Reading Level: Junior High

Ready to Wear

Zoey Webber is a creative, inventive, and fearless middle schooler whose world shifts when she receives a summer letter announcing that her school will no longer require uniforms. What begins as an exciting shopping trip with her best friends to find back-to-school outfits quickly turns frustrating when Zoey cannot find anything that truly matches her style. Encouraged by her friends, she decides to learn how to sew her own clothes, designing imaginative outfits and sharing them on her blog. Before long, her blog takes off. Soon, Zoey is given the chance to design and sew a dress for her school’s fashion show fundraiser. But just as the opportunity feels within reach, the unthinkable happens, and everything falls apart. Can Zoey rise above the setback and turn disappointment into opportunity? 

Ready to Wear is the first in a series featuring the young protagonist, Zoey, a true DIY fashionista navigating school life, friendships, creative expression, and the early days of social media. “What if I were a designer someday?” she often daydreams. Written twelve years ago, the story reflects a time when blogging was central, before platforms like Instagram reshaped how teens share creativity online. The tools may have changed, but the core themes of creativity, ambition, and finding your voice are timeless. 

Ready to Wear unfolds with a steady, engaging narrative that introduces a rich network of positive role models in Zoey’s life, including the lasting influence of her mother, who passed away when Zoey was young. A talented seamstress and artistic spirit, her mother’s creativity lives on through the clothing she left behind, which continues to inspire Zoey. Alongside this quiet legacy, Zoey is supported by Aunt Lulu and her immediate family, her two best friends, and her best friend’s mom, Mrs. Mackey. She is encouraged by the new school principal, Ms. Austen, and a knowledgeable mentor at the fabric store who helps her as she learns the basics of sewing. Together, these relationships underscore how essential a supportive network is for teens as they explore identity, take creative risks, and grow into who they are becoming.  

“Standing out from the crowd was kind of scary,” Zoey admits to herself after her first handmade outfit is met with a less-than-warm reaction from other teens on the first day of school. Instead of letting the criticism discourage her, Zoey chooses the high road, using the moment as motivation rather than defeat. The story explores the well-known mean girl trope, a familiar experience for many young readers. One classmate, whose behavior is especially unkind, resurfaces later in the story, prompting Zoey to consider empathy, restraint, and what it means to choose her own path.   

Ready to Wear provides chapter-opening illustrations that offer a visual impression of what Zoey’s sketches might look like, without directly depicting her sketchbook or blog. Zoey uses her blog as a kind of diary, sharing candid reflections with her followers about the ups and downs of creative expression. As she learns to trust her instincts, she realizes, “The only thing worse than an unfinished look was a look that was overdone.” It’s a feeling many creative teens will recognize, since it’s easy to push an idea too far when you care about making it perfect. Zoey’s blog becomes a place where she shares projects and ideas, turning followers into an encouraging fan community. In a line that neatly captures the heart of the moment, she says, “The point is, we finally have the chance to wear whatever we want. After years of dressing alike, we can finally be ourselves.” 

In the final chapters, Zoey has just two weeks to design an original dress for her school’s fashion show fundraiser. Readers follow her creative process as she finds inspiration, commits to an idea, and gets to work. When something goes wrong, she is briefly overwhelmed by tears and frustration, but Zoey does not give up. A surprising act of kindness helps turn the moment around. Guided by her dad’s saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemon meringue pie,” Zoey shows how the steady support of those around her has shaped her optimism and confidence. Still, she finds herself reflecting on what happened, considering how to respond with integrity while remaining uncertain about the right choice. 

As the story progresses, sewing-specific vocabulary is intentionally introduced, including terms such as “seam guide,” “feed dog,” and “seam ripper.” The text also incorporates fabric terminology like “notions” and “dress form,” along with charming examples from fashion such as “muumuu” and “epaulette.” These specialized terms are supported through clear textual context, allowing readers to build understanding and reinforce new vocabulary without disrupting comprehension. 

As the first book in a series, Sew Zoey: Ready to Wear offers all the ingredients of a captivating read and leaves readers excited to continue the journey. The book concludes on a cliffhanger, pulling readers toward the next story and offering a creative setting where teens can explore identity, take risks, and discover who they are becoming. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Maureen Lowe 

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia

He was Tsar Nicholas II of Russia: the wealthiest monarch in the world, who ruled over 130 million people and one-sixth of the earth’s land surface, yet turned a blind eye to the abject poverty of his subjects.

She was Empress Alexandra: stern, reclusive, and painfully shy, a deeply religious woman obsessed with the corrupt mystic Rasputin.

Their daughters were the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia: completely isolated and immature girls who wore identical white dresses and often signed joint letters as OTMA, the initials of their first names.

Their only son was Tsarevich Alexei: youngest of the Romanovs, heir to the throne, a hemophiliac whose debilitating illness was kept secret from the rest of the world.

Candace Fleming deftly maneuvers between the plight of Russia’s poor masses and the extravagant lives of the Romanovs, from their opulent upbringings to the crumbling of their massive empire, and finally to their tragic murders. Using captivating photos and compelling first-person accounts throughout, The Family Romanov is history at its most absorbing. 

The book begins by focusing on Nicholas II’s childhood and the influence of his father, Tsar Alexander III. Unfortunately, Alexander was embarrassed by Nicholas’s small stature and gentle demeanor. The tsar refused to allow Nicholas to participate in government business because he considered him “a bit of a girlie” and “a dunce.” 

Not only was Nicholas unprepared to be tsar, but he also alienated many who were unhappy with Nicholas’s choice of wife—a shy woman whom the Russian people viewed with distrust and who initially failed to produce a male heir. To make matters worse, on the day Nicholas was crowned as the new tsar in May 1896, an accident occurred that killed an estimated fourteen hundred people. This tragedy was interpreted as a bad omen, and many peasants predicted that Nicholas’s reign “would be beset with troubles from God.” Initially, readers will sympathize with Nicholas, who appears overwhelmed by circumstances beyond his control. However, this sympathy quickly fades as Nicholas makes increasingly unwise and cruel decisions.  

Interspersed throughout the book are first-person accounts from Russia’s poor that paint a vivid picture of human suffering. Peasants faced starvation and were forced to send their children to work in factories for long hours and inadequate pay. The poor lived in constant fear of becoming attached to their children because of the high mortality rate. These descriptions give readers a stark understanding of the vast divide between Russia’s wealthy nobility and its impoverished peasants. When comparing these two worlds, it becomes clear why the Russian Revolution was inevitable.  

When the poor began protesting for better working conditions, Tsar Nicholas showed no compassion. Instead, he blamed the workers for the problems and told his troops they were “obligated to fire” on protesters. Nicholas’s only concern was silencing dissent rather than addressing legitimate grievances. 

Instead of helping people, Nicholas took away people’s rights. “If Russians so much as grumbled about the government, they could be arrested and exiled to far-off frozen Siberia without recourse. To keep the peace and protect order, the tsar censored the press, banned books, limited public speech, and refused people the right to assemble for political reasons.”  

Nicholas’s attempts to quell unrest proved ineffective because he refused to acknowledge the underlying problems, which only fueled further discontent. The working class refused to remain silent. Despite book bans in Russia, workers continued reading authors like Jules Verne and James Fenimore Cooper. These books allowed them to “envision a better life” and taught them critical thinking skills. “These literate workers were now able to picture a government more responsive to their needs.” 

By the end of World War I, Tsar Nicholas and his government had completely lost the people’s trust and were overthrown. Even under house arrest, the Romanov family continued to live in luxury. They still had “footmen in elaborate ornate livery [who] still bowed and served meals; expensive wines from the imperial cellar still appeared on the table; maids still came to help [Empress Alexandra] change into lace gowns and lengths of pearls.” While readers may be horrified by the Romanovs’s eventual murders, the book clearly illustrates the causes that led to the family’s downfall. 

The Family Romanov transforms complicated history into an engaging account divided into four parts. The text is broken into manageable sections with headlines announcing each topic, making it less overwhelming for readers. Short, firsthand accounts from the working class and peasants reveal the horrendous suffering they endured. The book also includes 28 pages of photographs featuring the Romanov family and key figures in their lives, as well as images of wounded soldiers, injured protesters, and Rasputin’s “battered corpse.” 

While many may believe their government—whether democratic or monarchical—will never fail, no government is invincible, making The Family Romanov essential reading. The book not only helps readers understand Russian history but also highlights the failures of Tsar Nicholas that ultimately led to his downfall. The Family Romanov is well-researched and provides a comprehensive examination of the past that helps readers fully understand why Imperial Russia collapsed. Discover more about Russia by reading these exciting books: Swimming with Spies by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger, Stalin by Sean McCollum, and Spy Runner by Eugene Yelchin. 

Sexual Content  

  • The holy man, Gregory Rasputin, was accused of molesting “numerous women—maids, noble women, even nuns. And according to one member of Rasputin’s family, the report contained obscene photographs.” Tsar Nicholas did not believe the rumors. 

Violence  

  • Since the book covers both World War I, the Russian Revolution, the civil war, and the tsars’ violence, not every instance of violence is documented below. 
  • In 1881, a man “hurled a bomb at the imperial carriage. Miraculously, [Tsar Alexander] went uninjured, but many in his retinue were not as lucky.”  
  • When Tsar Alexander stepped out of the carriage to help people, a second bomb was thrown. “This one landed between his feet. An explosion of fire and shrapnel tore away Alexander’s left leg, ripped open his abdomen, and mangled his face.” He was taken to the palace, where he died. 
  • A peasant boy was afraid of his father, who often got drunk. “He would drink to the point where he was seriously ill, and there were even occasions when he was close to death. . .” While drunk, the boy’s father “fell upon my unfortunate mother. . . [I] prevented him from beating her. This. . . usually ended up with Father beating me up as well.”  
  • When the new tsar, Nicholas, was to be sworn in, hundreds of thousands of peasants attended. “Panic broke out. . . The crowd pushed forward, eager to grab their share [of food and gifts]. Some wooden planks that had been placed over several deep ditches gave way. Men, women, and children tripped and fell. Unable to rise in the mass of pushing, shoving bodies, they were trampled, crushed, suffocated.” Approximately 1,400 people died. Later, the tsar wrote a letter to his mother detailing his plans to “crush the rebellion by sheer force. . . and that would mean rivers of blood. 
  • The working class and the peasants suffered from terrible working conditions and a lack of food. They protested, hoping that Nicholas would intervene. Instead, soldiers fired on the crowd. “Bullets shredded the flags, and icons, and portraits of Nicholas. Bodies fell to the snow-covered ground. . . When the shooting stopped, between 150 and 200 men, women, and children lay dead. Between 450 and 800 were wounded.” This event is known as Bloody Sunday. 
  • On the day the October Manifesto was proclaimed, the Russian government promised reforms, including the right to peacefully demonstrate. Additionally, many political prisoners were released from prison. Moscow workers marched in the streets. A mob of supporters of the tsar, called the Black Hundred, attacked the Moscow workers and newly freed prisoners. “The mob pulled out knives and brass knuckles. Within minutes, the workers’ triumph turned to terror as they were slashed and beaten. . . When the attack was over, one of the prisoners lay dead, and dozens more were injured.”  
  • The Black Hundred continued to attack people, and the most vicious attacks were perpetrated against the Jews. “Russian subjects, provoked by the Black Hundred, rose up against their Jewish neighbors, burning homes, looting shops and synagogues, and murdering innocent men, women, and children. . . government officials looked the other way.” 
  • On Easter Sunday, a leaflet “printed under the supervision of Nicholas’s minister of the interior and paid for with the tsar’s money” was given to people. The leaflet said, “Let us massacre these. . . monsters.” Monsters referred to Jews in this letter. The Christian attack lasted three days. “When peace was finally restored, fifty-seven Jews (including two babies and a twelve-year-old) lay dead, and five hundred more were wounded.” Jewish homes and businesses were destroyed. When told of the deaths, Tsar Nicholas said, “Good. The Jews need to be taught a lesson.” 
  • One Jewish person wrote about the Easter Sunday riots. One group of people, including “the glazier Grienschpoun” hid in an outhouse. “The rioters rushed for the shed. . . A neighbor . . . was the first to stab the glazier in the neck. . . they finished him off with sticks and clubs.”  
  • To get away from the mob, three Jews named Chiaia, Macklin and Berlatsky climbed onto a roof. “Finally all three were tripped over the edge of the roof. Chiaia fell on a pole of feathers . . . escaped with her life. The wounded Macklin and Berlatsky lay writhing with broken limbs on the pavement, where the cowardly crowd finished them off with crowbars.” The event is described over three pages. 
  • The tsar’s police arrested the leader of the Soviets, who was against the autocracy. Russian peasants and workers protested by barricading their section of town. Nicholas deployed a fighting unit. “The tsar’s troops were ruthless. Bringing up artillery, they bombarded the workers’ section until the whole district was nothing but smoldering rubble. . . Their orders were to shoot anyone who had not already fled. Men, women, and children were systematically mowed down. . . More than a thousand people had been killed, and thousands more were injured.”  
  • World War I started when a terrorist “calmly stepped out in front of Archduke Ferdinand’s car during the prince’s ceremonial visit to the city of Sarajevo. . . fired twice. The archduke’s wife, Sophie, instantly crumbled, and blood gushed from the archduke’s neck.” Both died. 
  • During World War I, Alexandra and her two oldest daughters became nurses so they could help wounded soldiers. One person wrote, “I have seen the empress of Russia assisting in the most difficult operations, taking from the hands of busy surgeons amputated legs and arms, removing bloody and vermin-ridden field dressings, enduring all the sights and smells and agonies of the most dreadful of all places, a military hospital in the midst of a war.” 
  • Rasputin had become so powerful that some believed he was the puppet master, making decisions for Nicholas and Alexandra. Three nobles—Yusupov, Purishkevich, and Pavolvich—decided to assassinate him. Yusupov shot Rasputin in the back. They thought Rasputin was dead, but he wasn’t. 
  • Rasputin staggered “to his feet, his mouth foaming, [he] lunged at his would-be murderer. His long, bony fingers dug like steel claws into the prince’s shoulders. Terror-stricken, Yusupov struggled to break free from the death grip.” Yusupov fled. 
  • Rasputin attempted to flee. Purishkevich said, “I fired [at Rasputin]. . . I missed. I fired again. Again I missed. . . I fired a third time. The bullet hit him in the shoulder. . . I fired a fourth time and hit him in the head.” The three nobles cut a hole in the ice and put Rasputin’s body in a river. The book contains a picture of Rasputin’s dead body.  
  • A group of men took the Romanov family and their servants into a basement. The family thought they were going into the basement for their safety. They were lined up in two rows. Chief executioner of Emperor Nicholas II, Yakov Yurovsky, “jerked the Colt pistol from his pocket. . . He shot the tsar. Nicholas crumpled to the floor just as the other men raised their guns and fired. Alexandra died as she tried to cross herself.” 
  • The Romanov children had hidden so many jewels in their clothing that they were essentially bulletproof. “Incredibly, bullets aimed directly at both the girls’ and Alexei’s chest merely bounced off and jumped about the room like hail.” 
  • Alexei couldn’t run. His chair tipped over. “He moaned and clutched his father’s arm. Minutes later, Yurovsky shot him in the head.” 
  • The girls tried to escape. “Crawling through the thick cloud of gun smoke that now filled the room, [the girls] searched frantically for a way out. Only their outlines could be seen, and the men began firing randomly at anything that moved. . . Olga and Tatiana, arms around each other, huddled in a corner. Bullets soon took their lives.” 
  • Marie and Anastasia “pressed themselves together. Both girls screamed for their mother. The murderers moved forward. They slashed at the ‘Little Par’ with bayonets before silencing them both with gunshots.” The bodies were hidden in the Koptyaki Forest.

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • During many of the royal parties, alcohol such as champagne, cognac, and wine was served. 
  • Occasionally, the book describes men as being drunk. For example, many of the poor became drunkards. Many of the poor would go to “the neighborhood tavern, they tried to drown their misery by squandering precious kopecks on cheap vodka and watered-down beer.” 
  • While in the military, Nicholas “focused on what he enjoyed most — laughing and partying with his fellow officers.” Once, he got so “stewed” that “the Officers carried [him] out.”  
  • While pregnant, Empress Alexandra drank “bitter herbal concoctions,” “prayed,” and “even bathed in the moonlight” in the hopes that this would allow her to have a son. However, she delivered another daughter. 
  • According to Rasputin’s security detail, the holy man did not always act holy. “Rasputin took part in a drinking party with some [college] students. . . A musician struck up, and there was singing, and Rasputin danced with a maid-servant.” Rasputin was often seen “dead drunk.” 
  • To kill Rasputin, his assassins “plied [him] with wine that they thought was laced with cyanide.” Later, the assassins learned that the wine was not poisoned.  
  • When the Romanov family was exiled, they packed “vials of holy water; boxes of smelling salts; laxatives, morphine, and even a year’s supply of bath oil and cologne.” 

Language  

  • The tsar Nicholas derisively called Jews “the Yids” and encouraged people to attack them. Nicholas said, “[They] must be put in their place.” 
  • When Nicholas realizes that he will be executed, he says, “Lord, oh, my God! Oh, my God!”

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • For the Romanov family, religion was a daily part of their lives and appeared often. Because of this, not every reference is below.  
  • The poor did not feel guilty about stealing food from the wealthy people’s forest. They believed, “God grew the forest for everyone.” 
  • The Romanovs believed that “God had given them this power, had chosen them to rule the Russian people. As God’s representative on earth, they maintained, the tsar should be left to run the country according to his own ideas of duty and right.”  
  • The tsar had two restrictions. “He had to abide by the teachings of the Russian Orthodox Church. . . and he had to follow the laws of succession.” 
  • After her mother died, Empress Alexandra became “obsessed with God and the afterlife.” 
  • After a peasant boy’s mother died, he was distressed because he fell asleep before he could read the Psalter forty times. “According to popular belief . . . you have to read the entire Psalter forty times over to [send a soul to Heaven.]” 
  • To marry Nicholas, Empress Alexandra had to convert from Lutheranism to Russian Orthodoxy, a branch of Christianity. “To toss [being Lutheran] aside would, she believed, be an insult to God.” Finally, after much prayer, Empress Alexandra decided, “She wouldn’t really be changing faiths, she reasoned. She would merely be changing the way she expressed that faith.” 
  • Alexei, Nicholas’s son, had Hemophilia. “Nicholas believed Alexei’s illness was God’s will, and so he accepted it passively. ‘My own fate, and that of my family are in the hands of Almighty God,’ he said.”  
  • Empress Alexandra collected icons. “Believing, as the Church taught, that God and the saints helped and healed people through these icons, she surrounded herself with them, then spent hours each day on her knees in prayer. She also began putting her faith in so-called holy men—hermits, soothsayers, wandering monks, and faith healers. They were, she believed, a direct link to God.” 
  • Empress Alexandra thought that the Russian Orthodox Church “believed in seers, holy men, martyrs, and living saints as well as visions, miracles, and speaking in tongues. . . It had [been] taught that God often blessed ordinary men with the divine ability to heal bodies and souls, in addition to the ability to act as spiritual guides to the rich and powerful.” 
  • Even though Empress Alexandra believed a daughter was a “miracle of God,” she prayed “before icons, begging God for the miracle of a son.” 
  • Empress Alexandra was introduced to “Dr.” Philippe by relatives who “dabbled in the occult, the two were notorious for the midnight seances. . . both women believed in a host of psychic phenomena—ghosts, astrology, even magic.” It was believed that “Dr.” Philippe could “heal the sick by chanting, predict the future by praying and make himself invisible just by donning a magic hat.” 
  • “Dr.” Philippe told Empress Alexandra that she would have a son if she “Prayed to Seraphim of Sarov.” Three months later, Alexandra was pregnant. “She was convinced it was because of ‘Dr.’ Philippe. He had interceded with the Almighty on her behalf, and God blessed her. This event cemented her belief in mysticism.” 
  • Nicholas believed “God’s will must always be accepted without complaint. After all, everything that happened in life was God’s will, so it was pointless to question the meaning of events.” 
  • However, Alexei’s illness made Alexandra question God. “But after she’d waited so long and prayed so hard, why had God allowed this terrible thing to happen?” She believed that Alexei’s illness was because of her “unworthiness.” To become holier, “She began to pray longer and harder, spending hours on her knees in the palace chapel. . . She covered the walls of the nursery, and even baby Alexei’s crib, with hundreds of icons and religious images.” 
  • When the working class and the poor began to rebel, the tsar believed that he was not the problem. Instead, “It was the fact that people had turned against the autocracy and their holy tsar. ‘We have sinned. . . and God is punishing us,’ he said. Therefore, strikes were not a sign that the country needed democratic reform. Rather, they were God’s way of telling the country it needed an even stricter autocracy.” 
  • Because a peasant’s life was so hard, when an infant died, a common saying was, “Thank goodness the Lord thought better of it!” 
  • Gregory Rasputin was a peasant farmer who “claimed to see a vision from God.” He left his family and went to a monastery in Greece. When he returned, “he declared himself to be what Russians called a starets—a holy man.” Some believed he was a healer and a prophet. Empress Alexandra put her faith in Rasputin and often followed his advice. 
  • After the prime minister was assassinated. Alexandra believed this proved that “Those who offend [Rasputin] may no longer count on divine protection.” 
  • During the three hundredth anniversary of Romanov rule, the royal family threw a jubilee. During the ceremony, they saw two doves circling overhead. Nicholas and Alexandra believed this was a religious sign. Nicholas said it was “a symbol that the blessings of God, after three centuries, continue to rest on the Romanov[s].” 
  • Orthodox Church outside of Russia “largely ignored [Tsar Nicholas’s] anti-Semitism, poor leadership, and brutal suppression of his subjects.” The church wanted to declare the family “martyred saints.” The Orthodox Church outside of Russia did not agree. Three pages discuss the conflict. 

American Dog: Brave

Dylan’s life is changing. Ever since middle school started, his friend Jaxon hasn’t been the friend Dylan thought he was. With his dad overseas and his mother working, Dylan doesn’t know who to turn to. After a particularly bad hurricane, Dylan stumbles upon a stray dog, starved and scared, and decides to take him home. Dylan names the dog Brave and begs his mom to keep him. Dylan’s mom proposes a plan: either Dylan takes Brave to the pound or spends his after-school hours training him. If Brave isn’t trained in a few days, he’ll go to the pound. Brave suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, and any kind of loud sound sends him into a destructive panic, so Dylan has his work cut out for him. 

Dylan finds himself asking Grace Garcia, a fellow classmate and a rancher’s kid, for help. Growing up on a ranch, Grace has plenty of experience with animals, especially with training dogs. However, Dylan and Jaxon weren’t nice to Grace in the past. The only way she will help Dylan is if he works on her family’s ranch and experiences what it’s like to put in hard work—a far cry from making fun of her and her family as he’s done in the past. Along the way, Dylan learns how much better things can be when he’s honest and has supportive friends who accept him for who he is. Brave has a very long way to go in his recovery, but Dylan and Grace are determined to keep him in a loving home. Dylan is convinced that the storm brought Brave to him for a reason. 

Dylan is a sweet protagonist who’s trying to find his way in the world. He’s young and naïve, but over the course of the story, he finds the strength to stand up to bullies and refuses to give up when all seems lost. His development is well-executed, and he is a protagonist readers can root for. They can especially root for Brave’s recovery and Dylan and Brave’s budding relationship. The story itself is a little two-dimensional. For example, Jaxon’s character development feels thin and hasty instead of careful and thorough. Jaxon is a textbook bully, with obvious issues of his own, but the second Brave and Dylan show him kindness when they don’t have to, he learns the error of ways, which is quite unrealistic. His redemption arc is virtually non-existent.  

While the ending is sweet, the story’s conflict is resolved too quickly and simply for what it is. It doesn’t feel like the characters go through enough to properly reach the ending they receive. Putting this aside, the story is entertaining and will inspire younger readers. In addition, Dylan is a good role model for kids trying to figure out how to cope with change. The setting is well-described and evokes the Wild West. The language is simple and explains Brave’s PTSD in a way that is easy for younger readers to understand. The book might make readers feel brave as it encourages them to care for animals when they’re in need.  

Readers who enjoy loyal animals and inspiring moments of bravery will love the heartwarming recovery of Brave, the true friendship between Grace and Dylan, and the fun Texas setting. This book demonstrates the power of quiet, loyal support that animals provide for human mental health. Dylan is an inspiring character who grows when challenged, learning his own moral principles and the importance of discipline and responsibility as he matures. Brave helps Dylan find his way and Dylan helps Brave heal. Overall, this is a good story with a beautiful message: the best friends are always there when you need them, especially when you take care of them in return. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • There is some bullying. Dylan’s friend Jaxon is the main culprit, and Dylan is often either the victim or a bystander. For example, after his first adventure with Jaxon, Dylan describes Jaxon’s behavior: “With his new status, Jaxon had been pushing boundaries lately, as Dylan’s mom would call it—asking Dylan to stay out late, skipping his homework, and thinking up elaborate pranks. Dylan liked having fun, and Jaxon always acted like whatever he had in mind was going to be the most fun thing ever. And if Dylan or one of the other guys hesitated, Jaxon was quick to tease them in front of everyone else.” 
  • When Jaxon pressures Dylan to throw water balloons at cars as an after-school activity, the pair cause a car to veer off the road and Brave to run off. “Then it all happened at once. The pickup truck screeched to a sudden stop, its nose pulling hard to the right. Brave flinched at the sound and backed away from the railing, barking like mad, then shot off the bridge and down the street. And Dylan saw the driver of the truck rolling down the window so he could find the source of the object that had just hit his car.” The driver isn’t injured, and Brave is soon found. 
  • While out looking for Brave during a storm, Jaxon finds himself in danger. He slips and falls into a flash flood. Brave rescues him, mostly unharmed. “All of a sudden, Brave broke through the surface, paddling and kicking hard and pulling Jaxon by the sleeve. Jaxon took a huge gulp of air and flailed his hands around until he got ahold of the log bridge. He pulled himself up onto it as Brave scrambled up next to him, his claws scratching at the wood.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Phrases like “you suck” and “darn it” appear frequently. 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Kate Schuyler 

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

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

Language 

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

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Supernatural Content 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

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

by Nicholas Paragano 

Louder Than Words

What happens when your fresh start depends on keeping your worst mistakes buried? Jordyn Jones is about to find out. She made mistakes in her first couple of years of high school—mistakes she and her friends desperately want to forget. Yet on her first day at Edgewood High, everybody already seems to know who she is and that she was expelled from her previous school. Luckily for Jordyn, she makes new friends who give her the benefit of the doubt. She meets a cute soccer player, Zay, who likes art as much as she does. She helps a new friend run for student body president, and life begins to improve. That is, until the school’s anonymous podcast, Tomcat Tea, reveals some harmful secrets and rumors about Edgewood students—many of whom are Jordyn’s friends. 

Some of the rumors are true, while others are lies, including the rumor that Zay uses performance-enhancing drugs that could affect his college scholarship. To redeem herself for past mistakes, Jordyn decides to hunt down the podcaster and stop the harm from spreading. Jordyn’s quest to create a culture of acceptance throws her into the spotlight—and earns her dangerous enemies. As the tension builds and the podcast continues, Jordyn risks her happiness to bring down the podcaster. But what she did at her old school is too hideous for anyone to know, and the more she challenges the podcaster, the more the mysterious online character threatens to reveal Jordyn’s past. Secrets will come out; the only question is when. 

Jordyn is an inspiring protagonist who tries to make amends for her mistakes through both words and actions. Her bravery in risking her own secrets to save everyone else’s is admirable and makes the reader root earnestly for her. On the school wall, she paints a mural that encourages students to anonymously reveal their own secrets, taking power away from the podcaster. However, Jordyn’s new friends feel two-dimensional and quickly abandon her when bad news comes out, showing they lack the loyalty real friends would show. They ostracize her and barely give her a chance to explain herself. Some of this may be attributed to teenagers’ fickleness, but their automatic distrust of Jordyn feels flat and underdeveloped. That said, this is the book’s only flaw. Overall, Louder Than Words is endearing and entertaining. 

Readers who enjoy scandalous secrets, high school mysteries, and proud revolutions will love the lengths Jordyn goes to change the culture at Edgewood High. The book navigates the themes of redemption and secrets realistically, and Jordyn’s path makes it easy for the reader to empathize with her. Jordyn is a likable character who encourages students to be honest with themselves and each other. Louder Than Words points out that acceptance takes time and that teenagers need to adapt to betrayals and hard truths slowly to best process them. The book is full of second chances and heartwarming moments of acceptance. The ending and the twist revealing the podcaster’s identity make the story worth reading. There are mentions of suicide and bullying, but Jordyn and her fellow students work hard to eliminate the bullying around them. This book is a must-read because of its strong protagonist, fun twists, and strong message: secrets don’t define who you are, and acceptance and redemption are possible when you’re brave enough to pursue them. 

Sexual Content  

  • After cheering for him at a soccer game, Jordyn and Zay kiss. Jordyn describes the event, “I’m leaning in, closing my eyes, pressing my lips against his. Our mouths are warm, but he somehow tastes minty and cool, and I immediately want more. When I grab for his shirt to pull him closer, I can feel him smiling without breaking contact, which makes me smile too, our joy as brilliant as the light that was just all around us and exploding within this unexpected kiss. My arms float up and I cup the back of his head. He grips my hip, almost lifting me into his lap.” The scene ends without further description of the kiss.  
  • After this, all other sexual content in this book is limited to one sentence-descriptions of kissing. Jordyn and Zay kiss a couple of times, but the description is light. For example, during their date, Jordyn goes “up on [her] tiptoes to kiss Zay in the middle of the mess [they] made together.” As Zay tells Jordyn about his ex, he mentions that he “just kissed her.”  

Violence  

  • In a flashback, Jordyn remembers being a bystander to bullying at her old school. Her former friends, Elise, Yasmine, and Lilly, would bully a girl named Aubrey. “When Aubrey opened the door of her stall to attempt an escape, Lilly tossed more than half [a] container [of makeup] in her direction. The tawny powder caked Aubrey’s thin hair, face, and white collared top instantly, sticking thanks to the water, making her look like she’d just been unearthed, dug up like a fossil; probably ruining her uniform for good. Elise smiled maliciously.” 
  • In another flashback, after Jordyn and her former friends find out about Aubrey’s attempted suicide, Jordyn responds to Elise, who blames Jordyn for the entire thing. Jordyn points out that it was mostly Elise’s fault, and things get physical. “So, [Jordyn] grabbed [Elise’s] wrist, just to get her to turn around and see that [Jordyn] wasn’t going to let [Elise] get away with lying. But as soon as [Jordyn] touched her, [Elise] flipped out, shook [Jordyn] off, and pushed [Jordyn], hard. And [Jordyn] fell backward into the door. The handle dug into [Jordyn’s] back, and it hurt like hell. When [Jordyn] recovered, [she] punched [Elise] right in the face. Gave [Elise] a black eye.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • The podcast, Tomcat Tea, spread a rumor about Zay. “Word on the street is that Zay is using performance-enhancing drugs, among others as well.” The rumor is false, but this sparks a conversation about drugs and drug testing.  
  • Under extreme stress, Jordyn confesses to her aunt that being a bystander to bullying made her partially responsible for a girl’s suicide attempt. When Jordyn found out about the attempt, “[my former friends and I] were all crowded into Principal Valentine’s office, just standing there, and Dean Murphy just said it so casually. He’s like, ‘Aubrey Day was found unconscious in her room last night. She’d taken an entire bottle of her mother’s painkillers. She’d written a note.’” Aubrey survived, and there is no further mention of pills.  

Language    

  • Language includes frequent profanity such as hell, damn, and asshole. 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Kate Schuyler 

What Were the Twin Towers?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Madeline Hettrick 

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute

Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He’s a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes. . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.
 
Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption—yet she’s still not cool enough for the popular kids’ table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that’s how Celine sees it.)

These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So, when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed. . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship? 

Celine Bangura and Bradley Graeme were once best friends, but their relationship fractured when Brad joined the soccer team and embraced a new social circle. Now Celine’s life revolves around two goals: beat Brad academically and become a corporate lawyer to outdo the father who abandoned her family. When she learns about Katherine Breakspeare’s elite leadership program—where winners gain admission to any university—Celine sees her path forward. 

Brad, meanwhile, secretly envies Celine’s passion and her mother’s support. While everyone sees him as the perfect student destined for law school, he dreams of becoming a writer. His family can’t support a struggling artist, and his father insists on law school. But the Breakspeare program offers something Brad desperately needs: free tuition to pursue his own dreams. 

The parallel structure of their goals—both chasing the same prize for opposite reasons—creates compelling dramatic irony. While Celine runs toward law to prove something to an absent father, Brad runs toward anything but law to escape a present one. This reversal highlights how parental pressure manifests differently: abandonment can drive ambition just as forcefully as overbearing expectations. 

As the competition unfolds, Brad and Celine discover unexpected common ground. They forge new friendships, rebuild their old connection, and eventually develop something deeper. Both characters are interesting, complex characters who are flawed in ways that make them relatable and easy to root for. Their journey from enemies to something more feels authentic and earned.  

The wilderness survival program serves as more than just a romantic backdrop—it’s a leveling ground where social hierarchies dissolve, and both characters must confront who they are without their usual armor. Stripped of Brad’s perfect-student persona and Celine’s defensive competitiveness, they rediscover the people they were before external pressures shaped them. 

The book is well-written with clear, accessible language and satisfying character development. However, the story suffers from too many location changes that are difficult to track, and the transition from the Breakspeare program to the characters’ everyday lives feels rushed. 

Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers dynamics, ambitious protagonists, and competitive banter will find much to love here. Beyond the romance, Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute teaches about independence and self-definition. By showing two teenagers trapped by different forms of parental influence—one by absence, one by presence—the novel highlights that living authentically requires rejecting others’ scripts for your life, whether written by those who leave or those who stay. In the end, Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute delivers a meaningful message: live for yourself, not for others, and pursue what truly matters to you. 

Sexual Content  

  • After Brad realizes his romantic feelings for Celine, he works up the nerve to confess. Celine kisses him. “Then [Celine] very gently presses her lips to [Brad’s]—only for a second, the single softest second of [his] life. An electric shock runs from [his] head to [his] toes and [he’s] vibrating with it. . . [then he kisses] her. Longer. Harder. [Celine’s] mouth is warm and silky and her breaths come quick. [Brad’s] brain falls out of [his] head. She holds [his] wrist again, and [he] can feel [his] pulse against her fingers, and it is very fast.” They kiss a couple more times, but this is the most detailed description.  
  • While discussing the other high schoolers who have been eliminated from the Breakspeare program, Celine’s friend Aurora tells the remaining teens that she “heard [one of the eliminated teens] was caught last expedition having sex with someone in the laundry room. Apparently, they used a Mars bar wrapper and a rubber band as protection.” 
  • Brad notices Celine more after they kiss. During one of the expeditions, he notes, “her Breakspeare-issued rucksack is doing magnificent things to her boobs.” 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • In order to throw a proper eighteenth birthday party for her new friend, Aurora, Celine has Brad acquire alcohol for the party. While there are a couple of minors at the party, this story takes place in the United Kingdom, where most kids are of drinking age. Celine describes the layout of the party, “One of the beds is covered in cans of Coke and Sprite and packets of popcorn, and on the desk, there is a single can of gin and tonic beside a Tupperware box.” Aurora is the one to have the gin and tonic, but a couple of the other teens have a sip. 
  • While Brad is in the hospital after falling down a hill, his father is concerned about Brad’s pain. His father yells, “CAN WE GET SOME MORE PAINKILLERS FOR MY SON, PLEASE?” After Brad gets out of the hospital, there are a couple more references to him still taking painkillers.  

Language  

  • Profanity is used frequently and includes fuck, dick, shit, crap, and arse. 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • In Celine and Brad’s philosophy class, their professor tells them, “As you can see, we’re beginning with arguments for and against the existence of the god of classical theism.” 
  • Religion comes up again in philosophy class. Celine describes how “Mr. Taylor tells [them] all about C. S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

Cameron Battle and the Escape Trials

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

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

Supernatural  

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

Spiritual Content  

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

by Kate Schuyler 

Pocket Bear

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

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

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Christopher Columbus and the Americas

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

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

Which Way to the Wild West?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn’t Tell You About America’s Westward Expansion

1805: Explorer William Clark reaches the Pacific Ocean and pens the badly spelled line “Ocian in view! O! the joy!” (Hey, he was an explorer, not a spelling bee champion!) 

1836: Mexican general Santa Anna surrounds the Alamo, trapping 180 Texans inside and prompting Texan William Travis to declare, “I shall never surrender or retreat.” 

1846: A band of travelers, including the soon-to-be notorious Donner family, becomes trapped in the Sierra Nevada, forcing them to decide whether it is better to eat each other or starve to death in the snow. 

1861: Two railroad companies, one starting in the West and one in the East, start a race to lay the most track and create a transcontinental railroad. 

Get the feeling the world’s changing quickly? Welcome to the thrilling, tragic, and downright wild adventure of America’s westward expansion. 

Which Way to the Wild West? covers Western Expansion in 11 chapters and is jam-packed with information that will leave some readers’ heads spinning, even though each chapter is broken into smaller sections with clear titles like “Santa Anna Does It Again.” The book covers a vast cast of historical figures, including future presidents, religious leaders, and commoners. While all this information will thrill history buffs, other readers won’t have enough stamina to keep track of the rapid change of topics. 

Many books that discuss the founding of America gloss over the violence that permeated throughout early America. Which Way to the Wild West? isn’t shy about showing how immigrants’ greed for land and gold shaped the country and negatively affected minorities and Indigenous people. For Indigenous people, the gold rush was “like an invasion.” The miners drove away the deer and game that they relied on for food. “They chopped down forests and polluted salmon streams. When some Native Americans tried to join the search for gold, they were violently driven away from good mining spots.” To make matters worse, “newcomers brought new diseases that devastated the native villages.”  

Many readers will be shocked at the Americans’ cruelty when it comes to the Native Americans. To force the Plains Indians off their land, the U.S. government supported buffalo hunters because “once there were no more buffalo to hunt, Plains Indians would no longer be able to roam freely across the plains. Unable to live their traditional way of life, they’d be forced to settle down on reservations.” When this plan did not work, the U.S. military slaughtered Indigenous women and children. In the end, many Native American leaders—Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Chief Joseph—could not win against the U.S. military, and their way of life ended. To learn more about the Native Americans’ struggle to keep their land, read Native American Heroes: Osceola, Tecumseh, & Cochise. 

The founding of America was only made possible because of violence, greed, and broken promises. Which Way to the Wild West? discusses the events in a matter-of-fact tone that often uses humor. Despite this, many of the quotes from primary sources show the gravity of the situation. For example, soldiers killed many of the Lakota people who were unarmed. One soldier said, “It was a thing to melt the heart of a man, if it was of stone.” 

Western Expansion ended when all of the Indigenous people were forced onto reservations, the cowboys retired, and the land was divided and fenced “into farms, and ranches and towns.” By the end of the book, readers will have a better understanding of how Western Expansion shaped the country in both positive and negative ways. Readers who want to learn more about American history can also read the fiction books Will’s Race for Home, In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse and Alamo All Stars. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • The book contains many deaths due to animals, accidental shootings, and murder. The deaths that are not described in detail have been omitted from the list below. 
  • James Beckworth, a mountain man, was attacked by a grizzly. “The bear smacked Smith around like a doll, smashing several of his ribs. Then it took Smith’s head in its teeth and shook him back and forth. . . The scalp had been ripped from Smith’s skull. One ear was hanging on by a twisted strip of skin.” Someone sewed the ear back on, and “Smith’s ear stayed on.” 
  • During the Alamo, the Texans surrendered. “Santa Anna’s soldiers killed all 183 Texas soldiers—stabbing many of them with bayonets after they had surrendered. . .” The Mexican soldiers defeated another town. “Mexican soldiers marched the prisoners to an open field, shot and bayonetted all of them, and set the bodies on fire.”  
  • After the Alamo, the Texans attacked the Mexicans and surprised them. After the attack, “It took Houston’s officers a while to get the Texans to stop killing Mexican soldiers. When it was all over, nearly six hundred Mexicans were dead compared with only nine Texans.” 
  • While the Donner party was in the desert, two of the men fought. “A man named John Snyder attacked James Reed with a whip. Reed stabbed Snyder, killing him.” Reed was kicked out of the group but survived.  
  • The Donner Party took a cutoff and was snowed in at Donner Lake. “Fifteen of the strongest members of the party” went for help but got lost. “Someone brought up the question on everyone’s mind: Should they kill and eat one member of the group in order to save the others?” They didn’t kill anyone, but when one of them died, “They cut the flesh from the bodies, roasted it, and ate it.” Only seven of them made it out of the mountain alive. 
  • Marcus and Narcissa Witmore were missionaries. When the Cayuse Indians began to die of disease, they killed Marcus. Then, the Cayuse men attacked other settlers. “Then a bullet came through the window, piercing Mrs. Witmore’s shoulder. . . Clasping her hands to the wound, she shrieked with pain and then fell to the floor.” The orphans whom the Witmores were caring for had to hide in the attic. Thirteen people died. Later, “The Cayuse men were tried for murder, found guilty, and hanged.” 
  • A Mexican miner named Joaquin Murrieta was accused of stealing horses and mules. When the Americans confronted him, they “pulled Murrieta off the horse, tied him up, and dragged him to his brother’s cabin. They wrapped a rope around his brother’s neck and hanged him from a tree. Then they tied Murrieta to the same tree and whipped him while his brother’s body swung back and forth from the branch above.” 
  • Murrieta survived and went on a killing spree, killing the men who had attacked him. “The governor of California offered a five-thousand-dollar reward for his capture.” A group of men “cut off Joaquin’s head, put it in a jar of brandy, brought it back to town, and charged people a dollar to see it.” No one was really sure if it was actually Joaquin’s head in the jar. 
  • Wilson was carrying mail for the pony express when Indians attacked him. Wilson was shot in the head with an arrow. “His friends tried to pull out the arrow, but the pointed stone stuck fast in his skull.” Wilson’s friend thought he would die, so they left him under a tree. When they returned, “Wilson lay unconscious for the next eighteen days” but he survived.   
  • As more settlers moved into the Indians’ land, tension mounted. “A group of Indian warriors killed a family of four in Colorado. Furious settlers brought the bodies into Denver and put them on display.” John Chivington, an army officer, led seven hundred soldiers to a Cheyenne camp that was primarily composed of women and children. Chivington told his men: “Kill and scalp all, big and little.”  
  • Chivington and his men attacked at night. “The Cheyenne fighters were nearly surrounded by American soldiers and were slowly driven out of their camp.” Some U.S. soldiers were “killing women and children, cutting off their scalps, and slicing up their bodies.” The death toll was over one thousand. Despite conducting a “dastardly massacre,” Chivington was not punished. 
  • Crazy Horse and his warriors wanted to attack a fort, so they waited for soldiers to come out to collect firewood. “Crazy Horse retreated to the top of a hill, trying to tempt Fetterman [a soldier] into attacking him. . . Fetterman led his men on a charge up the hill—and right into Crazy Horse’s trap. . . In less than thirty minutes of brutal combat, Fetterman and all his men were killed. About two hundred Indian fighters were killed or wounded as well.”  
  • The railroad companies hired Chinese men to do dangerous work that often ended in death. For example, men set off dynamite to dig through the mountain. “Chinese bodies flew from the cave as if shot from a cannon. Blood and flesh were mixed in a horrible mess.” Ten men died in that explosion.  
  • Two girls killed their stepmother “by pouring melted lead into her ears.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • A man was called “Big Drunk” because he was tall and often drunk. 
  • During a battle between the Mexicans and Americans, some of the soldiers seized someone’s brandy and “downed it in quick gulps.” 
  • During the California gold rush, “the price for a glass of whiskey was one pinch of gold dust.” 
  • When a man became ill, he was given brandy. 
  • Railroad inspectors were given whiskey. One inspector got really drunk, and when the inspector woke up, “he gave his official approval to the tracks.” When the tracks were completed, “there was a great abundance of champagne.” 

Language  

  • An adult uses “Great God” as an exclamation. 
  • A miner told his wife, “I am willing to stand [the hard work of mining] to make enough to get us a home, and so I can be independent of some of the darned [censored] that felt themselves above me because I was poor.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • The first women to travel to Oregon were two missionary wives. Their goal was to teach Christianity to the natives. 
  • Some settlers believed in manifest destiny and that all the land should be theirs. “Some were convinced that God wanted it that way—that it was God’s plan to have the American style of democracy spread across the continent to the Pacific Ocean.” 
  • When the two railroads were connected, a gold spike was set in place. The spike had an inscription: “May God continue the unity of our country as the railroads unite the two great oceans of the world.” 
  • The Nez Perce believed that “We came from the earth, and our bodies must go back to the earth, our mother.” They also believed the Great Spirit made the world.  

Seeds of Hope: The Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

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

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

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

Language  

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

Supernatural 

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

Spiritual Content  

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

What is the Constitution?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Madeline Hettrick 

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

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

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

Readers will meet: 

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

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

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

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

I Am George Washington

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Abigail Clark 

Rebellion 1776

In the spring of 1776, thirteen-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper wakes to the sound of cannons. It’s the Siege of Boston, the Patriots’ massive drive to push the Loyalists out that turns the city into a chaotic war zone. Elsbeth’s father—her only living relative—has gone missing, leaving her alone and adrift in a broken town while desperately seeking employment to avoid the orphanage.

Just when things couldn’t feel worse, the smallpox epidemic sweeps across Boston. Now, Bostonians must fight for their lives against an invisible enemy in addition to the visible one. While a treatment is being frantically fine-tuned, thousands of people rush in from the countryside begging for inoculation. At the same time, others refuse protection, for the treatment is crude at best and at times more dangerous than the disease itself.

Elsbeth, who had smallpox as a small child and is now immune, finds work taking care of a large, wealthy family with discord of their own as they await a turn at inoculation. But as the epidemic and the revolution rage on, will she find her father? 

Rebellion 1776 gives readers a unique perspective on how the revolution affected ordinary people’s lives. Readers will sympathize with many characters, especially those thrust into difficult situations through no fault of their own. Since the book is told from Elsbeth’s point of view, it reveals how perilous her life is as a parentless, penniless girl. Though smart and strong, Elsbeth’s fear drives her to dishonesty and manipulation. She knows that without employment, she will lose both food and shelter—with no one to turn to for help. 

The story thrusts readers into revolutionary Boston, showing what life was like for women, children, and servants. After the Patriots surround Boston, Elsbeth believes her life will return to normal. However, her father disappears, and her master leaves the city. To survive, Elsbeth agrees to work for the Pike family, where she milks cows, scrubs floors, cares for children, and performs endless chores before collapsing into bed each night. Elsbeth’s mundane existence is reflected in the book’s slow pace, leaving both her and the reader anticipating what crisis will strike next. 

Since the book centers on both Elsbeth and the Pike family, a large cast of characters appears, many only briefly. This prevents readers from connecting with most supporting characters. However, the Pikes’ ward, Hannah, befriends Elsbeth, and their friendship provides perspective on women’s treatment during the period. Mrs. Pike and her long-term servant similarly highlight how women lacked control over their lives. Despite these constraints, Elsbeth and Hannah dream of making their own choices, a desire readers will empathize with. 

Smallpox drives much of the story, and Elsbeth often reflects on losing her mother and siblings to the disease. When the Pike family is inoculated, Elsbeth cares for them during their recovery. Hannah, believing she had survived smallpox as a child, discovers she was misinformed and contracts the disease. The progression of her illness and subsequent death may be traumatic for some readers. 

Rebellion 1776 will captivate readers who enjoy historical fiction or want to learn more about the American Revolution. The story’s slow pace and large cast make it best suited for strong readers already interested in the period. Elsbeth’s story shows how smallpox destroys families but ends hopefully—Elsbeth reunites with her father and receives the opportunity to fulfill her dream of becoming a seamstress. 

Sexual Content  

  • Elsbeth’s closest friend Shubel joins the military. Before he leaves, the two say goodbye. “I looked deep into the turnip’s eyes, and he looked into mine. . . and by the time we blinked, we’d become close in such a dazzling manner that I swear sparks were shooting from our fingertips.” Later, the two get married. 

Violence  

  • Elsbeth hides under a table when the Patriot cannons begin bombarding Boston. 
  • The Boston Massacre is mentioned. “British soldiers had fired into a crowd of ordinary folks, killing some and wounding more.” 
  • Elsbeth receives a letter from her father. It reads: “I was attacked by a group of sailors who kidnapped me—pressed me into service for the King. . . I fought hard—broken arm still healing. . . My knee is better.” He later returns to Boston. 
  • Elsbeth is milking a cow when a scoundrel named Billy Rawdon shows up and threatens her with a knife. He grabs her, and when she tries to get free, Billy “painfully pressed the blade against my neck, cutting me. I shuddered in pain and stilled myself. . . A drop of blood trickled down my neck from the cut.” Billy soon leaves.  
  • Thomas, one of the Pikes’ children, runs away and joins Captain Hunter, who was a privateer trying to capture a ship. The man was “shot in the heart, Captain Hunter died shortly before the Defiance sank to the bottom of the sea.” Thomas survives and makes it home. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • An older gentleman drinks from a flask of wine. 
  • Mr. Pike takes “powder from the megrim” for headaches and “drinks decoction for his sour stomach.” 
  • Elsbeth goes to Sign of the Wolf tavern to meet a man who claims to know her father. The inn smells like sour ale. 
  • When the Pike family has smallpox, Elsbeth goes to the apothecary, who gives her “bark from a willow tree, Peruvian bark, yellow moss from an ash tree, juniper berries, nutmeg, and a vial of castoreum oil.” 
  • Hannah, a young girl who is living with the Pikes, gets smallpox. The doctor gives her laudanum for her pain. Afterwards, Elsbeth puts red silk around Hannah because “the color red helped fight the pox.” 

Language  

  • Often, the characters call each other names and refer to others in a mean way. Because of the frequency and number, the list is incomplete.  
  • A girl calls her brother “a warty-faced whale” and “a slimy weasel.” 
  • Elsbeth works for an older gentleman who often calls her names, such as “a blockhead kitchen maid,” “sniveling featherbrain,” “idle dolt,” and “a pockmarked, slothful wench best suited for farmwork.” 
  • When Elsbeth goes to see her father at work, another worker calls her a “rebel brat.” 
  • Elsbeth thinks her father is a “dunderhead.” 
  • A man calls someone a “blasted devil.” 
  • Elsbeth often calls others names such as “muttonhead,” “nincompoop,” “foggy-brained numbskull,” and “a snake-bellied son-of-the-devil.” 
  • Pissed is used twice. 
  • Creative explanations are often used, and not all are included. These include “tarnal maggots and lice,” “blast and tarnation,” “drat,” and many, many more.  
  • A young woman refers to her guardian as “Captain Fizzlefart, but not to his face.”

Supernatural 

  • A woman mentions that when it thunders during a snowstorm, it’s a good omen.

Spiritual Content  

  • When Mr. Pike’s family arrives, he says, “Praise God’s mercy.” 
  • Hannah believes “owls take messages to the dead. . . When Grandmamma hears one, she always opens a window and whispers a few words for the owl to take to the ghost of my grandfather.” Later, she dies, and Elsbeth sees two owls and whispers a message for them to take Hannah.” 
  • When one of Mr. Pike’s children runs off, Elsbeth “prayed only for his safety.” 
  • When the Pike family heard about the smallpox inoculations, they “went to church for a special prayer service.” 
  • Mrs. Pike doesn’t want to have her children vaccinated against smallpox. She asks, “What about faith? Smallpox is God’s will, so we ought not tamper with it.” His daughter argues, saying that Mr. Pike takes other medication for headaches and a “sour stomach.” In the end, the Pike family is inoculated against smallpox. 
  • Part of the Declaration of Independence is read. “. . . and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitled them. . . all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. . .”
  • After reading the Declaration of Independence, a man says, “God save our American States!” 
  • Elsbeth writes a letter that ends with “I pray to our Lord to preserve you, body & spirit.” 
  • Hannah gets smallpox. As Elsbeth cares for her, she prays, “Please don’t let her die, please give her strength, please take away the pain.”

The Stowaway: A Tale of California Pirates

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

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

Language  

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

 Supernatural 

  • Women are thought to be bad luck at sea. 

Spiritual Content  

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

The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery

Most people know that Benedict Arnold was America’s first, most notorious traitor. Few know that he was also one of its greatest Revolutionary War heroes. 

Steve Sheinkin’s accessible biography, The Notorious Benedict Arnold, introduces young readers to the real Arnold: reckless, heroic, and driven. Packed with first-person accounts, astonishing American Revolution battle scenes, and surprising twists, this is a gripping and true adventure tale from history. 

The Notorious Benedict Arnold begins with Arnold’s childhood, showing how his father’s downfall led Arnold to desperately seek the attention and approval of others throughout his life. As an adult, Arnold was a wealthy merchant who understood that when the British began taxing Americans, he had to fight this injustice. However, his motivations went beyond patriotism: “Yes, he believed in the cause of American independence, but there was much more to it. War would be a heaven-sent chance to wipe out the marks against him, to soar up and over everyone who’d ever dared to judge him.” 

Arnold refused to wait for others to take action and hatched a plan to attack the fort in Quebec, Canada. Traveling through untamed land was excruciatingly difficult, and Arnold’s men almost starved to death. Despite these harsh conditions, Arnold and his men successfully took the fort. On the battlefield, Arnold’s reckless fearlessness helped him win battles, though many disliked him, refused to take orders from him, and spread false rumors about him. When Arnold returned home, however, “people who recently considered themselves too good to associate with him were now coming over uninvited, just to ask how he was, congratulate him, and wish him well.” 

Rather than portraying Arnold as simply a heinous traitor who almost handed George Washington over to the British, the book weaves a compelling story showing how Arnold’s intelligence, bravery, and recklessness allowed him to win one of the most decisive battles in the American Revolution. Readers come to understand not only Arnold’s motivations but also the political workings of the time and how they affected his military career. Many readers will ultimately feel compassion for Arnold, whose craving for recognition and approval brought about his downfall. 

The Saratoga battlefield monument perfectly symbolizes Arnold’s complicated legacy in American history. It features “a small stone sculpture of a lower left leg. No person, just a tall boot. A plaque reads: In memory of the most brilliant soldier of the Continental Army who was desperately wounded on this spot. . . winning for his countrymen the decisive battle of the American Revolution.’ Nowhere does the monument mention the name Benedict Arnold.” This anonymous tribute captures the tragedy of a man who was simultaneously one of America’s greatest heroes and most infamous traitors. 

Although The Notorious Benedict Arnold is non-fiction, it reads like an exciting adventure that is hard to put down. Even though everyone knows how Arnold’s story ends, learning the facts about his military history and interactions with other important historical figures proves enlightening. Readers gain new understanding of the political leaders of the time and discover why Arnold ultimately turned against the Americans. 

The Notorious Benedict Arnold will appeal to readers who love fast-paced adventures featuring exciting battles, political maneuvering, and the quest for freedom. While everyone remembers Benedict Arnold’s treachery, this book reminds us that he was also one of America’s greatest military heroes—a complex legacy that continues to fascinate readers today. 

Sexual Content  

  • One American general, “spent his nights. . . singing and drinking and amusing himself in the company of the wife of a commissary, who was his mistress and, like him, loved champagne.” 
  • A song popular among the British soldiers had these lyrics: “Sir William, he snug as a flea, / Lay all this time a-snoring; / Nor dreamed of harm as he lay warm / In bed with Mrs. Loring.” 

Violence  

  • The book includes frequent violence, which shows Benedict Arnold’s fierce temper as well as the Americans’ struggle with the British and the Revolutionary War. Not every instance of violence is included below.  
  • The book begins with a description of a hanging. “The prisoner would have to climb onto a wagon with the rope looped around his throat. Horses would jerk the wagon forward, and he would tumble off the back. The force of his falling weight should be enough to snap a man’s neck.” 
  • As a teen, Benedict was embarrassed and angry that his father had lost the family’s wealth. During a celebration, “Benedict got his hands on a purchase of gunpowder, dumped the powder down the barrel of a small cannon on the town green, followed it up with a lit match, and leaped backward. He yelled ‘Huzza!’ as the cannon spit fire past his face.” 
  • A French gentleman was interested in Benedict’s sister Hannah. Benedict warned the man to stay away. When Benedict came home and saw the man in his house, Benedict and his friend devised a plan. “While the friend walked toward the door, Arnold loaded and cocked a pistol and crouched in the shrubs beneath the window. The friend opened the door. . . Thinking it was Hannah’s overprotective brother, the Frenchman leaped from the couch, tripped to the window, lifted the glass, jumped out, and sprinted down the street. Arnold took a shot toward the bouncing figure, purposely aiming just a little high.” The Frenchman never returned. 
  • One of Benedict’s sailors, Boles, planned on informing the authorities that Benedict was not paying British taxes. Benedict told Boles to leave town. When Boles was found in a tavern, a group of sailors “dragged Boles outside and across the street to the whipping post, where, in Arnold’s words, Boles received nearly forty lashes with a small cord.” Then Arnold’s crew carried Boles to the edge of town and dumped him on the muddy road. 
  • Daniel Morgan was “a leader of a group of volunteers from the woods of Virginia. . . Morgan annoyed a British officer, who responded by slapping Morgan with the flat side of his sword. Morgan turned and decked the officer, for which he was sentenced to receive 500 lashes. Morgan stood, teeth clenched, while they slashed his back into strips of pulpy flesh.” Morgan healed but was badly scarred. 
  • The Americans invaded a British fort in Canada. When American artillery fired, “explosions blew off arms and legs, shells ripped open the buildings, sending brick and glass spinning through the crowded space.” The British surrendered. 
  • The Americans attack a fort in Quebec. A group of soldiers was going through a barricade, when a cannon exploded, “shooting flames and a swarm of grapeshot. . . Montgomery [the commander] was struck in both thighs, his cheek, his head, and was dead before he hit the snow. Eight other soldiers were killed by the blast.” 
  • During the attack, Arnold “felt something rip through the flesh below his knee. . . Arnold fell, got up, stumbled to the wall and leaned, unable to put any weight on the leg. Blood flowered in his boot and gurgled out into the snow.” Arnold survived his wounds. 
  • During one battle, many Americans were injured. “John Lamb was shot in the cheek. He pulled out a handkerchief, tied up the hole in his face, and went on firing. Archibald Steele had two fingers blown off his hand. . .” The Americans were forced to surrender.  
  • During a battle between the British and the Americans, Dyer, an American soldier, accidentally killed himself when he “rammed a new gunpowder cartridge into a muzzle, the other men heard an explosion, and saw Dyer blown overboard. His body bobbed in the water, the sponging rod blown clear through his chest. A few feet away floated his hands.” 
  • Later during the same battle, “cannonballs crashed into ships on both sides, sending limbs flying, leaving dead and unconscious men lying in spreading puddles of blood.”  
  • After the battle, the Americans set their ships on fire and they exploded, “killing a badly wounded officer who’d been left behind in the chaos. The men watched his broken body tumble high into the air and crash down in the lake.” 
  • During an extended battle, about 600 British and 300 American soldiers were killed. “Wounded men lay all over the battlefield, calling out for help, crying for a drink of water. . . British burial parties quickly dug pits and dumped in the dead, leaving arms, legs, and even heads above ground. Wolves feasted that night on the dead and dying.” 
  • British General Grey led an attack on Philadelphia that came to be known as the Paoli Massacre. People “could hear the sounds of steel blades plunging through flesh, and the cries of dying men. . . Grey’s men went on thrusting and slicing, even after the Americans tried to surrender.” 
  • Andre, a British officer, was accused of spying and hanged. “Andre grabbed [the noose] and placed the loop around his own neck, drew tight the knot. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and tied it over his eyes. . . His body swung gently at the end of the rope. ‘In a few minutes,’ said one soldier, ‘he hung entirely still.’” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • After two of his children died and his business collapsed, Benedict’s father turned to alcohol. Captain Arnold had “always enjoyed his rum,” but after the tragedy, he started drinking more frequently and heavily. 
  • Captain Arnold’s drinking became a constant problem. “Night after humiliating night, the younger Arnold was sent out to search the waterfront taverns for his father. He often had to literally drag the goading, puking, crying man through the streets to their home.” 
  • Arnold became an apprentice and learned how to make “various cold cures and an aphrodisiac called ‘Francis’ Female Elixir.” 
  • Benedict goes to a tavern. “He could hear men inside shouting in drunken voices. . . He could smell the sour stink of booze-soaked floors. Arnold hated the smell, and he had a reason to hate it.” 
  • British prisoners of war were given a meal and “pitchers of rum.” 
  • While Arnold was in Philadelphia on military business, he filled his mansion with “expensive food and wine.” During this time, Arnold was spending time with an unmarried woman. He sent this woman’s father “a few nice bottles of wine.” 
  • To convince two brothers to row to a British ship and bring Andre, a British officer, back, the brothers were given “big cups of rum.” 
  • After taking over a fort, the Green Mountain Boys, a group of American rebels, “found ninety gallons of rum in the supply room and decided to drink it all.” 

Language  

  • Damn is used infrequently. For example, a man tells Benedict, “You are a damned Yankee, destitute of good manners or those of a gentleman.” 
  • While taking over a fort, an American tells a Red Coat, “Come out of there! Come out, you damned old rat!” 
  • “Good God” and “by God” are both used as an exclamation once.  
  • Goddamn is used twice. For example, after a battle, a soldier said, “Goddamn you!” 
  • A British prisoner called the locals “perfidious dastards” and “a greasy committee of worsted-stocking knaves.” 
  • After a battle that the Americans won, a general said, “If Old England is not by this lesson taught humility, then she is an obstinate old slut, bent upon her ruin.” 

Supernatural 

  • None  

Spiritual Content  

  • While Benedict was in boarding school, he received a letter from his mother informing him that the family was sick with yellow fever. She wrote, “What God is about to do with us I know not. We have a very uncertain stay in this world.” Two of Benedict’s sisters died. 
  • Arnold and a group of men demand to be given the colony’s supply of gunpowder. When a man refuses to give it to the group, Benedict yells, “None but Almighty God shall prevent my marching!” 
  • While taking over a garrison, the British are told to surrender “in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress.” 
  • When Arnold showed up on the battlefield, he told the soldiers, “God bless you. . . If the day is long enough, we’ll have them all in hell before night.” 
  • When two American soldiers arrested a British officer, he said, “God bless my soul.” 
  • When Benedict Arnold’s plot to have the British attack West Point failed, some believed it was the “hand of God.”  

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

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

Language  

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

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

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

Sarah Journeys West: An Oregon Trail Survival Story

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

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

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

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

Game Seven

Julio Ramirez Jr. lives in the shadow of his famous father. Not just because Julio Senior is a pitcher for the Miami Marlins and famous for his scorching fastball, but because he defected from Cuba, leaving Julio and his sister and mother branded as the family of a traitor. Now sixteen, Julio has dreams of playing shortstop for Cuba’s national team—until he’s given the opportunity to sail to the U.S. Can he abandon his family, just like his Papi did? Is freedom worth the perilous journey and risking prison if he’s caught? Will his Papi be waiting for him on the other shore—or, with the Marlins in the World Series against the Yankees, has Julio Senior forgotten all about his son? 

When his father defected, Julio’s life changed for the worse. It’s bad enough that he and his mother must work to eke out a living, but now his father’s actions might keep Julio from his baseball dreams. Dealing with the loss of his father, poverty, and a hopeless future causes a myriad of emotions that the teen isn’t sure how to handle. Then, in a blink, everything changes when Julio is given the opportunity to escape Cuba with his uncle and cousin. Despite the difficulties, Julio’s mother supports his decision to leave, saying, “Make your decision and know that I love you. I’ll always love you, no matter what.” 

Most of Game Seven chronicles Julio’s escape from Cuba and his anger at being abandoned by his father. During the dangerous journey, Julio listens to the Marlins playing in the World Series on a transistor radio. Listening to the games fuels his anger and isolates him from his family, who believe his father can do no wrong. At one point, Julio thinks, “All I knew was that Papi was about to be a hero in front of the whole world, and I didn’t want to hear it happen.” While Julio’s circumstances are unique, readers will relate to his conflicting emotions and the difficulty of his decision to leave Cuba. 

Julio’s story will force readers to consider the value of family, loyalty, and freedom. The narrative never tells readers what to think but shows the complexity of Julio’s decision. Readers will empathize with his desire to stay with his mother and sister while also desperately wanting freedom. Because Julio and the others are traveling in a Buick converted into a boat, there is added peril. However, most of the book’s conflict is internal, and the only baseball action appears in brief radio broadcasts of the World Series. While the cover art featuring a boy playing baseball is misleading, Game Seven is still worth reading because readers can relate to Julio’s desire to reach his goal. 

Game Seven uses Julio’s family dynamics, his dream of playing baseball, and his dangerous escape from Cuba to craft an entertaining story that fosters empathy for refugees. However, the plot’s focus on the teen’s inner turmoil might deter some readers from finishing. Still, because many major league baseball greats have defected from Cuba, Game Seven offers a valuable perspective for baseball fans. To learn how sports can give people hope, sports enthusiasts may also want to read Heat by Mike Lupica, Outcasts United by Warren St. John, and Now is the Time for Running by Michael Williams. 

Sexual Content  

  • Julio’s father left Cuba and did not contact his family for years. Julio “remembered Mama’s words about Papi. About how there was no way he was alone, living without a woman.” Afterward, Julio discovers his father has another child. “The stork didn’t drop him on Papi’s doorstep one day. He got here by Papi doing my mama wrong.”  
  • When Julio and his family make it safely to Florida, they stay at a housing complex. Julio’s cousin sees a swimming pool and says, “That must be where the honeys go sunbathing in bikinis. Maybe even topless.” 
  • Julio hears commercials for everything, including beer and “pills to keep older guys ready for sex.” 

Violence  

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • One of the baseball coaches smokes a cigar. 

Language  

  • Profanity is used occasionally. Profanity includes ass, bastard, damn, pissed, shit, and holy crap. 
  • Julio refers to one of the baseball coaches as a “blowhard.”  
  • Julio’s cousin refers to a coach as a “fat swine.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Julio’s cousin, Luis, “would always say his prayers before bed. Like a little kid, he’d get on his knees with his hands clasped in front of him and close his eyes. Then his mouth would move with no sound coming out, until he was finished.” However, Julio doesn’t pray. He believes “God already knows what we want. Why should I bother Him?” 
  • Julio, his cousin, and his uncle flee Cuba with a man named Gabriel, who acts as their guide. They pray before they embark on the trip.  
  • When Gabriel was a teenager, he tried to leave Cuba. Before trying to escape Cuba, Gabriel’s family went to church to pray. “The priest even gave me my first Communion—the body and blood.” There were eight people on the raft; three people died in the ocean. An older woman died after being caught. The others were put in prison.  
  • On the trip, Julio occasionally prays. For example, “I was praying [the boat’s] tip would lead us straight to the States.” 
  • While in a car that was transformed into a boat, Julio thinks, “It was only God who was above us, however, He laid out the currents and weather in our path.”  
  • Julio’s baseball coach says, “But talent without heart—that’s talent ’sjust a waste of a God-given gift.” 
  • Right before Julio and his family flee Cuba, Julio goes through thick brush, “praying I was still going in the right direction.” 
  • When Uncle Ramon was young, “[his] mother told [him] thunder was the angels bowling in heaven. That it was the sound of them knocking down all ten pins, getting a strike.” 
  • Julio’s cousin asks if it’s okay to pray to win a baseball game. His father replies, “If it isn’t, I earned a ticket to hell before I was fifteen.”  
  • When the guide gets Julio and his family safely to Florida, Uncle Ramon says, “Now that those prayers have been answered, I think we should give thanks.” As they prayed, Julio “prayed [his half-brother] would never lose faith in Papi the way I had, even if I was going to be jealous of that.” 

What Was the Berlin Wall?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None

Spiritual Content  

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

by Madeline Hettrick 

The Jumbie God’s Revenge

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

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

Spiritual Content  

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

by Kate Schuyler 

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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

 Drugs and Alcohol  

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

Language  

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

Supernatural  

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

Spiritual Content  

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

by Kate Schuyler 

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. ...
  10. 51

Latest Reviews