horrible aunt and uncle?

The second installment of the Harry Potter series does not disappoint. The delightful cast from the first book is back, complemented by interesting new characters. The stakes have been raised, and the twisty plot will keep readers guessing at who—or what—is behind the mysterious attacks. Although the series revolves around magic, the story does not encourage children to try magic on their own. Spells involve simple words. For example, saying luminos creates light. The books advance throughout the series, becoming longer and slightly more mature, although still appropriate for elementary readers.

Another great book that will suck readers in, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is great for reluctant readers who are still developing a love for reading. There is also an illustrated version of this novel that will further engage reluctant readers with beautiful, full-page illustrations. Through Harry Potter’s experiences, readers will learn the importance of not jumping to conclusions about other people.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Harry gets in trouble, “he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan.”
  • Dobby is a house elf and has to punish himself when he disobeys his master. On one occasion, “without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, ‘Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!’”
  • Ron’s father and another man get into a scuffle in a bookstore. “There was a thud of metal as Ginny’s cauldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads; there was a yell of, ‘Get him, Dad!’ from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, ’No, Arthur, no!’; the crowd stampeded backwards, knocking more shelves over.”
  • Ron and Harry crash a flying car. “With an earsplitting bang of metal on wood, they hit the thick tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt . . . a golf ball-size lump was throbbing on Harry’s head where he had hit the windshield; and to his right, Ron let out a low, despairing groan.”
  • Harry breaks his arm during a Quidditch match. “The Bludger had hit him at last, smashed into his elbow, and Harry felt his arm break.”
  • Things get out of hand during a dueling class. “Millicent had Hermione in a headlock, and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor.”
  • Two boys get in a fight over a secret pet, which is a giant spider. “The thing bowled him over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Riddle scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but the huge boy leapt on him, seized his want, and threw him back down.”
  • There’s an explosion when a teacher tries to use a broken wand. “The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Harry flung his arms over his head and ran, slipping over the coils of snake skin, out of the way of great chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor. Next moment, he was standing alone, gazing at a solid wall of broken rock.”
  • Lucius Malfoy abuses his house elf. The house elf tells Harry about it, and we see it at the end of the book when Lucius, “wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard.”
  • Harry comes face to face with the heir of Slytherin in a battle that takes place over five pages. “Harry tripped. He fell hard onto the stone and tasted blood – the serpent was barely feet from him, he could hear it coming – There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above him, and then something heavy hit Harry so hard that he was smashed into the wall . . . both its great, bulbous yellow eyes had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • The defense against the dark arts teacher says “my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples – though I wouldn’t say no to a large bottle of Ogden’s Old Firewhisky.”

Language

  • Malfoy calls Hermione a mudblood, which is a great insult. It means someone who is not a pureblood wizard, but was born of non-wizards.
  • The word git is used several times. For instance, Ron calls a professor a “brainless git” behind the professor’s back.
  • Percy’s brothers secretly “bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read ‘Pinhead.’“

Supernatural

  • Harry Potter goes to a school of wizards and is a part of an entire world of magic. His studies include potions, charms, and the care of magical creatures. His school is in a castle with ghosts, enchanted ceilings, and portraits that move and talk. He encounters giant spiders, a phoenix, and a basilisk. In short, Harry is surrounded by magic and supernatural occurrences every day of his life. As such, not all instances are listed here.
  • To cast a spell, wizards say a word and wave their wand. For example, saying luminos casts light. The book does not encourage readers to try to cast spells.

Spiritual Content

  • There are ghosts in the castle that behave like regular (although transparent) people. One of Harry’s teachers is even a ghost.

by Morgan Lynn

Survival Tails: World War II

The messenger pigeon Francis is on a mission. He must carry an urgent message to code breakers so they can warn London of an upcoming Nazi attack. Francis wants to do his part to help win World War II, but while on a dangerous assignment, Francis is injured. Now Francis cannot fly and is stranded in the middle of the London Zoo, but he is still determined to deliver his message and help win the war.

While at the zoo, Francis meets the world-famous panda Ming. Since coming to the zoo, Ming has always been too afraid to speak. When Francis lands in Ming’s enclosure, Ming knows she must do something to help Francis and the other animals at the zoo. With the help of a kind zookeeper, two mischievous monkeys, and other friends, Ming fights to help Francis recover his strength. When the war finally arrives in London, Francis, Ming, and the other animals must work together to save themselves. . . and maybe even London itself.

The life of a carrier pigeon comes to life with the introduction of Francis, who is patriotic, brave, and dedicated to helping his country and others. Readers will fall in love with the fearless pigeon as he befriends the zoo animals. Francis’s mission is never far from his mind, and he continually works to find a solution to his problem. Because the war is told from the animals’ point of view, readers are given a unique view of World War II. Even though the focus is on the animals’ fears, the story doesn’t leave out the danger to humans.

Unlike Francis, panda bear Ming desires to be silent because she is afraid of making deep connections with others. At a young age, Ming was traumatized when she was taken away from her panda bear family. However, with the help of Francis, Ming is able to find her voice and help others. When Ming sees others take risks to help Francis deliver his message, she learns to put her own fears aside. Francis tells Ming, “Don’t let fear stop you from doing what you want to do. What you need to do.”

Survival Tails: World War II will grab readers’ attention from the very first page. The non-stop action and suspense will keep readers flipping the pages until the very end. Readers will connect with Francis and the other animals as they help each other survive. Francis’s dedication to the war effort and his friends is inspiring. Even though Francis is just a pigeon, he will leave readers with valuable life lessons and will encourage them to never give up.

The end of the book has historical background on the Blitz, a World War II timeline, and a glossary. At the end of the story, Francis says, “Hopefully, the world will have learned something from this tragedy. That is the one good thing that could come of it.” Survival Tails: World War II will help younger readers learn about the sacrifices made during World War II. The story will introduce younger readers to the events in World War II and help spark their curiosity about the time period.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A soldier brings an important message to a lieutenant general. When the soldier appears, “blood trickled down his face from beneath his helmet, dripping into his eyes, and his uniform was ripped and muddied.” The soldier says, “I came as fast as I could to get the message to you, sir. Didn’t even stop when the Nazis started shooting at me.”
  • When the Nazis bomb London, the panda bears saw “planes [that] flew in a V formation, like a flock of geese, gliding low over London, seeking their targets. Gunfire echoed around the city, then thud, thud, thuds in quick succession as the bombs landed. . . snaking trails of black smoke rose high into the sky.”
  • When Francis is trying to deliver a message, shots are fired at him. “As Francis flew closer, the gunfire came again, but this time he was ready. He easily dodged the bullets, then moved into position so that he still had the pillbox in sight. . . Francis passed safely out of range. . .”
  • Francis sees a plane start shooting. Then the plane “veered to the left[,] but caught its wing on one of the barrage balloon’s thick cables. Its entire left wing sheared off and the plane fell into a tailspin, exploding in a blast of blinding light and heat that erupted toward Francis.” Francis tried to fly higher to avoid being injured but “his wings finally gave up on him. He froze in midair for a split second before he began to fall.”
  • While walking around the zoo, Francis gets hit on the head. “It was an empty peanut shell. . . He pretended to walk away, but then spun to face his attacker, getting hit directly in the face by another nut.” His “attacker” was two monkeys, who were trying to have fun.
  • When Ming sees a polar bear for the first time, a blackbird tells her, “Sometimes I hang around here at feeding time, and it’s just a bloodbath! The way they use their sharp teeth to rip into the. . .”
  • When a Toucan takes the canister with the message inside, Francis goes after him. Fighter planes appear and “huge missiles fell from the sky in quick succession, whistling as they dropped lower, lower, lower, then hit their target with an enormous blast that threw both Francis and Toca off course.”
  • In order to get the canister back, Francis “opened his beak wide and, with a loud war cry, dove at Toca, knocking them both into a spin. Their wings and claws became entangled as they both struggled to break free, sending a flurry of feathers through the air as the solid, unforgiving ground rose fast and faster to greet them.” Francis gets the canister but is injured.
  • The animals watch as Nazis drop incendiaries over London. “All around them, more and more incendiaries fell from the sky, raining down like droplets of fire.” Fire quickly spreads around the zoo and animals panic. “The fires continued to rage all around them, and now, along with the incendiaries, bombs were being dropped. There were screams as humans ran for shelter. Their cries were drowned out by the echoing explosions and drones of planes—both enemies and allies—flying above.” The animals race toward a tunnel so they can hide. As they ran, a “bomb exploded within the zoo grounds and a huge geyser of water burst forth from the ground as it hit the main water pipe. Francis fought against the heavy spray, but his wings were waterlogged.”
  • As Francis looks for animals to help, his friend Paddy follows him. Paddy is injured, and Francis “wrapped his good wing around Paddy as the two hobbled along toward the tunnel. There was another explosion as the camel house as hit, blocking their path. Francis and Paddy were thrown back against a wall by the blast.” When Francis finds Paddy, he sees “a small bundle of bloodied fathers lay unmoving on the ground.” Paddy dies. The scene of the zoo being bombed is described over eight pages.
  • The zoo that the pandas were moved to is also bombed. “Before Ming could shout out a warning, the bomb landed just beyond the giraffes’ paddock. She threw herself at Tang and Sung and knocked them to the ground, sacrificing her own safety to shield them with her own body. Ming felt as though she were caught inside a firestorm. The explosion sent a fierce blast sweeping over them in scorching waves.” The humans put out the fire.
  • After the zoo was bombed, Francis notices “a few animals still wandering the zoo, looking as dazed and exhausted as Francis felt. . . Francis had seen humans with the same lost expressions at Normandy—those who had returned from the front line, some inured, some worse, with their eyes glazed over.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • In order to relocate the panda bears, they are shot with a tranquilizer gun. After being shot with the tranquilizer, “Ming’s vision blurred in and out of focus. Thang lay still beside her, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.”

Language

  • Ming says someone is a coward.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When Francis was sent to deliver a message, he “spread his wings, praying that they were ready for the long, dangerous journey ahead.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry can hardly believe his own ears when a giant man shows up on his eleventh birthday to tell him that he is a wizard. Yet it makes sense, as odd happenings have followed Harry all his life. Delighted to leave his unpleasant aunt and uncle behind, Harry goes to Hogwarts, the magical school that his parents both attended long before they were murdered by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tried to kill Harry as well, but the attempt backfired and destroyed him. Harry doesn’t remember any of this, as he was only a baby, but he is famous in the wizarding world for causing the downfall of the evilest wizard in history. People expect greatness from Harry Potter, but he knows nothing about the magical world. Will Harry be able to rise to the expectations of those around him? Or should he forge his own path?

The latter seems more likely when odd things start happening at Hogwarts. Trolls, a forbidden corridor, and a suspicious Potions teacher are at the heart of a mystery Harry finds himself entangled in. Can he find out what is hidden, and protect it from others who want it for more sinister purposes? Joined by his classmates Ron and Hermione, the young trio must rise to face incredible dangers, or else the wizarding world will be plunged back into a darkness that hasn’t been seen in eleven years, since He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named first vanished.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a wonderful read from cover to cover. J.K. Rowling has not only created a wide cast of well-developed, lovable characters, but an entire world of magic and wonder. Although the series revolves around magic, the story does not encourage children to try magic on their own. Spells involve simple words. For example, saying luminos creates light. The books advance throughout the series, becoming longer and slightly more mature, although still appropriate for elementary readers.

Readers will be sucked in from page one, drawn forward by an enticing mystery and delightful adventures. There is also an illustrated version of this novel that will further engage reluctant readers with beautiful, full-page illustrations. Be sure to have book two of the Harry Potter series close at hand, because readers will be clamoring for more upon finishing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • It’s mentioned that growing up, Harry often was bullied by his cousin, Dudley. “Dudley’s favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn’t often catch him. Harry didn’t look it, but he was very fast.”
  • Dudley punches his cousin. “‘Out of the way, you’ he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor.”
  • When a letter for Harry arrives at the house, “Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick . . . “
  • When one of Harry’s classmates is being mean, Ron’s rat bites him. “Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle’s knuckle—Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once.”
  • Ron and Malfoy almost get in a fight after Malfoy insults Ron’s family. “Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs. ‘WEASLEY!’ Ron let go of the front of Malfoy’s robes.”
  • The next time Malfoy insults his family, “Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.”
  • Harry sees Snape injured. “Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.”
  • Harry and Ron rescue Hermione from a troll. “Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll’s neck from behind. The troll couldn’t feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry’s wand had still been in his hand when he’d jumped.” The fight takes place over two pages.
  • Harry sees something horrible in the Forbidden Forest. “The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal’s side, and began to drink its blood . . . The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry – unicorn blood was dribbling down its front.”
  • When Harry finds the wizard searching for the Sorcerer’s Stone, he tries to escape but is attacked. “At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry’s scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might . . . he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers—they were blistering before his eyes.” The fight takes place over two pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Uncle Vernon, “was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, ‘Go – cupboard – stay – no meals,’ before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.”
  • After a wild cart ride, Hagrid says, “Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts.”
  • During the Christmas feast, Harry sees “Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry’s amazement, giggled and blushed.”
  • Hagrid hatches a dragon egg. Baby dragons eat “a bucket o’ brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour.”
  • Hagrid can’t remember what he told someone in a pub. “I can’ remember too well, ‘cause he kept buyin’ me drinks.”

Language

  • Codswallop is used once.
  • Ron calls a troll pea-brain.
  • The word idiot is used a few times.

Supernatural

  • Harry Potter goes to a school of wizards and is a part of an entire world of magic. His studies include potions, charms, and the care of magical creatures. His school is in a castle with ghosts, enchanted ceilings, and portraits that move and talk. He encounters a giant, three-headed dog, unicorns, and living chess pieces. In short, Harry is surrounded by magic and supernatural occurrences every day of his life. As such, not all instances are listed here.
  • To cast a spell, wizards say a word and wave their wand. For example, saying luminos casts light.

Spiritual Content

  • There are ghosts in the castle, that behave like regular (although transparent) people. One of Harry’s teachers is even a ghost.

by Morgan Lynn

Star-Crossed

Matti has never wanted to be on stage before, but when her teacher announces that the eighth-grade play is Romeo and Juliet, Matti wants a part. Everyone expects Matti to be on the sidelines, but can she convince her teacher she deserves to be on the stage?

Matti had a crush on Elijah, but when the play begins everything changes. Gemma—a smart, pretty, British girl—gets the part of Juliet. Matti starts to wonder why she feels fluttery whenever she is near Gemma. If Matti was crushing on Elijah—a boy—could she also have a crush on a girl?

Many middle schoolers will relate to Matti as she struggles to understand her feelings. She also must figure out who she can trust with her secret. Even though she loves her friends, can they be trusted to not only accept that she has a crush on a girl, but can they also be trusted to keep Matti’s secret until she’s ready to reveal it?

Matti struggles with telling people she has a crush on a girl. When she tells her best friend and her sister, they both accept the news without shock and encourage her to pursue her crush. The story never delves into the negative reactions that others may have to her news.

Star-Crossed has plenty of dialogue and drama to keep readers engaged until the end. Throughout the story, the characters discuss Romeo’s and Juliet’s behavior and feelings of love. Although Matti’s story parallels Romeo and Juliet, the discussion of the play slows down the plot.

Middle school readers will fall in love with Matti and her friends. The characters include the typical mean girl, but also adds some unique characters. Tessa and her Shakespearean insults add humor. Matti’s inner thoughts add depth to the story. In the end, Matti’s story contains drama, crushes, family, and friendship conflict that will keep readers entertained. Star-Crossed is a romance appropriate for younger readers who want to learn about Romeo and Juliet.

Sexual Content

  • When Matti thinks about the play, she thinks, “All I could think about was Gemma kissing Liam, Liam kissing Gemma—and wondering why that image made my insides knot up.”
  • During play practice, the kids are teasing a boy about having to kiss Gemma. When the boys are talking, Gemma “marched over to Liam and smooched him on the lips.”
  • Matti wonders if she has a crush on a girl. If she did have a crush on a girl, “would it mean that you were gay, or a lesbian, or whatever word you were supposed to call it, if you liked only one particular girl?”
  • When Matti sees Gemma, her “heart zoomed.”
  • Matti reveals that she has a crush on a girl. Her sister responds by asking, “Have you ever kissed a boy?” When Matti says no, Cara replies, “Too bad. Because kissing a girl works the same way.”
  • Matti thinks that she can crush on boys, even though she currently has a crush on a girl.
  • During play practice, Gemma “smooched” Matti’s mouth. Then the two practice the scene that requires the two to kiss. When they have to kiss at play practice, “it made me (Matti) swimmy-headed.”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When talking about others or to others, often there is name-calling including dirtbag, moron, malt-worm, and doofus. For example, some said, “in my opinion Elijah’s a stuck-up dirtbag.”
  • Tessa went to a Shakespeare camp and learned Shakespearean insults that she uses throughout the story. A list of the Shakespearean insults is included at the back of the book.
  • When someone calls Tessa ugly, Tessa says, “I’m ugly? You’re like a toad; ugly and venomous. Thy face is not worth sunburning.”
  • One of the characters says “bollocks” several times. The character also calls someone a “prat” and a “dimwit.”
  • Dang is used three times.
  • Oh My God, OMIGOD, and God are often used as exclamations.
  • Holy Crap is said once.
  • While discussing Romeo and Juliet, a student asks, “Isn’t that kind of gay?” The teacher explains, “People may choose to identify themselves as gay, and it’s a word of pride. But the way you’re using the word, it’s just an insult, and there’s no room for that in this production, or in this school. “

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The summer before his third year of school, Harry Potter accidentally uses magic on his aunt and has to run away from home. While he is worried about getting expelled, it turns out there is a much larger danger, one that no one wants Harry to know about. But, as usual, Harry knows more than he should. He learns that the convicted mass murderer Sirius Black has escaped from the wizard prison, Azkaban, and is coming for Harry Potter. Black was a follower of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and some think Black believes that killing Harry will bring the Dark Lord back to life.

Extra security precautions are taken once Harry arrives at school, all with the goal of keeping Harry safe within Hogwarts. But Harry is much more eager to sneak out of Hogwarts, as he longs to go on the school trips to Hogsmeade, a nearby wizarding town. With the help of his father’s invisibility cloak and a magical map, Harry soon has free reign of the castle. But will this newfound freedom be his downfall with Sirius Black on the prowl?

The third installment of the Harry Potter series raises the bar yet again, with an exciting and slightly more complicated plot that is full of exciting twists and turns. Our favorite characters are back, and we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor named Lupin. Lupin is an old friend of Harry’s father, but he may be hiding a secret of his own.

 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will keep readers guessing until the very end. This story continues the theme of not leaping to conclusions based on someone’s appearance or background, and subtlety explores what true friendship looks like. The themes, plot, and language of this book are slightly more mature than the first two books, as the Harry Potter series gradually grows in complexity throughout the seven books. However, this novel will still be appropriate for most elementary-aged students. There is also an illustrated version of this novel that will further engage reluctant readers with beautiful, full-page illustrations.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Malfoy insults a hippogriff, a magical creature that is half horse and half bird. The hippogriff scratches him in retaliation. “It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.”
  • Malfoy bullies Ron and Harry. Eventually Ron “finally cracked and flung a large slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face.”
  • When Malfoy makes fun of Hagrid, Hermione slaps him. “Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first—SMACK! She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered.”
  • Ron is kidnapped and when they try to follow, Harry and Hermione are attacked by the Whomping Willow. “All they could see now was one of Ron’s legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground—but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron’s leg had broken . . . Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.”
  • When Harry comes face to face with the man responsible for his parent’s murder, “A boiling hate erupted in Harry’s chest, leaving no place for fear. For the first time in his life, he wanted his wand back in his hand, not to defend himself, but to attack . . . to kill.”
  • Harry, Ron, and Hermione fight with Sirius Black. “Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling; there was a blinding flash as the wands in Black’s hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Harry’s face by inches . . . But Black’s free hand had found Harry’s throat – “
  • Harry, Ron, and Hermione come face to face with a werewolf. “As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward . . . They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other – ”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Aunt Marge drinks wine with dinner. “Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red.” After dinner, “Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.”
  • At a pub, the barman asks the Minister of Magic, “Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?” The minister opts for a pot of tea.
  • It’s stated that Hagrid “had been drinking a lot” when he thought he was going to be fired and that “he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus.” What he was drinking is not specified.
  • Professor Dumbledore tells Hagrid that he, “could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy.”
  • Hagrid gets drunk while celebrating, and Harry sees him, “weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands.”

Language

  • Damn is used once. Harry’s Aunt Marge says, “It’s damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn’t have done it myself.”
  • Shut up and crap are said a few times. Ron says, “I’m not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year.”
  • Bitch is said once. Aunt Marge says, “You see it all the time with dogs. If there’s something wrong with the bitch, there’ll be something wrong with the pup.”
  • A magical piece of parchment calls Professor Snape an “ugly git.”
  • The commentator calls a player “cheating scum” at a Quidditch match.

Supernatural

  • Harry Potter goes to a school of wizards and is a part of an entire world of magic. His studies include transfiguration, charms, and divination. His school is in a castle with ghosts, hidden passageways, and a Whomping Willow that attacks anyone who gets too close. He encounters hippogriffs, wizards that can shapeshift into animals, and time travel. In short, Harry is surrounded by magic and supernatural occurrences every day of his life. As such, not all instances are listed here.
  • Although the series revolves around magic, the story does not encourage children to try magic on their own. To cast a spell, wizards simply say a word and wave their wand. For example, saying luminos casts light.
  • Professor Trelawney makes a prophecy about the Dark Lord when Harry is the only one in the room. She does not remember making the prophecy afterward. “The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant’s aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was.”

Spiritual Content

  • There are ghosts in the castle that behave like regular (although transparent) people. One of Harry’s teachers is even a ghost.

by Morgan Lynn

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry is ecstatic to be attending the Quidditch World Cup with Ron and Hermione. While the match is spectacular, the appearance of Death Eaters casts a dark shadow over the event. While most people think that the old followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were acting alone, Harry and a few others are concerned that odd happenings may mean something more sinister is coming.

If Harry thinks his troubles are over when he returns to Hogwarts for his fourth year, he is sorely mistaken. A magical tournament is taking place at Hogwarts with students from other magical schools coming to compete. Harry should have fun watching the tournament with Ron and Hermione—but someone secretly enters his name into the competition. Chosen as a school champion, Harry is forced to get past a dangerous myriad of monsters and challenges, all the while wondering who entered him into the tournament and if their goal is to make sure Harry ends up dead.

While Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is twice the length of the earlier books in the series, the book does not drag a bit! Fascinating new characters from other schools of magic, a once-in-a-lifetime tournament, and growing danger from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named make this an absolute page-turner. The length, action sequences, and sinister climax of this novel make Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire a slightly more mature book than the last, as the series gradually grows in complexity throughout the seven books. While still appropriate for elementary readers in terms of content, the ending may scare more timid readers. It includes someone that Harry knows dying; he does not see the death, but he does see the body directly afterward.

A whirlwind of adventure and mystery, this is another must-read that will delight elementary to young adult readers so much that they will want to read it again and again.

Sexual Content

  • Ron says he will “go starkers” before wearing the dress robes that his mother bought him.
  • Ron says his brother, “wouldn’t recognize a joke if it danced naked in front of him.”
  • Fleur kisses Harry and Ron on the cheek after they rescue her sister.

Violence

  • A man is murdered by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. “There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor.”
  • Uncle Vernon panics and starts throwing things. “Uncle Vernon, who had lost control completely, seized a china figure from on top of the sideboard and threw it very hard at Mr. Weasley, who ducked, causing the ornament to shatter in the blasted fireplace.”
  • A group of Death Eaters, former followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, attack some muggles (non-magical people). “High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes . . . the smallest Muggle child . . . had begun to spin like a top, sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side.”
  • As punishment, Professor Moody turns Malfoy into a ferret and bounces him up and down with his wand. “The ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain.”
  • Harry and his class learn about the forbidden curses in their Defense Against the Dark Art class. One is the Cruciatus Curse, which causes pain. Another is Avada Kedavra, the killing curse. The professor demonstrates the curses on a spider.
  • During a verbal fight with Ron, Harry throws a badge at him. He “chucked it, as hard as he could, across the room. It hit Ron on the forehead and bounced off.”
  • Harry is attacked by grindylows. “He kicked out, hard; finally, he felt his foot connect with a horned skull, and looking back, saw the dazed grindylow floating away.”
  • After a shocking discovery, Hagrid receives hate mail. He says they included things like, “Yeh’re a monster an’ yeh should be put down.” And “Yer mother killed innocent people an’ if you had any decency you’d jump in a lake.” He says “They’re jus’ nutters” and says the best thing to do is to throw the letters away.
  • When Karkaroff spits at Dumbledore, “Hagrid seized the front of Karkaroff’s furs, lifted him into the air, and slammed him against a nearby tree.”
  • Harry hears Cedric being tortured, and then sees him, “jerking and twitching on the ground.”
  • Cedric and Harry battle a gigantic spider. “He was lifted into the air in its front legs; struggling madly, he tried to kick it; his leg connected with the pincers and next moment he was in excruciating pain.”
  • To revive He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, a spell of blood, bone, and flesh is used. “The surface of the grave at Harry’s feet cracked. Horrified, Harry watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air.” A Death Eater cuts off his own hand for the spell, though Harry closes his eyes during that part.
  • He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tortures several people, including Harry, with a forbidden curse. “It was pain beyond anything Harry had ever experienced; his very bones were on fire; his head was surely splitting along his scar; his eyes were rolling madly in his head; he wanted it to end . . . to black out . . . to die . . .”
  • Cedric is killed. “A blast of green light blazed through Harry’s eyelids, and he heard something heavy fall to the ground beside him . . . he opened his stinging eyes. Cedric was lying spread-eagled on the ground beside him. He was dead. For a second that contained an eternity, Harry stared into Cedric’s face, at his open gray eyes, blank and expressionless as the windows of a deserted house.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Mrs. Weasley drinks a cup of tea with a “shot of Ogdens Old Firewhiskey” after an emotionally fraught day.
  • A team of giant, magical horses are said to only drink single-malt whiskey.
  • The fat lady, one of the magical portraits in the castle, drinks a box of chocolate liqueurs.
  • Winky, a house elf, starts drinking heavily after she is fired. “‘Winky is getting through six bottles a day now,’ Dobby whispered to Harry.”

Language

  • Damn and shut up are used a few times.
  • Ron tells Malfoy to “eat dung.”
  • During an event, Ron yells at a judge. “You lousy, biased scumbag!”
  • The word git is used twice. For example, Ron calls his owl a “feathery git.”

Supernatural

  • Harry Potter goes to a school of wizards and is a part of an entire world of magic. His studies include transfiguration, charms, and defense against the dark arts. He goes to school in a castle with talking portraits, singing coats of armor, and a poltergeist. He encounters dragons, merpeople, and Forbidden Curses. In short, Harry is surrounded by magic and supernatural occurrences every day of his life. As such, not all instances are listed here.
  • Although the series revolves around magic, the story does not encourage children to try magic on their own. To cast a spell, wizards simply say a word and wave their wand. For example, saying luminos casts light.

Spiritual Content

  • There are ghosts in the castle that behave like regular (although transparent) people. One of Harry’s teachers is even a ghost.
  • A spell causes He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s wand to produce echoes of its most recent spells. As he killed several people, shadowy ghosts of those people appear briefly. “The smoky shadow of a tall man with untidy hair fell to the ground as Bertha had done, straightened up, and looked at him . . . and Harry, his arms shaking madly now, looked back into the ghostly face of his father.”

by Morgan Lynn

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back. Harry saw him with his own eyes. However, the ministry does not want to believe that the most powerful dark wizard in history has returned. In an effort to discredit Harry Potter’s story, they spend the entire summer publishing articles about how Harry is a troubled boy who lies for attention. By the time Harry returns to Hogwarts, it seems like everyone in school thinks he is a liar. Even worse, the Ministry has appointed the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, who is determined to bring every aspect of Hogwarts under her personal control.

While the world turns a blind eye, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is gaining strength. Connected by the strange bond that formed the night He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tried to murder the Potters, Harry begins seeing flashes of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s thoughts and emotions. While he is fascinated by them, the adults surrounding him urge Harry to shut He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named out of his mind. Will Harry’s stubbornness be his downfall? Or can he use his unique connection with the Dark Lord to prevent more bloodshed?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a similar length to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, continuing the trend of a longer page count. The tone of this book is slightly darker and more serious, with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments to keep the pages turning. Readers will love seeing more of our favorite Goblet of Fire characters, including (the real) Professor Moody, Tonks, Lupin, Sirius, and more.

For the first time, Harry and his friends start to explore dating. Harry goes on a date with Cho and kisses her once, while Ron starts dating Lavender Brown, causing a rift in his relationship with Hermione. While these exploits do not become the main plot point, they do add interest to the story. Readers will relate to Harry as he muddles through his first date and will understand his frustration when adults insist on treating him like a child.

This book may not be a good fit for younger elementary readers due to the longer page count, darker tone, and slightly more mature content in terms of language and kissing. However, more mature elementary students and junior high students will thoroughly enjoy this next Harry Potter adventure.

Sexual Content

  • Hermione kisses Ron on the cheek before a Quidditch match. “‘Good luck, Ron,’ said Hermione, standing on tiptoe and kissing him on the cheek.”
  • Harry goes on a date with Cho. They go to a café, and he is uncomfortable that everyone is holding hands because “perhaps Cho would expect him to hold her hand.” Then another couple “started kissing over their sugar bowl.”
  • Cho “gave [Harry] a swift kiss on the cheek and hurried off.”

Violence

  • Uncle Vernon grabs Harry when he thinks he has been using magic. “Two large purple hands reached through the open window and closed tightly around his throat . . . for a few seconds they struggled, Harry pulling at his uncle’s sausage-like fingers with his left hand.”
  • When Dudley and Harry are attacked by dementors, Dudley panics and punches Harry. “WHAM! A fist made contact with the side of Harry’s head, lifting Harry off his feet. Small white lights popped in front of Harry’s eyes.”
  • Hagrid tells a story about a tribe of giants he visited. After a fight, “the sun came up [and] the snow was scarlet an’ his head was lyin’ at the bottom o’ the lake.”
  • Harry and Cho kiss, but the kiss is not described.
  • Mr. Weasley is attacked by a giant snake. “He reared high from the floor and struck once, twice, three times, plunging his fangs deeply into the man’s flesh, feeling his ribs splinter beneath his jaws, feeling the warm gush of blood.”
  • Harry sees a memory of his father at school when Snape and James got in a fight. “Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light, and a gash appeared on the side of James’ face, spattering his robes with blood.”
  • Hagrid is ambushed. “Hagrid took two massive swipes at his closest attackers; judging by their immediate collapse, they had been knocked cold.”
  • Harry is caught sneaking into Umbridge’s office. His friends are caught too, including “Neville, who was trapped in a stranglehold by Crabbe and looked in imminent danger of suffocation.”
  • A giant gets in a fight with a herd of centaurs. “Fifty arrows went soaring through the air at the giant, peppering his enormous face . . . pebble-sized droplets of Grawp’s blood showered Harry.” Harry then flees.
  • Harry and his friends are cornered by followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and a fight ensues as they try to escape. It takes place over an entire chapter but is not graphic. “He turned in time to see her flying through the air. Five Death Eaters were surging into the room through the door she had not reached in time; Luna hit a desk, slid over its surface and onto the floor on the other side where she lay sprawled, as still as Hermione.”
  • Sirius is killed by a spell. “The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest. The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock . . . ”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Harry knows that his cousin has been “smoking on street corners,” but the smoking is not shown.
  • At a dodgy bar, Ron says, “I bet that bloke would sell us anything, he wouldn’t care. I’ve always wanted to try firewhisky.”
  • Dobby says he has used the Room of Requirement, “when Winky has been very drunk . . . and he has found antidotes to butterbeer there, and a nice elf-sized bed to settle her on while she sleeps it off, sir.”
  • Harry catches a “whiff of stale drink” when he meets Sirius.
  • An eccentric teacher often gives “off a powerful smell of cooking sherry.”
  • Harry and his friends often hang out in a pub. The adults there sometimes drink mead or firewhisky, but students do not. Once, a journalist “jumped so badly that she slopped half her glass of firewhisky down herself.”
  • A student in passing asks Harry if he wants to “chip in a couple of Galleons? Harold Dingle reckons he could sell us some firewhisky,” but Harry isn’t listening.
  • Before their exams, a large trade in brain stimulants pops up, such as powdered dragon claw, which is supposed to make you clever. After finding out the dragon claw is “actually dried doxy droppings,” it “took the edge off Harry and Ron’s desire for brain stimulants.”

Language

  • ‘For God’s Sake’ and ‘Good Lord’ are used as exclamations a few times. “Good Lord, boy, they told me you were intelligent.”
  • The word ‘codswallop’ is used once.
  • ‘Damn’ and ‘git’ are used several times. Once, Uncle Vernon says they were “too damn soft for our own good.” Another time Fred calls Snape a “git” behind Snape’s back.
  • Fred calls Malfoy a scumbag.
  • Hell is used once. Hagrid asks, “who the ruddy hell are you.”
  • While at a planetarium, Ron says, “Harry, we saw Uranus up close! . . . Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus.”

Supernatural

  • Harry Potter goes to a school of wizards and is a part of an entire world of magic. His studies include divination, potions, and defense against the dark arts. He goes to school in a castle with magical rooms, hidden passageways, and a phoenix. He encounters a giant, nifflers, and house elves. In short, Harry is surrounded by magic and supernatural occurrences every day of his life. As such, not all instances are listed here.
  • Although the series revolves around magic, the story does not encourage children to try magic on their own. To cast a spell, wizards simply say a word and wave their wand. For example, saying luminos casts light.
  • Professor Trelawney made a prophecy about the Dark Lord before Harry was born. She does not remember making the prophecy afterward, but it is stored in a secret Hall of Prophecies hidden in the Ministry of Magic.

Spiritual Content

  • There are ghosts in the castle that behave like regular (although transparent) people. One of Harry’s teachers is even a ghost.
  • After his godfather dies, Harry asks a ghost if his godfather will come back. The ghost says no, because “He will have . . . gone on.” When Harry asks him what comes after death, the ghost says, “I know nothing of the secrets of death Harry, for I chose my feeble imitation of life instead.”

by Morgan Lynn

Under Suspicion

When the police show up at Highcrest Academy, Friday isn’t expecting them to take her to the police station. She has to clear her name with the help of a vagrant she meets. Life is no easier once she gets back to school, as she quickly jumps in to investigate a quiche back-off scandal as well as discover why holes are being dug everywhere.

The second installment of the Friday Barnes mystery has many of the same characters. Friday’s best friend Melanie spends all of her time sleeping, skipping out on classes, and obsessing over Friday’s love interests. Melanie’s nemesis Ian is willing to do anything to earn a scholarship, even framing Friday for a crime she didn’t commit. Many of the characters are portrayed as rich kids who are willing to do anything, including lie and cheat, to win. Besides the cast of characters from the first series, cute boy Christopher makes an appearance, which gives Melanie another boy to tease Friday about.

Throughout the story, Friday focuses on several smaller mysteries that end up all coming together for a big reveal at the end of the story. Throughout the story, Friday uses her power of observation to solve mysteries. Although Friday is socially awkward, she is clearly a genius who isn’t afraid to show that she is smart. Friday understands her weaknesses, which include social interactions. Even though the girls at the school ignore her, she is still willing to help them when they are in need.

Black and white illustrations appear every 4 to 8 pages. The illustrations help bring the quirky characters to life as well as show some of the action in the story. Although the Friday Barnes Series does not need illustrations to get readers to turn the pages, they add a nice touch and are often humorous.

Unlike many children’s books, the Friday Barnes Series doesn’t shy away from larger vocabulary words. Friday is a genius, and her vocabulary includes words like laboriously, repugnant, extrapolate, and fastidious. Even though readers may not understand all of Friday’s references and words, this doesn’t take away from the book’s enjoyment. Friday’s curious personality jumps off the page. Even though the reader knows that she will solve every case, there are plenty of surprises. Friday Barnes Under Suspicion is the perfect mix of dry humor, action, and suspense.

Sexual Content

  • When Friday and Ian are arguing, Melanie says, “You should write down some of this witty banter so you can read the transcripts to your grandchildren one day.” Another person replies, “I didn’t know Barnes and Waincott were planning to start a family.”
  • In order to get Friday to run, a boy grabs her hand. “Friday was surprised. No boy had ever held her hand before. It didn’t tingle like in the romance novels, but it did feel nice in an inexplicable, visceral way.”

Violence

  • The school gardener is found unconscious. He was hit in the head with a tool “but only because someone took the tool and swung it at him. . .”
  • Someone threatens to break Friday’s arm. He says, “I know that if I used my knee as a fulcrum and your forearm as a lever, I could snap your elbow like a dry twig.” He then uses a zip tie to secure her on the top of a lawn mower grass catcher.
  • Someone soaks Friday’s hat in gasoline and “produced a lighter from his pocket and set Friday’s hat alight.” Then the person, “threw the flaming hat through the broken window, then calmly walked back to where Friday was tied up.” The fire alarm went off and the school was evacuated.
  • When someone swung a spade towards Friday’s head, Ian tackles the person. “Ian had knocked him over and they were wrestling among the rosebushes.” The person brandishes gardening sheers at Friday and Ian. When the person goes to flee, Malcom, “burst out from the bushes at the edge of the forest and came sprinting down the slope towards the lawn mower. . . Malcom pivoted himself up and raised his fist to deliver a blow.” Friday yells at Malcom, who stops himself from hitting the person.
  • Malcom tells a story about someone who, “tried to trick an eighty-five-year-old lady. . . Little did he realize she was a retired professional wrestler. She hit him over the head with her walking frame, then held him in a leg lock until the police arrived.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Twice, someone calls Friday an Idiot.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Meet the Bigfeet

Blizz Richards is a loyal friend with a gigantic heart—he’s also a Yeti. Blizz and others like him have vowed to never be seen by the outside world, which makes it really difficult to have a family reunion. Blizz’s cousin decides to have a big party so the family can get together. The only problem is that an evil man with a camera is determined to prove that Bigfoot really does exist. Will Blizz and his friends be able to stay hidden or will the evil man be able to snap a photo of Bigfoot?

Each page of the story contains full-page black and white illustrations that introduce the many mysterious creatures that Blizz Richard knows. Readers will love the silly illustrations and enjoy the comical plot that pits a man with a camera against a group of creatures including a goatman, a goblin, and a skunk ape.

Meet the Bigfeet’s plot is at times random, and much of the story revolves around introducing characters. Even though the story’s conflict is weak, readers will enjoy the easily understood plot and the interesting characters. Each page has 2-4 sentences, which makes the story accessible to struggling readers. Meet the Bigfeet includes gags, jokes, and silly situations to entertain readers and take them into an imaginary world where Yetis and unicorns do exist.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • OMG is used once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

The Great Pet Escape

Guinea pig George Washington thinks that being a second-grade class pet is like being in prison. He dreams of escaping and leading his two friends to freedom. When he finally escapes, he goes to find his friends, Barry and Bitter. George Washington is shocked to find out that his friends like being classroom pets.

George Washington convinces his friends to leave with him. A mouse named Harriet and her many mouse minions stop the three friends from escaping. Will George Washington be able to battle his way out of this terrible mess?

The Great Pet Escape is an outrageously silly story told from George Washington’s point of view. The graphic novel format will keep younger readers entertained. Although the story is written for those ready for chapter books, they may not understand all of the humor. For example, one of Barry’s former partners in crime has turned into a yoga-loving, herbal tea-drinking, pacifist. Even though some of the humor may not be understandable, readers will still fall in love with the class pets.

Readers will giggle when Harriet’s mouse minions fight George Washington and his friends. The colorful pictures are adorably funny and bring the action to life. Readers will want to read the story again and again, not only to enjoy the illustrations but also to relive the food fighting action. The Great Pet Escape is a unique, ridiculously silly story that will capture reader’s hearts.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • The animals have a food fight. They throw fish sticks, fruit, vegetables, and pasta at each other.
  • Two animals have a sword fight with uncooked spaghetti.
  • During the food fight, Jell-O is used as a holding cell.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • One of the characters thinks he wants to get his friends and “get the heck out of here.”
  • Someone calls a hamster a “moron.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Rosie Revere, Engineer

Rosie Revere dreams of being a great engineer. During the night, she uses trash and other supplies to construct inventions. Her ideas are endless. She makes hot dog dispensers, helium pants, and python-repelling cheese hats. When her uncle laughs at her creations, Rosie decides it’s best to hide the gizmos she creates. Will Rosie find the courage to share her creations, or will they stay hidden under her bed?

Younger readers will enjoy the full-page illustrations that bring Rosie’s creations to life. Each page has fun illustrations, short sentences, and rhyming text that will make the story fun to read aloud. Some of the vocabulary, such as ‘perplexed’ and ‘dismayed,’ may be difficult, and parents will have to explain the meaning. Even though Rosie Revere, Engineer is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Many readers will relate to Rosie Revere who is afraid of failing and having someone laugh at her. The entertaining story shows how Rosie “kept her dreams to herself.” With the help of her great-great-aunt, Rose learns that “The only true failure can come if you quit.” The ending of the book has the same classroom teacher and diverse students as Iggy Peck, Architect and Ada Twist, Scientist. Readers may enjoy comparing the pictures in all three books.

 Rosie Revere, Engineer teaches readers that making mistakes does not make a person a failure. The creative illustrations, relatable character, and the important lesson make Rosie Revere, Engineer a story that will entertain readers as well as encourage them to build “gizmos and gadgets and doohickeys too.”

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

I Am Underdog

Kemba isn’t good-looking or popular. He’s a nobody. Kemba thinks he is too lame to have any friends. He goes through the day unnoticed, but he wishes he was cool like the computer game superhero Underdog. Underdog helps the weak but Kemba gets beat up by the sixth-grade bully. When Kemba witnesses an act of cruelty, will he find the strength to speak out?

Designed to engage struggling readers, Kemba uses short sentences, simple vocabulary, and an easy-to-follow plot. Simple black and white sketches appear on almost every page. The sketches help break up the text and make the book more accessible. However, the sketches are not detailed and look a bit like doodles. Because the story is written for struggling readers, the characters and plot are not developed and the story does not include detailed descriptions.

Kemba’s struggle to fit in is realistic and relatable. His fear of talking to others and being rejected is one that many readers will understand. Kemba struggles with bullying and learns the importance of speaking up for those weaker than him. I Am Underdog will engage its target audience—reluctant, struggling readers. I Am Underdog will entertain those who enjoy reading graphic novels and are not ready for text-heavy books.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • At lunch, Richie and his gang come up to Kemba. “Richie ripped off Kemba’s jacket. He threw it into a puddle. . . Richie and the other boys laughed. They stomped on it. Then they left, still laughing.”
  • While walking home, Kemba sees a boy “holding a girl by her arm. She was crying. . . ‘You are mine,’ the boy shouted. ‘Don’t you forget it!’”
  • Richie throws a boy’s lunch on the ground.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • After Richie is mean to another kid, Kemba yells, “You’re evil, Richie Mason! You stinking creep!”
  • Someone calls Richie a jerk.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Summer Ball

Danny’s team has won the national championships. Now he, Ty, and Will head to Right Way Basketball Camp, a prestigious summer camp for kids who are serious about improving their basketball skills. Now that Danny is thirteen, he worries his height may finally be the obstacle that keeps him from truly competing with his peers.

When Danny gets placed with an old school coach who seems to believe Danny would do better in soccer, he becomes more determined than ever to prove that size isn’t everything. This sequel to Travel Team brings new characters and the same love of the game as the first book. The main characters from Travel Team also show up in this sequel. However, new friends such as Zach and Rasheed add a new dynamic to the group.

The novel shows the stereotypical summer camp, along with the problems that come along with it such as homesickness, bullying, and a struggle to fit in. This story, while similar to the first, is still an entertaining read that dives into friendships on the court. Danny and his new friend Zach learn how to deal with bullies and how to overcome obstacles through hard work.

Throughout the story, Danny must overcome several obstacles. The reader will understand Danny’s feelings as he tries to deal with these different conflicts. Although Danny had to deal with some difficult situations, he perseveres and is able to come up on top.

Summer Ball has scenes that depict the character Lamar bullying Zach and Danny, one time physically. The rest of the scenes describe Lamar gives them a hard time on the court or in passing. They are not violent scenes, but they may upset sensitive readers who have struggled with bullying in the past.

As a sequel to Travel Team, readers do not need to read the first book to enjoy Summer Ball. However, reading Travel Team will help to better understand the characters and their relationships. Overall, Summer Ball is an entertaining sequel with a predictable plot. After reading Summer Ball, sports enthusiasts will want to hit the court and play some ball.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Zach, Danny, and Lamar get into a fight. While verbally bullying them, Lamar ruins Zach’s basketball by breaking off a needle inside it. Then “Zach stepped back and whipped it right at Lamar’s head, the ball either catching Lamar on the side of his head or his shoulder. . . he grabbed Zach by his shoulders and started shaking him, hard. Zach’s head bounced around like he was a bobblehead doll.”
  • After Danny stood up for Zach, “Lamar took his big right hand, the one he had on Zach, and flicked it into his stomach like a jab.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Crap is used twice.
  • When he doesn’t want to hang out and go to the movies, Will calls Danny a “knothead.”
  • When Danny tells his dad about his difficult coach, his dad says “Oh, God . . . Did he give you all that BS about. . .”
  • A bully named Lamar asks Danny, “But what’s the point if you can’t get the dang ball to the dang basket?” He also calls Danny a “midget” four times in this scene.
  • When she finds out about her son’s knee injury, Ali Walker uses “Good Lord” as an exclamation.
  • A character says in exasperation, “Oh, sweet Lord.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Danny thinks about how some players are trying to make their practice into a “guard’s game. The way God intended, as Richie Walker liked to say.”
  • Danny is practicing on his own, trying to fix his mistake from the previous game. He thinks, “Like the hoop gods—his dad was always talking about the hoop gods, as though they watched every single game—were giving him a do-over.”

by Hannah Neeley

 

Bunjitsu Bunny’s Best Moves

Isabel the Zen Bunny is back! Isabel is the BEST bunjitsu artist in her school. She can throw farther, kick higher, and hit harder than anyone else! But her strongest weapon is her mind. Isabel has thirteen new adventures with even more fun and wisdom. Isabel learns lessons from a mountain goat, one hundred squirrels, and a lynx.

Much like Aesop Fables, each tale is simple, yet exciting. Every conflict is resolved in a peaceful manner and leaves readers with a moral, such as “never start a fight, learn from those who know more than I do, and keep my body strong and healthy.” The story ends with instructions on how to make a bunny face out of paper.

Each clever story is brief and ranges from 6-10 pages long. The story uses simple vocabulary, contains 1-5 sentences per page, and has simple red-and-black illustrations. The combination of illustrations and short sentences makes Bunjitsu Bunny’s Best Move a good option for those just transitioning to chapter books or to read aloud.

Each story can stand alone, and readers will want to go back to reread their favorites. Bunjitsu Bunny’s Best Moves is a about fierce girl who proves that a person or a bunny doesn’t have to use their muscle to solve a problem.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Isabel and her brother make their shadows fight. “His shadow kicked its foot in the air. Isabel blocked the kick.” The two do several other play fighting moves.
  • A mountain goat will not let Isabel pass on a bridge. The mountain goat tells her, “You can pass if you beat my mighty horns.” Isabel backs up and “got a running start. Isabel and Mountain Goat met head-to-head.” They do this several times before Isabel figures out how to pass the mountain goat without bumping heads.
  • A group of squirrels tries to take Isabel’s cookies. “She fought them one, two, three, ten, fifty at a time. They kept coming back.” She finally tricks them into fighting each other. “They were so busy fighting one another, they didn’t see Isabel tiptoe away with the tray.”
  • Lynx wants to fight Isabel. “He leapt at Isabel. The two fought until she held him to the ground.” This happens several times until Isabel lets the Lynx win, so he will leave her alone.
  • At bunjitsu school, the classmates practice moves and practice attacking each other. The different moves are illustrated.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Race to Victory Mountain

Adam Raccoon is excited to run in a race. He is confident that he can make it to the finish line. King Aren, the ruler of the forest where Adam lives, reminds Adam to stay on course. But along the way, Adam gets distracted. Adam soon finds that the sun is quickly setting, and he might not be able to finish the race. When someone offers Adam a map that shows a shortcut, Adam welcomes the chance to save some time. Will the shortcut help him finish the race or will it led him into danger?

Much like the tortoise in the parable the Tortoise and the Hare, Adam is confident he can finish the race, so there is no need to hurry. He allows temptation to distract him from the set course. Along the way, Adam often stops to enjoy himself. Children will understand the message about the importance of staying on course and following God’s word. King Aren reminds Adam, “It’s easy to get off track. But when you do, get back on course and finish the race.”

Adam Raccoon is a lovable character who has a knack for getting into trouble. The simple story, with full-colored illustrations, will appeal to readers. The cartoonish pictures show how temptation comes in many forms. As Adam Raccoon explores the course, the illustrations portray him in funny situations and shows his changing emotions.  Each page has one to two sentences of text, which makes Adam Raccoon: The Race to Victory Mountain an excellent bedtime story. However, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Readers will relate to Adam Raccoon as he struggles to do what is right. His story is engaging, fun, and teaches a lesson about temptation. In the end, King Aren saves Adam from his despair and helps him win the race. Adam Raccoon’s actions are never portrayed as bad. The cause and effect of Adam’s actions are easy to understand.  Young children will enjoy reading about Adam’s adventures because the story uses humor to create a lovable, relatable raccoon.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Tales from a NOT-SO-Friendly Frenemy

Nikki thinks this school year will be better because her arch nemesis MacKenzie Hollister now attends North Hampton Hills (NHH). But Nikki’s luck is about to run out. As part of a student exchange week, Nikki will spend a week at NHH. How will she survive a week at the same school as her enemy?

Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy’s conflict revolves around all the drama in Nikki’s life. At one point in the story, Nikki makes a homemade facial cream hoping the cream will give her flawless skin. Instead, the cream turns her face neon blue. The story contains many such silly scenes, which may make readers giggle.

Readers will enjoy the format of the story, which uses lists, quote boxes, emoji’s and text talk such as “BFF and R U kidding me?” Cute black-and-white illustrations show Nikki and the others in stylish clothes. Since the story is written in diary format, most paragraphs consist of one to two sentences and much of the text is stereotypical preteen talk.

Because the story is written in diary format, Nikki’s thoughts are recorded. However, her thoughts are often mean, such as when she thinks, “Listen, Tiffany! I have to go to the bathroom! So while I’m there would you like me to pee and poop for you too?”

Another negative aspect of the story is the way teachers are portrayed. When Nikki first gets to NHH, a student goes through the list of teachers and explains their negative attributes. For example, the student says, “Mr. Schmidt is a senile old dude who loves ranting about when he attended NHH as a kid during the stone age.”

The students are NHH are portrayed in a stereotypical way. The beautiful, fashionable girls are mean and cruel to the boys in the science club. Most of the main characters look similar, and there is little diversity among the students. The stereotypical characters might give younger readers the wrong idea about what junior high is actually like.

Overall, Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy is an easy-to-read story that could lead to a good discussion about how people should act. The story is humorous, but the characters have many qualities that parents will not want their children to emulate. Although this fun story will entertain readers, it misses the opportunity to teach valuable lessons.

Sexual Content

  • Nikki has a crush on Brandon. In class, they “started to text message and blush. Then we stared at each other and blushed. All of this staring and blushing went on, like, FOREVER!”

Violence

  • MacKenzie shoves Nikki.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Nikki thinks Mackenzie is a “sicko.”
  • Tiffany calls someone a “clumsy idiot” and says, “You science club geeks are so pathetic!”
  • OMG is used often.
  • Heck is used once.
  • Darn is used once.
  • Someone says they are a “cruddy cook.”
  • Nikki uses the phrase “I threw up in my mouth” several times.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Nikki was “praying she’ll [a teacher] select me to go to Paris.”
  • When Nikki is late to class, she “took off running and prayed that I’d get there before it was too late.”

Stage Fright

Ed and his friends accidentally enter a writing contest. They do their best to create a wacky play that no one will like. Their wacky play is chosen to be performed on the night of a blue moon. Ed tries to keep his strangeness under control, but it’s difficult to watch every word he speaks. Can Ed keep the strangeness under control? Will the blue moon make even stranger events happen?

The fourth installment of the Loonivers Series keeps all of the same lovable characters from the previous books. Ed really wants to keep the strangeness at bay, so he is careful with every word he says. This conflict adds fun and suspense as Ed visualizes what would happen if he said the wrong thing. For example, he imagines saying “I laughed my head off.” He then imagines his head floating off his body.

Ed’s adventure teaches readers the meaning of idioms in a delightful way. The idioms often come to life in interesting ways with illustrations showing what the literal meaning of the idiom would look like. The black and white illustrations on every page will cause smiles and giggles. Besides teaching the meaning of idioms, the story also teaches the importance of thinking before you speak.

Easy-to-read text and fun illustrations make Stage Fright a good choice for beginning readers. The plot does not revolve around the previous books in the series. However, the story does make a few references to previous books. Stage Fright will delight younger readers with the outrageous events, the silly illustrations, and the reoccurring characters. If you’re looking for a silly series that teaches as well as entertains, Stage Fright will be an excellent addition to your child’s library.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Ed finds a magic coin called the Silver Center. The coin “gave me the power to make strange things happen.”
  • Ed says, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” Then his “watchband had unbuckled itself. The ends started flapping like little leather bat wings,” and his watch flies away.
  • When Ed says a hamburger looks like a flying saucer, “it started to spin. Then it floated up until it was about a foot above her plate.”
  • Ed’s head turns into a horse’s head.
  • Because it is the night of a blue moon, strange things happen, including freezing people. Ed and his friends are pulled into the air. Ed and his friends, “were at least twenty feet off the ground. I wondered whether we’d get dragged all the way to the moon.” Ed comes up with an idiom that brings them back to Earth.

Spiritual Content

  • None
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