Reading Level: Junior High

The Shadow Wand

Elloren Gardner is the spitting image of her grandmother, with the power to match. She is the Black Witch, destroyer of worlds and subject of prophecies. Her friends have fled to the East. She has been married without consent to Lukas Grey, a man who loves her but has ambiguous allegiances. Furthermore, she is the weapon Gardneria has been searching for across the continent.  

Elloren’s country, Gardneria, and the rest of the continent are fully in the clutches of a fascist and theocratic government. To defeat her enemies, Elloren trains her magic and her fighting skills under their noses. At least, that was the plan. Soon after she arrives in the desert to train with the world’s greatest sorceresses, they quickly turn on her, convinced that she will bring about the devastation predicted by the prophecy of the Black Witch. In the hopes of joining her friends, Elloren returns to Gardneria and to her mysterious husband, Lukas.  

Elloren is a hopeful, fierce protagonist, dead set on saving the world—no matter what the rest of the world thinks of her. This turns out to be more complicated than expected when Lukas reveals his plans to destroy Vogel, Gardneria’s dictator. As their plans develop, Elloren meets new friends, strengthens the Resistance network, and struggles to recover from the disastrous losses of the past.  

With characters now separated, The Shadow Wand divides into multiple perspectives, though Elloren’s is by far the most dominant. Due to the influx of character perspectives and new storylines, The Shadow Wand is more complicated than the previous two books. To help readers remember all the details, the book includes far too much exposition, which slows the story’s pace. Since the beginning and conclusion are packed with vital information, readers must pay close attention to the details. The plot revolves around characters’ emotional distress, lacks action, and is boring at times. The inconsistent pacing may also annoy readers. Despite this flaw, the story has solidly developed characters, a villainous society, and a positive message. The Shadow Wand highlights the importance of friendship and perseverance even when it seems like the world is ending.   

The Shadow Wand escalates Elloren’s journey through the growing intolerance and paranoia of the magical world of Erthia. The tragedies carried over from the previous book are emphasized through Elloren’s grief, and while the novel takes a darker turn, it has hopeful messaging and ultimately delivers further emotional depth to every character. The Shadow Wand teaches readers the importance of never giving up in the face of the impossible, whether fighting external threats or mental health challenges.  

The world of Erthia will enthrall readers as it grows even more intricate in The Shadow Wand. Readers who enjoy teenagers fighting authoritarian regimes, complex magic systems, and political intrigue will love Elloren’s determination. The addition of her friends’ perspectives provides a broader picture of the intolerance on their continent and how to combat it. The Shadow Wand is about dealing with consequences, learning from mistakes, and fighting even when no one thinks you can succeed. It concludes with an unexpected cliffhanger that will have readers reaching for the fourth installment.  

Sexual Content  

  • On the Gardnerian front lines, Elloren’s ally, Thierren, recalls moments with his fiancée. He thinks about how “she’s allowed him one brief, intoxicating kiss,” and how he “can still feel those soft lips, the contours of her slim waist under his palms, her body pressed against his.” 
  • While trying to escape the island she’s trapped on, Elloren’s ally, Sparrow, runs into one of the border guards, who calls her lovely. The guard has been harassing Sparrow for the past couple of weeks. He lightly touches her face and asks her to accompany him back to his room. When she refuses, he says, “You’ve put me off long enough . . . I’ve been patient, Sparrow. More patient than any other Mage here would ever be.” She escapes before he becomes a real threat. 
  • Having just arrived in the East, Tierney meets with other Water Fae, and one of them, Fyordin, becomes territorial over her. After Tierney speaks to another kind of Fae, he asks if she is “going to take the Death Fae as [her] lover?” 
  • Elloren’s love, Yvan, thinks about his time with Elloren on a military base. “Their separation is too much [for him] to bear at times, often keeping him up tossing late into the night, his skin feverish as his fire lashes out . . . desperate to find his Wyvernfire-bounded love.” 
  • Elloren reunites with Lukas at a party, and he “kisses her deeply, the feel of [their] powers merging both startling and all-consuming.” 
  • Lukas’s father disapproves of his marriage to Elloren, and in an argument with Lukas, he requests that Lukas “seal the fasting and the breed on the girl. And quickly.” 
  • Later, when Lukas tells Elloren about the conversation with his father, Lukas says that “the minute there’s a possibility that I’ve got you with child, [my mother] will leave you alone.” Elloren replies that “no one is getting [her] with child.” Lukas agrees and says that he has Sanjire root, a form of birth control.  
  • At their wedding, Lukas and Elloren seal the marriage with a kiss. Lukas “pulls [Elloren] into his arms, and brings his lips firmly to [hers]. . . he draws [her] tight against his body.” Later, during the reception, they discover that if Lukas kisses her, he can help shield her against Vogel, so he “kisses [her] so intensely that every one of [her] affinity lines tighten and grow as molten as wildfire.” 
  • After the reception, there is a five-page sex scene where Lukas and Elloren consummate their marriage. Lukas “moves in [her], slowly at first” and she “gasps at the fullness of him.” There’s talk of moving quickly and then slowly, but there’s very little description of anatomy. 
  • When Elloren is being trained in magic, the only way she can calm her magic down is when Lukas kisses her. So, she “capture[s] his mouth, and bear[s] down, boring power into his lines in a shuddering bolt. A burn races along [her] skin and into his.” 
  • After a long day of training, Elloren and Lukas have sex again. Elloren “kiss[es] him passionately, [her] soft curves fitting against the hard lines of his body” and they “give each other everything.” They wake up together in the morning. The scene is described over a page. 
  • Before a stressful next day, Elloren kisses Lukas. He says, “If we had Sanjire root, I’d take you right here. Against that wall.” They kiss but do not have sex.

Violence  

  • In The Shadow Wand, international relations have deteriorated, and the whole continent is at war. This is primarily because Gardneria has become a fascist, authoritarian state led by an intolerant, isolationist, and xenophobic religion. This novel contains descriptions of hate crimes, sexual abuse and assault, and war crimes.  
  • Elloren’s uncle doesn’t want her mother to fight the Gardnerians. Elloren’s mother says, “They’re rounding up all the Fae, Edwin! The children too. We have to help them! . . . The Gardnerians are doing the same thing that the Kelts and the Urisk did to us. Children are being seized. Whole families. Do you know what that’s like? Watching your family, your people, herded together to be killed? The children screaming?” 
  • When Thierren is on the front lines, he witnesses Gardnerian forces burning the woods and Dryads. One of the Dryads warns them not to because “if the trees die, we die. You die. We all die.” Though Thierren tries to stop it, the forests are burned to the ground completely, and all the Dryads are executed. 
  • When Elloren is training in the desert, one of the groups who have helped Elloren hide turns on her, convinced that Elloren will try to kill them all because she’s the next Black Witch. While many of them resent her, they haven’t yet resorted to violence. One of them eventually goes rogue and attempts to kill Elloren, and the rest are forced to step in to save Elloren. So, “Quoi Zhon reaches for another star as Kam Vin slams an elbow into the woman’s arm, the silver star flashing with reflected firelight as it drops into a patch of smoldering embers. Then Kam Vin strikes the back of Quoi Zhon’s head, and the sorceress collapses facedown on the sand.” Nobody dies. 
  • Thierren, Sparrow, and Effrey are caught trying to sabotage Gardnerian forces. Thierren tries to fight “the ferocious desire to draw his wand, cut down every Mage in the room, and flee East.” He ultimately does nothing as the Gardnerian guards restrain him.  
  • While training in the East, Yvan is ambushed by Gardnerians, and he “falls to the ground, his whole body arcing against the terrible pain. . . as vine spears impale his chest.” Yvan loses consciousness, and it is implied that he has been killed.  
  • After Elloren turns herself in to the Gardnerians, her aunt Vyvian confronts her. Vyvian says, “Do you know what we do now to race traitors, Elloren Gardner? We execute them.” Vyvian threatens her niece, though she doesn’t act on any violent thoughts. 
  • At Lukas’s party, Elloren’s old bully, Fallon Bane, confronts Elloren and attacks her. Elloren then throws her “fist forward and punch[es] [Fallon] in the face as hard as [she] can.” Fallon tries to fight back, but Elloren runs.  
  • Eventually, Elloren runs into Fallon’s brother, Damion. Elloren attacks him. “[She] slams [her] whole weight against him and lunge[s] for his wand, but he anticipates [her], tightening his grip on his wand as [her] hand closes around his . . . in the blink of an eye, he sends out a spell. [Elloren] cries out as vine bindings fly from his wand and cinch tight around [her] body, the breath forced from [her] lungs.” 
  • Elloren and Damion fight until Lukas breaks them up. “Lukas pushes Damion roughly against one of the stone trees. ‘She’s mine!’ Lukas snarls before punching Damion in the face so hard that [Elloren] can hear something crack.” The fight is diffused, and everybody goes their separate ways. The entire scene spans approximately ten pages. 
  • Elloren thanks Lukas for his help. She thanks him for marrying her, saying, “If you hadn’t stepped in, Damion would have taken me back to his estate and raped me. And that would be my life. Every day.” 
  • On the way back to Lukas’s family estate, Elloren and Lukas are attacked by a sorceress assassin. Elloren’s “head jerks back as pain blossoms, [her] eyes temporarily crossed from the blow as the [the killing star] bounces off Lukas’s shield.” The sorceress soon escapes through a magical portal, and no more harm is done. 
  • When Sparrow is working at the Grey estate, she is sexually assaulted by Lukas’s brother, Silvern. He nuzzles her neck, and Sparrow tries to squirm away, desperation mounting. Silvern slams himself against her, as if for emphasis.” Mrs. Grey interrupts, and Silvern is sent away.  
  • In their escape from the Grey estate, Lukas and Elloren watch as dragons burn the estate to the ground, killing most of their wedding guests. “Soldiers scream as vivid blue flames and indigo smoke rise high into the air. . . they’re all dead, [Elloren] dazedly realize[s].” There are no dead bodies described. The scene lasts approximately four pages.  
  • While training in the desert, shadow creatures attack Elloren and her friends. “The thing’s powerful, serrated forelimb slashes down toward Lukas, who ducks and slides out of the thing’s reach.” They defeat the creature in five pages, and no one is seriously injured. 
  • As Lukas tries to give Elloren instructions with her magic, she accidentally “envelops the whole world in fire,” including setting herself on fire as “fire cuts off [her] vision and scalds through [her].” That’s the only description of her fire that’s given. She doesn’t even know she is on fire until her friends tell her afterwards. They eventually extinguish the fire, and no one is seriously injured. Elloren discovers she is immune to fire. 
  • Shadow creatures again attack Elloren and her friends. “Lukas pulls his sword, lunges at the bat, and slashes the beast in two.” As more arrive, Elloren’s friends sacrifice themselves for her. She is the only one to make it through the magical portal to the East, implying that her friends died defending the portal behind her.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • When Elloren enters Lukas’s military camp, she notices that two Gardnerian soldiers “slide the tip of a green bottle out of [a] bag and hastily pour its contents into the water flasks that hang from their necks.” She identifies the contents as “spirits, forbidden by the mage council.” 
  • Before they consummate their wedding, Elloren asks Lukas to “bring spirits” for the consummation of their marriage. He says, “[he’ll] bring some wine.” Later that evening, Lukas “pours a small amount of the wine into the two glasses” for himself and for Elloren. They both drink it, but not enough to be drunk. 
  • After they escape from the Grey estate and meet up with Elloren’s ally, Valasca, Lukas says, “A glass of Issani wine would be good right now.” She brings out her own flask of alcohol and shares it with the group, everybody going to sleep drunk. 

Language    

  • Language is very tame. Words like stupid, idiot, and hell appear frequently. 
  • The word whore is used three times. 
  • Bitch is used twice. 
  • Slut is used once.   

Supernatural  

  • This series contains all kinds of supernatural creatures. The Shadow Wand has Lupines, Fae, shadow creatures and monsters, witches, Selkies, Icarals, Kelpies, Elves, dragons, wyverns, and people with skin of all colors of the rainbow. 
  • Most of the magic appears in battle and Elloren’s training. Once, while training, Elloren describes her magic as “a savage connection to the wand.” Multiple times she has a feeling like “burning fire” and strong connections to the forest. She claims to have no control over her magic and claims that there was a time “[she] would have killed everyone [she] was with. [She] killed Ni Vin’s horse. [She] melted it.” 
  • The priest and dictator, Vogel, is described as being able to see through a “bird’s central green eye, as well.” All the shadow creatures have eyes through which Vogel can see and spy. His magic is described numerous times as “dark, evil, and demonic.”  
  • The Elf and Icaral, Wynter, can also communicate with birds, but do so in a less evil manner. She sends some of the birds “East on a hopeful search for Naga, her dragon kindred.” 
  • There are various kinds of magical travel in this novel, including portals, winged flight, and rune ships. One of the rune ships is described as having “huge, whirling flank runes and base runes,” casting “the vessel in a penumbra of sapphire light that’s reflected off the current of the Vo River.” 
  • The forests are described as sentient numerous times. After escaping into the woods from their wedding, Elloren tells Lukas that “[she’s] been bound,” her magic limited and locked up by the forest because it’s afraid of her. Elloren seems to be the only person who can communicate with the trees.

Spiritual Content  

  • The Shadow Wand is full of religious references as a theocratic and fascist government has taken power in Gardneria and is threatening war with the rest of the continent for religious reasons. This religion has strong allusions to the three main monotheistic religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Their religious structures dictate more conservative norms and different swear words than what people literally use. For example, in a speech to a large crowd, Vogel claims that “the Ancient One has brought us victory after victory over the heathen races who seek to destroy us. Who seek to pollute our lands. Enslave us. And corrupt all that is sacred. And so the Ancient One has enhanced our runic magic, calling upon us to wall out the Evil Ones with border runes and holy purpose . . . we will cleanse this land and bring the Reaping Times to all of Erthia.” 
  • Marcus Vogel has been voted the leader of the Gardnerian government. Elloren’s aunt describes him as a “young High Priest” and “the absolute picture of pious elegance.” In the same moment, Vogel gives a speech in front of the council, claiming that “power belongs in Mage hands. We are the only ones who can wield magic to do the Ancient One’s will. So we are the only ones who should control it. All of it.” He complains about other species having power when he believes they shouldn’t because their god says so. 
  • Thinking about the wedding, Elloren explains that part of Gardnerian marriage customs include the “Blessing of Dominion. . . when the couple is required, by The Book of the Ancients, to enter the wilds alone and scatter the ashes of a destroyed tree to symbolize the Magedom’s dominion over Erthia.” 
  • During the wedding, Vogel officiates and declares that “We gather in the sight of the Holy Ancient One to celebrate the joining of these two Mages. In union with each other and in union with the Holy Magedom.” 
  • In the land of the Amaz, a refugee Elf explains to an audience that the Elf coming-of-age ritual requires them to wear a magical necklace called the Zalyn’or, which brainwashes them into the Elven religion. She says, “It forces complete belief in the supremacy of [Alfsiger religion and culture]. And it suppresses all rebellious thoughts, and all physical desire too.” All Elves in The Shadow Wand wear it and are unable to remove it. 

by Kate Schuyler 

Cyborg

Virtual Kombat (VK) is over. Thanks to Scott and his friends’ heroics, the deadly game’s grip on society has finally ended, and people have regained a new sense of purpose outside the violent video game. For a time, all seems well for Scott, who has strengthened his relationship with his friends and devoted himself to real-life martial arts training. However, a past danger quickly finds its footing in the form of Vince Power, the original creator of VK, who has sworn revenge on Scott and his crew. 

Everything changes when Vince releases Virtual Kombat 3—a new and improved VK that brings the fighting to real life. The main catch is that Scott and his friends are the new targets for thousands of players controlling deadly robots called borgs. With a hefty reward for their capture, Scott and his friends fear for their lives as they run, hide, and fight against Vince’s new tyranny. Will they overcome this new challenge and stop Vince? Or will they succumb to real-life VK? 

Cyborg is the riveting final installment in the Virtual Kombat Series, wrapping up Scott’s adventure with a battle of life and death. The story continues the series’ intense focus on VK and its effect on a dystopian world, and the plot remains packed with action-oriented sequences and adrenaline-pumping fights. Scott returns as the book’s main protagonist, and his admirable leadership and courage remain as influential and inspiring as in the last two volumes. However, he continues to suffer from a stale and clichéd characterization, making his character appear lifeless and unchanging toward many of his situations. 

Like its predecessor, Cyborg tells its story with high-leverage, fast-paced narration. Most of the plot resembles a Hollywood blockbuster, where the characters repeatedly engage in exciting fights, chase scenes, and tense situations. This narration also resumes the series’ distinctive violence, frequently describing crushing blows, large explosions, and teeth-clenching injuries in detail. For example, Scott and his friends’ battle in the streets incorporates high-speed action and graphic fights: “Side by side, I fight with Pac-Man against the borgs. I use my tae kwon do skills and my exo-suit’s strength to rip out vital wiring from one borg, damage the circuits of another, and throw a third borg into a nearby building. Pac-Man smashes and pounds everything in his path until a borg with a laser sword slices off his left arm. He’s about to lose his head too, when a cleaner droid darts out of nowhere and collides with his attacker head-on.” 

Alongside the action scenes, Cyborg presents a lesson about the power of teamwork and the importance of training. The majority of Scott’s issues involve fighting an army of dangerous robots—a challenge that can’t be accomplished by Scott alone. Fighting side by side with his friends teaches him the importance of having each other during difficult circumstances, especially when facing physical and mental challenges. In addition, Scott’s training with his martial arts teacher, Sifu, shows its benefits when he flawlessly executes a “spinning hook-kick” on a borg thanks “to [his] extra training.” These two developments teach readers that teamwork and hard work can overcome even the most difficult hardships. 

Overall, Cyborg is the thrilling final conclusion of the Virtual Kombat Series that pits Scott against his toughest challenge yet. Its brisk narration will keep readers hooked from the first page, and its characters demonstrate important lessons through their teamwork and training. Unfortunately, Cyborg continues the series’ lack of exposition and cliché situations, making the final book feel unoriginal and stale in some sections. To make matters worse, the book’s swift telling becomes repetitive and boring, especially when the majority of the book’s action scenes revolve around the same enemies in the same places with the same outcomes. Yet, despite its shortcomings, Cyborg has its place in the literary world, being a perfect story for an action-loving generation of reluctant readers. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Scott and his friend, Java, fight each other and practice their moves in a martial arts hall. The fight ends when Scott attempts to execute his “spinning hook-kick” but mistimes it, causing him to hit his head on the floor and black out. He awakens shortly afterward. “My opponent’s fist comes shooting at me like a bullet. I duck to the left. She aims a roundhouse-kick at my head.  I lean back and her foot misses me by a fraction. Her eyes narrow as she fires more punches at me. I block a back-fist…counter her attack with an elbow-strike…duck under a hook-punch…then go for a body blow. But she moves too fast for me to land a hit.” The fight scene is described over two pages. 
  • Scott fights his nemesis, Stick, and his gang in one of the street alleys of the city. The fight ends when Stick’s blazer, an electrified knife, is stopped by Java’s EMP gun, causing the boys to flee the area. “Stick’s gang grab me. But now I can see, I’m able to fight back. I drive one boy into the ground with a shoulder-throw. I elbow another in the face. A third gang member tries to punch me, but I block his fist and knife-hand him in the throat. He stumbles away, choking.” The fight scene is described over five pages. 
  • A borg, a large robot equipped with laser beams and blazers, chases Scott through the city. Scott escapes the borg by running into the sewers. “I dive behind an Auto-Taxi. The borg’s laser pulse blows the roof off. Before a second shot blasts the taxi to pieces, I make a run for it, zigzagging between the traffic. Cutting across the next road, I duck into a dark alley and find a dumpster. I hide in its shadow, hoping to lose the borg.” This chase scene is described over three pages. 
  • Scott is attacked by a borg and nearly dies, but Java’s EMP gun saves his life again. “I try to run, but it smashes me in the chest, and I collapse to the ground. My ribs bruised, I can hardly breathe. I lie helpless, unable to move as the borg raises both fists to crush me with a hammer-blow.” This fight scene is described over two pages.  
  • Two borgs attack Scott and his friends in the street, but they collide with other city robots, allowing the kids to successfully escape. “At a crossroads we turn the corner but come face to face with two more borgs. One of them picks up an empty Auto-Taxi and hurls it at us. We dive aside as the taxi smashes into the pavement. The other borg blasts several rounds with its pulse-rifle, and the taxi explodes in a ball of flames.” The chase scene is described over four pages. 
  • Vince Power, the cyborg antagonist of the book, ties his twin brother, Pentium, to a chair and then crushes his skull with two metal fists. Pentium dies. “He places his metal fists on either side of Pentium’s head, whose eyes bulge wildly in terror. Then Vince slams his hands together. There’s a sickening crunch that reminds me of the coffee cup exploding, and I have to put my hand over my mouth to stop myself vomiting.” 
  • After Vince kills Pentium, two borgs attack Scott, but Scott escapes by getting into Pentium’s exo-suit, a superpowered metal suit comparable to Iron Man, and jumping out of the building. “The two borgs are back on their feet in fighting stances, as if they were playing in VK. I raise my fists to defend myself. But being new to the suit, my movements are jerky. I have power but not full control yet. The first borg fires off a side-kick and I try to block it. But I’m too slow, and the powerful kick knocks me off my feet. I stumble backward and crash into the office window. The glass shatters, and I tumble out. The building flashes past as I plummet to the ground far below…” The fight scene is described over four pages.  
  • When Scott and his friends attempt to hotwire some borgs and take control of them, four enemy borgs attack them in the street. Scott and his friends destroy two of them and then hotwire the other two. “Java cries for help as the fourth and final borg grabs her. Without an exo-suit, she’ll be crushed like an ant. I run over and knock the borg to the ground. Pac-Man leaps on top as I try to pry open its steel claws. But the robot is incredibly strong. Java starts screaming. I strain with all my might. My exo-suit boosts my strength, and I’m able to free Java from the borg’s deadly grip.” The fight scene is described over four pages.  
  • A swarm of wasps, yellow and black machines with rotors, attacks Scott and his friends’ secret hideout in the subway. While most of Scott’s friends escape successfully, Cookie, one of his friends, is stung multiple times, left behind, and assumed dead by the others. “The Wasp hovers over her shuddering body. I bat it away with my steel arm, but more and more drones pour into the platform. Cookie is stung again and again. I’m protected by my suit, yet the swarm still drives me back.” This chase scene is described over two pages. 
  • A borg attacks Scott inside a martial arts hall, and Scott completely destroys it using his exo-suit. “On cue, a gunmetal borg strides into the hall. I charge at it, all my anger and rage coming out in a barrage of punches and kicks. My exo-suit inflicts so much damage that I’m like a wrecking ball. The borg stands no chance and is torn to pieces. I stand over the remains of it, trembling.” 
  • Scott and his friends, Stick and his gang, and two borgs fight each other inside a martial arts hall. During the fight, Java uses a blazer to burn out a tracking device inside Scott’s arm and then forces Stick to swallow it. The fight ends when Stick flees the hall, causing the borgs to follow him. Stick is presumed dead a few pages later. “Before I can protest, Java stabs the blazer’s laser tip into my flesh. I scream as she cuts out the tracker and then seals the wound with the flat side of the blade.” This fight scene is described over four pages.  
  • Scott and his friends use hotwired borgs to fight other enemy borgs in the street. They defend their truck that fuels the hotwired borgs, but the battle comes to a halt when Vince Power appears in the street. “Side by side, I fight with Pac-Man against the borgs. I use my tae kwon do skills and my exo-suit’s strength to rip out vital wiring from one borg, damage the circuits of another, and throw a third borg into a nearby building. Pac-Man smashes and pounds everything in his path until a borg with a laser sword slices off his left arm. He’s about to lose his head too, when a cleaner droid darts out of nowhere and collides with his attacker head-on.” The fight scene is described over four pages.  
  • Scott and his friends fight one final battle against Vince Power and his army of borgs. With the help of the city-bots, they defeat Vince Power by dumping his cyborg body into a scrap-crusher. Vince Power dies. “I pick up a discarded laser sword to end it once and for all. But before I can, a city-bot dock-loader grabs Vince and dumps him in a waiting scrap-crusher. Vince’s broken figure is powerless to stop the crusher’s jaws from closing on him. He lets out a distorted scream as his cyborg body is turned to scrap metal.” The fight scene is described over ten pages. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • Pac-Man, one of Scott’s friends, exclaims, “What the hell is it anyway?” when he sees a borg for the first time. 
  • When Java thinks that Cookie has led a borg to their hideout, she shouts, “What the hell, Cookie?”  
  • A girl named Vixen shouts, “What the hell’s gone on here?” to Scott after she sees the carnage of broken robots in the street. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • Sifu, Scott’s martial arts teacher, prays at a Buddhist shrine in honor of the late Cookie. “He lights a candle upon a small Buddhist shrine and begins to pray in her memory.” 

Wildfire

Flames race toward Sam Castine’s summer camp as evacuation buses are loading, but Sam runs back to get his phone. Suddenly, a flash of heat blasts him as pine trees explode. Now a wall of fire separates Sam from his bus, and there’s only one thing to do: Run for his life. Run or die. 

Lungs burning, Sam’s only goal is to keep moving. Drought has made the forest a tinderbox, and Sam struggles to remember survival tricks he learned from his late father. Then, when he least expects it, he encounters Delphy, an older girl who is also lost. Their unlikely friendship grows as they join forces to find civilization. 

The pace never slows, and eventually flames surround Sam and Delphy on all sides. A powerful bond is forged that can only grow out of true hardship—as two true friends beat all odds and outwit one of the deadliest fires ever. 

In the first chapter, fire surrounds Sam, threatening his survival. At first, Sam is alone in the wilderness, giving readers a close look at Sam’s personal struggles. Not only is he grieving the loss of his father, but he is also worried about his mother, who is in rehab for opioid addiction. While Sam is trying to find his way through the wilderness, he often reflects on his parents, which gives him the strength to persevere. Additionally, his father’s wisdom and teachings enable Sam to make informed decisions and stay safe. 

When Delphy suddenly appears, lost and injured, Sam doesn’t think twice about helping her. Even though both want to survive, they don’t always agree. This, as well as their secrets, builds suspense. Both Delphy and Sam are likable characters, whom readers will connect with. Although the main conflict is surviving the fire, each character faces personal problems that middle grade readers will relate to. For example, Delphy believes that others won’t like her because she’s not pretty enough.  

Wildfire is a fast-paced story that draws readers in from the first page. Told from Sam’s point of view, the story is action-packed while allowing Sam’s character to be fully developed. The short chapters and straightforward plot make Wildfire an engaging, easy read. At the end of the novel, information about wildfires and practical safety tips enhances the reader’s understanding of one of the world’s most devastating natural disasters. Readers who enjoy Wildfire should also read I Survived the Great Chicago Fire by Lauren Tarshis and Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • The wildfire “quickly engulfed hundreds of acres, cutting off power to his corner of the country.” The fire was caused by arson. A radio announcer says, “Hard to believe there’s someone out there angry enough, or evil enough, or stupid enough, to deliberately start a fire in a tinder-dry forest.”  
  • During the fire, a “team of volunteer firefighters from Belfast. . .died trying to evacuate” people. 
  • Two brothers started the fires. Delphy and Sam are sleeping in a cabin when they see the brothers. “They’ve discovered the lanterns and are scattering oil and lighting the place on fire. . . the flames spread quickly.”  
  • Delphy and Sam try to sneak away without being seen, but the brothers spot them. The two friends get in a jeep and speed off, but the brothers follow them on bikes. “When the first biker catches up and starts screaming . . . she suddenly leaps up, swings her stick, and wham! slams him so hard he flies off his bike, and rolls along the trail like a rag doll.”  
  • The other brother continues to pursue Delphy and Sam. “The remaining rider edges in, gets a gloved hand on the side of the Jeep. . . Delphy grabs a gallon jug of water, and in one smooth motion, slams it upside his head. He goes over backward, landing hard in the dirt. . .” The kids escape. The brothers are not seriously injured.    
  • Sam thinks about when his father was killed. “The Hummer hit his truck in Afghanistan. How the gasoline tanker he was driving rolled off the shoulder of the road, turning the rig upside down. How he was trapped in the cab as the gas poured out and then exploded.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • After a car accident, Sam’s mother was prescribed “meds for the pain.” She quickly gets addicted to them.  
  • Sam came home from school and “found [his mom] passed out on the floor, barely breathing.” Sam called 911, and “they took her to the hospital and pumped her stomach and tested her blood for opioids.”  
  • Sam’s mom is in rehab. Sam is afraid that “my mother is going to die of an overdose.” 

Language  

  • Several times, Sam calls himself an idiot. 
  • Two boys intentionally set fires. Delphy calls them creeps and jerks. 
  • Delphy calls Sam a dummy. 
  • Sam has pledged not to swear, so when he’s upset, he says, “Double darn rat puke.” 
  • The radio announcer says he made a “bonehead move” by not leaving the area.

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Sam prays that his mom stays in rehab. “No more pills, no more pills, no more pills. Pray for no more pills.” 
  • After the fire breaks out, a radio announcer says, “So we’re praying for rain! We’re dancing for rain!” 
  • Sam prays “that the wind will change and blow the fire out like a candle on a birthday cake.” When Delphy and Sam appear out of nowhere, the radio announcer says, “Oh my Lord! You sent me two angels in a jeep!” 

Diana and the Island of No Return

Twelve-year-old Diana has always wanted to be a warrior. She has spent her childhood growing up on the magical island of Themyscira among Amazons—powerful, female warriors—where men are forbidden. Now that she’s twelve, Diana is convinced it’s time for her to start training to be a warrior, but her mother, the Queen of the Amazons, refuses to let her. Diana is a natural with weapons and footwork and she sees no danger in training.  

But Diana knows her mother is hiding something, which frustrates her to no end. So, when the annual Chará festival comes to Themyscira, bringing boatloads of fearsome women from around the world, Diana watches them train and socialize with envy. Diana’s best friend, Sakina, helps distract her. When Diana goes looking for Sakina’s missing pet, she hears someone in need. Venturing all the way down to the waterfront, Diana sees something she’s never seen before—a boy, named Augustus, bruised, battered, and starving.  

Diana is a fierce, intelligent, and curious protagonist. When she finds Augustus, she approaches the situation rationally and, though she doesn’t trust him, she wisely gives him the benefit of the doubt.  Diana promises to return with food and to hear his story. Back at the palace, she discovers all the festival-goers in magic-induced comas. Panicked, she returns to the boats and finds Sakina interrogating Augustus. Together, the girls use Diana’s Lasso of Truth to compel the boy to tell them about what happened to their families. Augustus explains that a demon has hypnotized everyone on his island and blackmailed potion-expert Augustus to fetch Princess Diana for the demon. Without any other options, the girls take pity on Augustus and swear to save his family, and their own, regardless of the danger. They courageously leave Themyscira on a flying chariot to confront a demon all by themselves.  

The novel features fantastic and inspiring young heroes who drive the story and develop beautifully as characters. However, the demon is a flat and generic villain who lacks a backstory. The novel gives very little description of the demon, which makes him seem weak and diminishes Diana’s triumph. The rest of the story is well-constructed, using simple language and an easy plot that will keep the average reader entertained. The settings of Themyscira and Sáz (Augustus’s home island) are magically and wonderfully described. In addition, the Amazons serve as a great example of women empowering each other, and the community in Sáz is kind and tight-knit. Regardless of the book’s flaws, it’s a sweet and creative read.  

Readers will love the strong warriors, independent young protagonists, and intricate mythology and magic of Diana and the Island of No Return. Diana and her friends encounter all kinds of challenges and traps, from pits of spiders to flying chariots to hypnotized prisoners, which makes for inspiring entertainment. Diana is a sweet and spirited character who grows when challenged, leads by example and stands by her own moral principles. Overall, Diana and the Island of No Return is a beautiful story with moments of magical wonder, unwavering self-confidence, and lovely, budding friendship.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • While all the guests of Themyscira, Diana’s home island, party at the palace, Diana wanders down to the waterfront, where she discovers a boy—which is strange since boys are forbidden on Themyscira. He is visibly bruised and injured. It takes some time to get the answers, but he eventually confesses that a demon had blackmailed him to kidnap Diana. “‘I’m sorry,’ the boy said. His eyes brimmed with tears. ‘I tried to refuse. First I pretended I’d done it and made a fake potion; but when he tested it out and saw that it didn’t work, he beat me.’ The boy waved at his bruises. ‘When he threatened to kill my father then and there, I buckled.’”  
  • As Diana, Sakina, and Augustus confront the demon, their plan to capture the demon fails, and Diana attacks him unsuccessfully. “Diana glanced about for something—anything—to throw at [the demon] and noticed a boulder, loosened from the fence. Gripping it, she heaved it up and hurled it at the demon. The rock flew through the air, whizzing toward him—and passed straight through the demon’s torso and out the other side, landing with a sharp crack on the street beyond the bonfire.”  
  • When Diana’s attack on the demon fails, the demon reacts, and “one arm clamped around Diana’s neck and she was lifted into the air by her throat. Diana coughed and wheezed, her breathing growing strained. The hold pressed tighter against her windpipe. Stars began to dance in and out of Diana’s vision. She scrambled against the grip, her nails scratching into flesh.” She breaks free and makes it out largely unscathed. 
  • After regrouping and coming up with another plan, Diana and her friends confront the demon. While Diana distracts him, he is violent. “In a split second, the demon darted forward. He grabbed Diana’s wrist. Sparks of pain shot up Diana’s arm.” Diana gets free, and they get rid of the demon, so no further harm is done. The whole confrontation scene is only about five pages. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • During Themyscira’s annual festival, Diana returns to the palace to find all the partygoers asleep. “The first thing Diana noticed once she stepped inside the guest hall was the scent filling the room: bittersweet, like the rind of an orange. She clasped a hand to her nose; her eyes watered.” Diana discovers that everyone had been drugged. Diana and her friends find the antidote and eventually wake everyone. 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • While not a superhero yet, Diana has special abilities and grows up surrounded by magical happenings on a magically hidden island. This book has many references to magic on almost every page. An example of Diana’s abilities appears when she breaks free of the handcuffs the demon put on her. “The reality of what she’d done settled in on her. It should have been impossible to break out of those cuffs. And yet—she’d done it.” 
  • Diana also carries a family heirloom called the Lasso of Truth. She uses it multiple times against suspicious people. Diana says, “[The Lasso of Truth] shines a light on the truth. And you can’t break free of it. May as well stop trying.” Once ensnared by the Lasso, whoever Diana captures is compelled to tell the truth to any question posed to them.  
  • Diana’s friend, Sakina, also possesses special abilities that she frequently utilizes. Diana describes Sakina as “a Scholar, but [Sakina] also had a special ability to speak with animals.” Sakina has multiple pets that she converses with daily, and she often uses their help to set traps for the demon.  
  • Diana meets a new friend, Augustus, who comes from an island that makes magical, flying chariots. When Diana first meets him, he explains, “I brought a chariot with me. Uh, snuck it in the hull so no one would discover it. Thought I’d visit my family while I was here.” Diana asks, “It can fly all on its own?” Augustus responds, “with a certain potion, yes.” Augustus often uses magical potions to solve their problems, like protecting Diana and Sakina with force fields and defeating the demon. 
  • The demon also has several magical abilities that he uses for nefarious purposes. He hypnotizes Augustus’s loved ones to make Augustus do the demon’s bidding. “It’s hard to see them like that,” Augustus says, “They’re good people. There’s a ninety-nine-point nine percent probability that not one of those people hunting for us would hurt so much as a fly. But now they have clubs. And their eyes. . . It’s scary to see them so blank. Like the lights are off and no one is home.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Diana is the child of an Amazonian warrior. Therefore, she often references the Greek gods and Greek mythology. An example of this happens when she describes the palace of Themyscira, which has “columns with marble statues of the goddesses Athena, Artemis, and Hera [gazing] down on the Amazon warriors [who are training].” They do not interact with any gods in this novel.  

by Kate Schuyler 

Scythe

Citra Terranova and Rowan Damisch live in a world where natural death has been eradicated. People who die are simply revived, and aging can be reversed. In place of natural death are scythes — humans who work as professional cullers, choosing people to kill, otherwise known as “gleaning.” These days, more and more scythes are needed to combat overpopulation, so scythes pick apprentices to train. But neither Citra nor Rowan expected Honorable Scythe Faraday to make them both his apprentices. They don’t want to be scythes, but Faraday believes that’s why they’d make great ones. The catch? Only one will become a scythe. The other will return to their old life. It’s a competition for a role neither want.  

Soon enough, Citra and Rowan are learning the art of killing by training with weapons and memorizing poisons, studying the history of the world, and witnessing Faraday’s gleanings. But when it comes time for their first of three apprentice tests, both Citra and Rowan fail. As a result, one scythe argues that Faraday’s apprentices aren’t taking the competition seriously enough and then successfully rallies to add a deadly stipulation to the apprenticeship: the one who becomes a scythe will have to glean the other apprentice. Citra and Rowan are horrified, as is Scythe Faraday, who self-gleans as a result. This act of suicide should release his apprentices, stopping the competition. But it doesn’t, as two scythes step in to be Citra’s and Rowan’s mentors.  

Citra is sent to study with Scythe Curie, and Rowan with Scythe Goddard. Curie is an old-guard scythe like Faraday, but Goddard is a controversial, flamboyant new-guard scythe who is intent on bending the Scythedom’s rules for his gain. Whichever apprentice wins will have a huge impact on the Scythedom, which is struggling from infighting between new and old guard scythes. As training continues, Citra makes an alarming discovery — Faraday might not have self-gleaned. He may have been murdered.  

On the other hand, Rowan gets an inside look at just how far Goddard is willing to go to get what he wants. As Citra and Rowan peel back the layers of the Scythedom, they realize the corruption is beyond what anyone expected. What really happened to Scythe Faraday? Is Goddard breaking scythe law—and what’s his final goal? What will happen to the Scythedom? And of course, who will win the apprentice competition? 

Citra and Rowan are very different characters, providing interesting contrasting perspectives. Citra is a driven, outspoken eldest daughter with a competitive spark, while Rowan is a sly but unexpectedly empathetic forgotten middle child who keeps to himself. Even though they live in a world drastically different from the reader’s world, they feel like characters readers could meet in high school. Plus, the fact that neither wants to be a scythe, and is appalled by the act of killing, mirrors readers’ thoughts, adding another element of relatability. Citra and Rowan are both easy to root for, which adds complexity to the read, as readers may struggle in deciding who they want to win the competition.   

Scythe’s side characters, particularly Curie and Goddard, shine as contrasting perspectives to Citra and Rowan, challenging each to their core. Curie’s wise perspective as an older scythe who was flashy in her youth guides not only Citra but readers, offering critical moral lessons. However, she’s far from boring, bringing a calculated strength that is both engaging and surprising. Goddard, on the other hand, serves as a striking, charismatic, and manipulative villain whose sadism and god-complex put him at direct odds with Curie. As an avatar of human corruption, he drives much of the book’s suspense forward and becomes the ultimate villain readers love to hate.  

The worldbuilding is extensive, with many different elements for readers to understand, but Shusterman makes the concepts easily digestible through explanations dispersed throughout the story rather than one large info dump at the beginning. Shusterman wastes no time at the start, throwing readers right into the action, which prevents the slow build-up that often plagues fantasy novels. The concept of scythes is incredibly interesting and only grows more intriguing as readers learn about their complex hierarchy and moral codes. Scythe‘s rich lore makes the world feel authentic, and Shusterman couples these fascinating concepts with an engaging plot and compelling characters to create a tight narrative that readers won’t want to leave — it’s a definite page-turner. 

Scythe is darkly exciting, with grim humor that makes its heartfelt moments unexpectedly endearing and highly impactful. The book is well-paced, with a natural flow that guides readers between eventful action scenes and contemplative lulls. The twists are appropriately placed and induce shock. The ending isn’t one readers will see coming, but it feels completely fitting.  

Shusterman is not subtle about his message, and his directness effectively highlights how this world is not the utopia it appears to be and how perfection remains elusive. He includes journal entries from scythes that question whether immortality is beneficial and what drives the will to live. These entries also highlight the corrupting nature of power and how humans often abuse it, address issues with governing bodies, and explore the inevitability of human nature. These themes, along with others such as greed, class divisions, information abuse, and the dangers of operating above the law, are demonstrated through the characters’ actions. The main villains even wear bejeweled robes, directly marking them as problematic. This straightforward approach to messaging is both refreshing and insightful while still allowing for critical thought and surprise. 

Scythe is chilling in the best way possible, providing dark, thrilling entertainment while bluntly holding up a mirror to contemporary society through its dystopian landscape. Its relentless villains are as compelling as its strong but skeptical protagonists, and the interactions between friend and foe create excellent tension. The concept of scythes is fascinating, and the plot successfully twists and turns, maintaining suspense throughout the novel. Shusterman uses the idea of situations so horrifying you can’t look away to drive home serious messages while delighting audiences with a grim, intriguing, and riveting story. 

Sexual Content  

  • Rowan comes into Citra’s room to check on her after a rough day. Rowan thinks romantic thoughts about Citra, and then she kisses him. “Rowan wanted to kiss her. There was no denying that anymore. He had suppressed the urge for a week. . . then, to his surprise, [Citra] lurched forward and kissed him.” 
  • Rowan stares at a girl in a bikini at one of Scythe Goddard’s parties. “Rowan realized a moment too late that he was staring. She grinned and he blushed, looking away.” She later gives him a massage.  
  • A member of Scythe Goddard’s posse, Scythe Rand, touches Rowan’s body and says things to him with sexual implications. For example, “Scythe Rand constantly slapped his glutes, threatening all kinds of lewd liaisons with [Rowan] once he was of age.” 

Violence  

  • The very concept of scythes as professional, sanctioned killers is gruesome. This means much of the book features violence, killing (sometimes in mass quantities), and death. Some of the deaths in the book aren’t permanent, however.  
  • As part of their scythe training, Citra and Rowan learn “Black Widow Bokator—a deadly version of the ancient Cambodian martial art developed specifically for the Scythedom.” Bokator appears many times as part of the scythe training regimen.  
  • Rowan’s friend Tyger is a “splatter,” someone who repeatedly kills themselves for fun. Rowan goes to visit Tyger in the hospital after Tyger is revived from another splat. “Tyger Salazar had hurled himself out a thirty-nine-story window, leaving a terrible mess on the marble plaza below.” Splatting is mentioned a variety of times. 
  • A scythe shows up at Rowan’s school to glean his classmate Kohl. Rowan holds Kohl’s hand while the scythe gleans Kohl by electrocution. “The scythe pressed the [electrified] paddle to Kohl’s chest. Rowan’s vision went white, then dark. His entire body convulsed. . . It might have been painless for Kohl, but not for Rowan. It hurt. It hurt more than anything.” 
  • Scythe Faraday gleans a woman with a deadly pill as Citra and Rowan watch. “Scythe Faraday placed the pill on her tongue. She closed her mouth, but didn’t bite it right away. . . Then the slightest crunch. And she went limp.” 
  • Scythe Goddard and his posse brutally glean an entire plane of people with many kinds of weapons. One victim, a businessman, commits suicide on Scythe Goddard’s sword. “[Goddard’s friends] drew weapons and began the awful gleaning. . . [Goddard] pulled out his own blade but the businessman was ready. The moment the blade was drawn, he thrust himself forward onto it.” 
  • Goddard’s plane gleaning isn’t shown directly, but after the man’s suicide, the scythes pull out a variety of weapons in preparation, including, “Knives of various lengths. Guns,” “a machete” and other unnamed weapons. The exact number of deaths isn’t stated, but the flight was full and everyone on board — passengers and staff — are gleaned. This scene lasts five pages.  
  • Scythe Goddard and his posse mass-glean a food court. “Three of [the scythes] pulled out weapons that glistened even more than their bejeweled robes, and the fourth pulled out a flamethrower. ‘This food court has been selected for gleaning,’ their leader said. And then they began their terrible mission.” Their slaughter isn’t explicitly described. 
  • A young girl, Esme, attempts to escape the food court gleaning. While hiding, she sees “the man who had served her pizza slumped over the counter, dead.” Goddard and his crew leave Esme as the sole survivor. The scene lasts two pages. 
  • When Citra and Scythe Faraday go to glean a man, he fights back. “When Citra and the scythe entered the room, he ambushed them. . . he rejected his gleaning and fought the scythe.” Citra subdues the man, and then Faraday “slit the man’s throat.” Faraday’s jaw is broken, but Citra is fine. The scene lasts two pages. 
  • Scythe Curie performs a fast gleaning on an unsuspecting man. “Then [the man] suddenly gasped — because Scythe Curie’s blade had already been thrust up beneath his rib cage and into his heart.” 
  • Rowan’s mentor, Scythe Goddard, and three other scythes nearly beat Rowan to death. They torture Rowan, ensuring he feels the maximum pain by turning off his “nanites,” which are pain blockers put in everyone’s bodies. They believe that he needs to feel pain to learn how to be a scythe. “Scythe Chomsky. . . swung his fist, connecting with Rowan’s cheek so hard, he spun around, lost his footing, and fell to the dusty floor.” Rowan sustains multiple broken ribs, and his entire body is swollen and bruised. This scene lasts five pages.  
  • In the backyard of his borrowed mansion, Scythe Goddard orders Rowan to practice gleaning by temporarily killing 12 paid volunteers. “[Rowan] yelled and screamed and grunted with every thrust, slice, and twist. He had trained well. The blade sunk in with perfect precision.”  
  • Scythe Goddard and his posse perform a mass gleaning in an office building. “Blades and bullets and flames. The office was catching fire. . . The doomed were caught between fire and water, and the deadly sights of four master hunters. No one stood a chance.” Rowan helps a couple of workers escape. This scene is described over two pages. 
  • Citra and Rowan are forced to fight in a Bokator match, which they both try to lose. Rowan purposely disqualifies himself by making an illegal move and temporarily killing Citra. “[Rowan] flung his body into the air, twisting her head the other way. Her neck broke with a loud and horrible snap, and darkness came over Citra like a landslide.” This scene lasts three pages.  
  • Scythe Goddard and his posse mass-glean a cult, gleaning about 100 people. One of the posse members, Scythe Volta, gleans a classroom of children and then decides to self-glean in regret and grief. “Rowan realized the blood on Volta’s hands was not from his victims. It was from Volta’s own wrists. The gashes were jagged and long. They were made with very clear intent.” This scene is described over five pages. 
  • Rowan stands up against Goddard and his posse’s actions by beheading Goddard and fighting and killing posse-members Rand and Chomsky. He then sets the building they’re in on fire. “[Rowan] stepped back, withdrew his sword from Goddard’s gut, and swung it in a broad, sweeping arc that took off Goddard’s head in a single blow.” This scene is described over four pages. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Scythe Volta, one of Scythe Goddard’s friends, forcibly gives Rowan a glass of champagne. “Rowan took a sip, wondering if an underage scythe’s apprentice could get marked down for drinking. Then he remembered that such rules didn’t apply to him anymore. So he took another sip.” 
  • Rowan is taken to a wine cellar for the “pain training,” where his mentor Scythe Goddard and his posse torture him. “There was a wine cellar in the basement of the main house. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of bottles of wine rested in the brick alcoves.” The wine isn’t consumed. 
  • After Rowan defeats Citra in Bokator, Scythe Goddard breaks out the champagne to celebrate. “[Goddard] called for the butler to bring champagne and glasses for everyone. . . so they could toast Rowan’s audacity.” Rowan drinks the champagne. 
  • After Rowan escapes a fire, he talks to High Blade Xenocrates, the leader of Mid-Merican scythes. “A servant arrived with champagne and finger sandwiches.” Rowan does not drink. 

Language    

  • Profanity is used occasionally. Language includes damn, hell, and ass. 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • In one of her journal entries, Scythe Curie reflects on how religion became obsolete when death became a thing of the past. “I think about religion, and how, once we became our own saviors, our own gods, most faith became irrelevant. What must it have been like to believe in something greater than oneself?” 
  • In the Scythe universe, groups called Tone Cults exist, which are pseudo-religions whose members worship “wavelengths and vibrations that are beyond the limits of human sight.” They have priest-like leaders and monasteries where they practice their beliefs with tuning forks, using them to create sounds. Their beliefs are “a hodgepodge of mortal age faiths slapped together.” 

by Sarah Leberknight 

Fuzzy Mud

Fifth grader Tamaya Dhilwaddi and seventh grader Marshall Walsh walk home from school every day, but recently, school has been stressful for them. Tamaya feels like she misses out on quality time with her friends because she splits time between her divorced parents, who live in different towns. Plus, all of her friends think she’s a goody two-shoes. Life has also been difficult for Marshall, who is being bullied by Chad Hilligas. Worst of all, Chad says he’s going to beat up Marshall after school today. 

To avoid Chad’s wrath, Marshall forces Tamaya to take a shortcut through the woods, but they get lost quickly. When Chad catches up to them and attempts to attack Marshall, Tamaya throws strange, fuzzy mud in Chad’s face. Tamaya and Marshall both escape, but the next day, Chad has disappeared.  

Now, Tamaya has a painful rash on her hand because of the fuzzy mud, and she’s worried that Chad might be suffering even more. After Chad is absent for two days, the school becomes increasingly concerned about his whereabouts, and Tamaya decides she must find Chad, despite everything he’s done. When Tamaya also disappears, Marshall must decide if he can stand up to Chad in order to help his friend. 

The narration alternates between the third-person limited point of view of the two main characters, Tamaya and Marshall. Tamaya struggles to determine her values as her classmates begin to mature and change in preparation for middle school. Readers will empathize with Tamaya’s relatable conflict and be impressed by her bravery as she chooses to listen to her moral compass rather than outside trends. On the other hand, as a means of venting his frustration, Marshall is becoming meaner to Tamaya. However, he feels immense guilt for this and believes he is a coward for not standing up to Chad. Though Marshall is at times difficult to like due to his cold treatment of Tamaya, his reaction to his bullying is grounded and therefore sympathetic. Despite the characters’ flaws, readers will feel sympathy for Marshall and Tamaya because each wants to change and improve for the sake of the other. 

Interestingly, Chad’s backstory and reasons for bullying are also revealed. He bullies Marshall because he feels that his parents neglect him and don’t truly care about him. Plus, Chad is jealous of Marshall, whose mom often demonstrates her love. Sachar’s choice to give Chad a sympathetic backstory makes him a realistic, grounded bully rather than a caricature of evil. Furthermore, Chad’s narrative demonstrates that people can change for the better and find people who truly care for them. 

The fuzzy mud serves as an intriguing sci-fi thriller element, heightening the stakes and eventually throwing the town into disarray. Ultimately, the fuzzy mud serves as an effective plot device to not only create physical danger for the characters but also kickstart moments of character growth, including Tamaya’s commitment to helping Chad and Marshall’s determination to stand up to what scares them. Furthermore, the fuzzy mud parallels the conflicts the characters face: it is revealed that the fuzzy mud was actually meant to help people, and only began creating harm when it started mutating against outside threats. Similarly, Chad and Marshall did not start out as cold or heartless people, but became meaner when they experienced outward harm and tried to defend themselves. When people like Tamaya call out their harmful ways, they try to change for the better. This is similar to how Tamaya’s ability to alert the authorities about fuzzy mud helps protect people. 

Fuzzy Mud is not only an effective thriller but also a genuinely empathetic exploration of the struggles of three middle school kids. The characters’ interactions with the fuzzy mud allow readers to understand each character’s fears and worries. Though this book is at times almost horror-esque, its unique thriller elements are still fairly tame and make for a tense rather than outright frightening read. It is perfect for young readers who want to begin dipping their toes into sci-fi, thriller, and horror elements. Furthermore, its grounded characters and realistic interpersonal conflicts make this a great read for a wide range of readers. Fuzzy Mud is not only thrilling but also emotional, empathetic, and ultimately hopeful for a better future. Readers who want to read books that show the power of kindness should also read The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade by Jordan Sonnenblick. 

Sexual Content  

  • Marshall doesn’t allow Tamaya to be friendly with him at school, because he doesn’t want anyone to think they are “boyfriend and girlfriend,” which they are “definitely not.” 
  • Tamaya’s mom makes a joke that Tamaya has to do her own laundry or else “she’d have to go to school naked.” Tamaya is embarrassed that her mother said this around Marshall and finds herself blushing. 
  • After he defeats Chad in his fantasy scenario, Marshall imagines two pretty girls from class kissing him. 
  • Tamaya has a crush on her teacher, Mr. Franks. “Tamaya could feel her face get warm, and she tried very hard not to blush. All her friends agreed that Mr. Franks was movie-star handsome.” 
  • Tamaya has a crush on the doctor who takes care of her in the hospital. “With soft brown eyes and curly hair, he was even cuter than Mr. Franks.” 

Violence  

  • The older boys at Tamaya’s school discuss a hermit who may or may not exist, saying that he has a long beard “splotched all over with blood.”  
  • An older boy also discusses an exaggerated story about being in the woods, saying, “A wolf snapped at my leg just as I was climbing back over the fence.”  
  • Chad finds Marshall and Tamaya in the woods and attacks Marshall. “With sudden ferocity, Chad lunged at him. He slugged Marshall in the face, then in the side of the neck.” In an attempt to protect Marshall, Tamaya takes some fuzzy mud and shoves it into Chad’s face. “She reached into the fuzzy mud and grabbed a handful of the thick and gooey muck. She ran at Chad, and as he turned towards her, she shoved it into his face.” 
  • After Chad’s attack, both Tamaya and Marshall are hurt. “Her knees were scraped and bloody, and her left wrist hurt from where she’d fallen, but she didn’t think there was anything seriously wrong. Besides, Marshall was a lot worse. Dried blood and snot were caked beneath his nose.” 
  • Marshall fantasizes about defending Tamaya from Chad. Marshall imagines, “Tamaya is on the ground, crying. Chad is about to hit Tamaya again, but Marshall grabs his arm.”  
  • To convince Marshall that Chad might be in danger, Tamaya shows him the rash. “Huge blisters, bleeding and crusted over, now covered the entire area, from the tip of her fingers down past her wrist.” 
  • In the woods, Tamaya sees a dead animal that the mud killed. “Just ahead lay some kind of dead animal, half covered in muck and fuzz.” 
  • Tamaya slips into a gully and is bruised. “She noticed the pain from all the bruises on her hands, arms, knees, and legs. Her shirt had rolled up a bit during her slide, and she had scratches and scrapes on her stomach as well.” 
  • Chad’s face is incredibly damaged by the mud. “His face was a mass of blisters, crusted with pus and dried blood, and so badly swollen, she could hardly see his eyes.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • Tamaya’s friends tease her in a light-hearted way, though it hurts Tamaya’s feelings. Her friends call her a “goody two-shoes” and a “goody-goody.” 
  • Tamaya feels confused that her girlfriends refer to the boys as “disgusting and gross,” but this seems to be a positive thing. 
  • In one of the Senate hearing excerpts, one doctor refers to another as “crazy.” 
  • Chad calls Marshall names such as “Buttface” and “thumb-sucking coward.”  
  • After a surgery that grafts skin from Chad’s butt to his face, he refers to himself as “Buttface.”

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Mia LaBianca 

Hidden Truths

Dani and Eric have been best friends since Dani moved next door in second grade. They bond over donuts, comic books, and camping on the Cape. Until one summer when everything changes.

Did Eric cause the accident that leaves Dani unable to do the one thing in the world she most cares about? The question plagues him, and he will do anything to get answers about the explosion that injured her. But Dani is hurting too much to want Eric to pursue the truth—she just wants to shut him out and move on. Besides, Eric has a history of dropping things he starts. Eric knows that and is determined that this will be the one time he follows through.

But what if his pursuit brings him into direct conflict with another friend? Where does Eric’s loyalty really lie? 

Hidden Truths follows two middle school students dealing with the aftermath of an accident. Eric struggles with guilt, unsure whether he caused Dani’s injury, while Dani must abandon her baseball dreams after finally making the junior high boys’ team. Their friendship becomes strained as both characters navigate difficult emotions and personal challenges. 

Eric will resonate with any reader who has experienced guilt after a mistake. Unsure if he was responsible for the accident, Eric wants to do something to help Dani. However, he wasn’t expecting Dani to reject his offers of help. To make matters worse, Eric struggles to remember things, and he doesn’t process information in the same way as most of his peers. Despite this, Eric realizes that this is actually his “superpower” because he “see[s] stuff differently” and “[doesn’t] give up on stuff or people.” His attempts to help Dani are repeatedly rejected, yet he persists with remarkable determination. 

Eric’s experience with bullying provides insight into how cruelty affects victims. When Dani dismisses his struggles, he reflects that “she’s never been on the receiving end of mean. She doesn’t know how it scrapes your insides hollow and sticks to the layers of your skin.” This perspective highlights how different people process trauma and adversity. 

Dani’s anger over losing her baseball dreams is understandable, but it leads her to mistreat Eric and befriend Meadow, a thoroughly unlikable character who lies and bullies others. Through this friendship, Dani grapples with moral complexity, realizing that “people were either good or bad. I didn’t think there were in-betweeners. Meadow is definitely an in-betweener.” 

However, Dani fails to recognize that she, too, is an “in-betweener.” Her dismissive attitude toward Eric’s bullying experience reveals her own moral blind spots. She believes her situation is uniquely difficult and does nothing to stop Meadow’s cruel behavior toward Eric. 

The novel explores several meaningful themes. Most prominently, it examines moral complexity, showing how people aren’t simply good or bad but fall somewhere in between. The story also addresses the lasting impact of bullying, revealing how cruelty leaves emotional scars that others may not understand. Additionally, the book emphasizes perseverance as both characters learn to persist despite setbacks. Dani and Eric both learn two valuable lessons: “We all make mistakes” and “the truth matters.” 

Dani finds inspiration in baseball player Mo’ne Davis. She uses this role model to fuel her determination during physical therapy. The story’s conclusion reinforces the theme of personal choice, as Dani’s physical therapist reminds her, “You may not get to choose what sport you play or when you get to play it, but you get to choose who you are. And in the end, that’s what matters most.” 

Hidden Truths succeeds in several important ways. The characters are relatable and flawed, allowing readers to connect with them authentically rather than seeing them as perfect heroes. The book addresses significant themes, including bullying, friendship conflicts, and personal growth, in a meaningful way that will resonate with middle-grade readers. The characters’ internal struggles feel genuine and age-appropriate. At the same time, the realistic resolution avoids tying everything up too neatly—Dani’s future in baseball remains uncertain, reflecting how real life doesn’t always provide clear answers.  

Hidden Truths alternates between Dani’s and Eric’s points of view, which allows the reader to see how one event affects each person. Each chapter starts with either a picture of a baseball with Dani’s name on it or a picture of a crossword with Eric’s name on it; this visual cue makes it easy to transition between the two characters’ points of view.  

However, the novel has some limitations. The heavy emphasis on internal conflict means some sections lack action, resulting in slower pacing that may not engage all readers. Additionally, those expecting a fast-paced sports story will likely be disappointed by the book’s introspective focus. Expand your reading list by adding other books that explore the topic of friendship and sports, including The Academy by T.Z. Layton, Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up by Jenn Bishop and Rick Kotani’s 400 Million Dollar Summer by Waka T. Brown. 

Sexual Content  

  • Eric has a crush on a classmate named Rachel. They start spending time together, holding hands several times. One time, when they hold hands, Eric tries “to walk like a normal person while every neuron in [his] brain’s firing.” 
  • After Eric makes a good presentation at school, “Rachel leans over and kisses [his] cheek.” Eric thinks, “Best meeting ever.” 

Violence  

  • Dani is sleeping in an RV when it blows up. A cabinet falls on Dani and knocks her unconscious. Eric goes inside to save her. “I cough. Bang into something. Gasp. Run out the door to grab air. . . Blood trickles down my leg. I dart into the camper again.” Dani is hospitalized with major injuries and needs physical therapy for nerve damage. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • While in the hospital, Dani is given pain medication. 

Language  

  • Occasionally, someone is referred to as a jerk or an idiot. 
  • A bully calls Eric an idiot. Afterward, Eric prays, “God, if you’re there, a little help would be great.” 
  • Dani calls a boy a “brainless idiot.” 
  • A girl says Eric is “being a brat.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • When Dani is injured and taken to the hospital, Eric pleads with God. He prays, “I’ll do anything, please let Dani be okay. . . I’ll set two alarms in the morning. Never oversleep again. Clean my room. Remember stuff. Anything.” Since Eric continues to pray like this throughout the book, not all of the prayers are listed below. 
  • Before Eric goes into the chapel at the hospital, he wonders if he “need[s] to be more religious to go inside.” 
  • While in the chapel, a woman says, “Bless you, my child.” Eric isn’t sure what to do, so he says, “Bless you, too.” 
  • Eric prays that Dani is okay. He prays, “I promise to stop drinking the milk straight from the half-gallon carton in the refrigerator.” He continues to pray intermittently throughout the book. 
  • Eric is Jewish. When he goes into the hospital’s chapel, he mentions the Torah. He also thinks, “I don’t feel strange or out of place, which is weird. Not that I go to Shabbat service every week, but I thought I’d feel like an outsider in this chapel. But I don’t.”  
  • When Dani and Eric stop talking to each other, Eric prays, “God, I’m not sure if it’s possible to ask for too much. Or if a new prayer cancels out the ones that came before. Or if there are rules I should be following. Because if there are, that would be helpful to know.” 
  • Dani faints at school and is taken to the hospital. While Eric waits to hear about Dani’s condition, he goes to the chapel and prays. “I’m back. I’m sorry for anything I’ve ever done wrong. . . I’m sorry I stink at remembering. But, I promise, I’ll do anything for Dani to be all right.” The prayer is a paragraph long. 
  • When Eric sees his crush, “I pray she can’t tell I’m a horrible human just by looking at me.”  
  • Eric’s aunt says, “I’m putting it out in the world to heal Dani.” Eric goes on to explain, “Aunt Josie believes if you say your wish out loud—put it into the world—it’ll come true.” 
  • Eric’s aunt tells Dani, “I told the world to heal you.” 
  • Several times, Dani feels her dead grandmother’s presence. The second time this happens, Dani talks to her grandmother. 

Baker’s Magic

After running away from her abusive foster family, the protagonist, Bee (short for Beatrix), finds herself in Zeewal, a small village in the struggling kingdom of Aradyn. After failing to steal baked goods, Bee quickly earns an apprenticeship with the town’s baker, Master Bouts. Bee learns all there is to know about baking, and she soon discovers that she has the magical ability to infuse her treats with her emotions, causing customers to experience her happiness, pain, and annoyance. Her skills lead Master Bouts’ bakery to be summoned to deliver pastries to Master Joris, the kingdom’s head mage and de facto ruler. This allows Bee to begin an unlikely friendship with the orphaned Princess Anika, Joris’ ward, who will soon inherit the kingdom of Aradyn.  

However, when Bee learns of Joris’ plot to marry Anika off to a neighboring kingdom and steal her throne, Bee devises a plan with her friend, Willem (Wil), to take Anika away from Joris. Wil, Anika, and Bee go on a journey to find the Island of the Mages, hoping that the mages’ council can protect Anika and put a stop to Joris’ reign. On their adventure, they encounter the Tulip Pirates of the ship the Egbertina-Henriette, thieves who steal the lucrative tulips that Joris grows in Aradyn. With help from the pirates, a wizard named Bartholomew, and a few tree spirits, Bee and her friends learn just how harmful Master Joris has been to Aradyn. This causes Bee to grow ever more determined to rid the kingdom of the mage once and for all. 

Bee is an inquisitive and caring protagonist whose self-assurance and sense of identity grow throughout the book. She begins as an orphan with a lonely and miserable past, but through her own determination and kindness, she unites her past and present and finds a true family. Despite being only twelve years old, Bee displays a strong moral compass that propels her to do everything she can to help her friends and her kingdom. Bee’s friendship with Wil quickly develops into a strong connection, marked by laughter and selflessness. Their loyalty to each other contributes to the heartwarming atmosphere of the novel. 

Princess Anika is sheltered and naive about the outside world, but she never displays the haughtiness expected of her. The unlikely friendship that the three of them form exemplifies the book’s message that our differences are less than our similarities, and heroes can come from anywhere. Another central idea of Baker’s Magic is the importance of trees. Joris uses his magic to banish all of Aradyn’s tree life before the book begins, and this results in flooding and food shortages. The characters gradually learn the importance of trees, educating audiences along the way. 

Come along for Bee’s exciting adventure across land and sea. Each stage of the journey brings new twists and turns, from the humorous Council of Mages to the lonely floating islands. Audiences seeking minimal interpersonal conflict will appreciate the good-natured characters. The central antagonist, Master Joris, is the source of every problem and the only irredeemable figure, so his defeat solves every conflict. This results in a clean, yet simple narrative that is best suited for younger readers. The stakes are high, but the book is ultimately low-stress.  

Lighthearted, comedic characters like the Tulip Pirates serve to counteract the looming threat of Master Joris, and there are helpful figures around every corner that aid the central trio on their journey. However, Bee’s history of abuse may be disturbing for some readers, and the young protagonists are often in life-or-death situations. The back of the novel contains a recipe for the most popular baked good in the story, the “Bouts Bun,” which adds a unique participatory aspect to the book. Overall, Baker’s Magic is an uplifting and entertaining read that puts a fantastical spin on the world of baking. Readers can take another magical adventure by reading The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates Series by Caroline Carlson and The Grimmelings by Rachael King. 

Sexual Content  

  • There is no explicit sexual content or mentions of sex, but there are minor references to romance and attraction. For example, Wil, the loyal son of the Zeewal blacksmith, kisses “Anika’s limp hand” before going into battle alongside the pirates. 
  • Princess Anika kisses Captain Zay, a pirate and the leader of the ship called the Egbertina-Henriette (Egg Hen), on the cheek. 
  • Anika and Wil form a relationship by the end of the novel – “the princess, in love with the blacksmith’s son!” 

Violence  

  • After attempting to steal from Master Bouts’ bakery, Bee is tripped and falls to the ground. “She landed on the hard stones with a bone-jarring thump.” Bouts grabs her “in a painfully tight grip.” 
  • Long before the story begins, Bee’s mother drowned in a shipwreck that nearly killed Bee as well. 
  • After opening the closet in the palace kitchen, Bee’s shoulder is injured by a falling broom handle. “A broom handle popped out, smacking her hard on the shoulder.” 
  • The kingdom of Aradyn is threatened by large storms that destroy houses and drown civilians. Past storms have given Master Bouts a fear of floods and drowning. 
  • Wil is apprenticing as a blacksmith, so he has many burn scars. “He held out his hands, and Bee noticed, for the first time, the scars on nearly every finger, the back of his hands, his wrists.” 
  • Bee confides in Anika about her former foster family. “The master shouted and threw things. And the mistress beat me.” 
  • Master Bouts attempts to save a burning omelet but forgets “to use a cloth,” resulting in his hand burning. 
  • To escape an arranged marriage, Anika runs away from Master Joris, the conniving head mage of Aradyn. He sends magic after them, but they escape unharmed. This tense escape scene lasts two and a half pages. 
  • Master Joris uses his magic to send rocks after Bee, Anika, and Wil as they try to escape him on a boat. “Then, all at once, splashes surrounded them, and something crashed against Bee’s temple, so hard that the night sky spun before her eyes.” Bee’s injury causes her to bleed from her head, and Wil is bruised. 
  • Bee nearly drowns when her boat sinks, but pirates save her. “Something grabbed her by her cropped hair and yanked, pulling upward. Oh, it hurt!” Wil and Anika are also saved from drowning. 
  • The pirates go into battle with a Zeewal merchant ship to steal their supply of tulips. Bee and Anika watch as a merchant’s sword nearly slices Wil. “The blades flashed as Wil bent backward over the rail, his sword raised against the oncoming steel that threatened to slice down onto his neck.” Captain Zay saves Wil by cutting the sailor, and the blood makes Wil vomit. No lives are lost in the battle, and the scene lasts for two and a half pages. 
  • Bartholomew, a hedge wizard and Bee’s long-lost father, uses magic to turn the entire tree island clockwise. He loses control of it, and Bee is nearly tossed off the island by the centrifugal force. The spinning only ceases when Bartholomew is thrown from his feet due to the force of the spinning. 
  • Bee, Wil, and Bartholomew are attacked by Joris’ taxidermy collection. A fox, a mole, a rabbit, and a mouse attack first, and Bee is bitten by the mouse. Birds then peck at them from above, and the next wave is a horde of flying, stinging, and crawling bugs. This scene lasts for three pages. 
  • When Bee is trapped in one of Joris’ snow globes, Bartholomew sends rocks to break the glass of her prison. “The glass showered down over Bee, and she rolled into a ball to try to protect herself from the bombardment of shards and stone. One ricocheting rock hit her in the ribs, and she gasped with the pain of it.” 
  • Master Bouts is being kept in the palace prison when Joris’ magic causes it to flood, and Bee momentarily thinks that he has drowned. Anika also almost drowns, but Captain Zay saves her. 
  • Pepin, Anika’s pet hedgehog, bites Joris’ leg to prevent him from escaping Bee, Anika, and the pirates. “Master Joris let out a shout and tried to shake Pepin off, but he hung on, his sharp teeth embedded in the mage’s calf.” 
  • Joris is ultimately defeated by anthropomorphic trees that return to Aradyn from exile. The trees use their roots to grab him and take him underground. “The mage let out a shriek of terror and tried to kick and twist free. But the roots held him tight as he struggled. Slowly they pulled him downward into the mire.”

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Alcohol is mentioned sparsely throughout the book. For example, Master Bouts and Wil mention a cooper whose wine “tasted better than the palace’s own vintage.” 
  • Master Bouts smokes a pipe, but tobacco is never mentioned by name. 
  • Wil’s father, Master Weatherwax, drinks a “tumbler of ale” after dinner. 
  • On the pirate ship, Bee bakes cookies with “sugar, flour, and rum.” She later uses beer to make the Bouts Buns’ dough rise on the ship. 
  • Captain Zay puts rum in her and Bartholomew’s coffee, but she refuses to give any to Bee, Wil, or Anika due to them being underage. 

Language    

  • Bee and Wil often call each other names, either jokingly or out of anger. When Wil calls her baking “off,” Bee angrily responds, “It’s you who’s off!” 
  • Wil angrily shouts to Bee and Bouts, “The cursed door’s locked!” 
  • When Joris figures out that Bee is hiding in the castle, he demands, “Come out of there this minute, you sorry wench.” 
  • The pirate Limmo tells his crewmates, “It ain’t suppertime yet, you feckless oafs.” 
  • The pirate Haleem mentions a parrot that “used to curse a blue streak.” 
  • One of the members of the Council of Mages calls their fellow mage an idiot. 
  • The pirate Filmon says that, when Captain Zay was under Bee’s truth spell, “She told us we were rogues and rapscallions and should go to the devil. . .” 

Supernatural 

  • Hedge wizards and witches are regular people who “have some magic.” With practice, they can increase their skills and become mages. 
  • Bee has the power to infuse her baked goods with her emotions, causing her customers to feel her feelings. As Master Bouts puts it, “I think your pastries make people feel the way you do.” She inherited this magic from her father, a hedge wizard. 
  • Master Joris is “the mage of all Aradyn,” a powerful magic-user who can control every aspect of the environment but has no sway over water. Each kingdom has a head mage appointed by the Council of Mages. 
  • Joris creates sparks when he walks. “Bee noticed, to her astonishment, that as his heels struck the ground, small sparks flew upward.” Joris can also create elaborate firework displays. 
  • While staying on the island of the Council of Mages, Bee, Wil, and Anika are able to ask for what they want, and it magically appears. Bee loudly yells for water, and a tiny storm cloud appears to rain into a water basin. 
  • The “moss maidens” are spirits connected to trees. When Joris banished Aradyn’s trees to a floating island, the moss maidens were trapped with them. The maidens can communicate with their trees, and with Bee’s guidance, they use tree roots to paddle their island prison toward Zeewal. These trees later grab hold of Joris and imprison him underground. 
  • After being called a murderer by Bartholomew, Joris stamps his foot in rage and creates a large crack in the earth. “The crack in the ground became a cleft and then a crevice, and it widened with every passing second.” 

 Spiritual Content  

  • None

by Gabrielle Barke 

Flowers in the Gutter: The True Story of the Edelweiss Pirates, Teenagers Who Resisted the Nazis

In the early 1930s, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party began seizing power in Germany. In the city of Cologne, three young children — Fritz, Jean, and Gertrud — watched their country change overnight. Their parents and neighbors, working-class and unabashed communists and socialists, were being arrested, beaten, and sent to labor camps. The Nazis’ ever-tightening grip was a constant contradiction to everything they believed in. 

With the outbreak of World War II, Fritz, Jean, and Gertrud, now teenagers, felt more emboldened than ever before to resist the Nazis. They join a resistance group called the Edelweiss Pirates, consisting of hundreds of young Germans who refuse to wear the Hitler Youth uniform. As Pirates, they sang illegal songs, went on unauthorized hiking trips in the countryside, and began small acts of resistance, such as distributing anti-Nazi flyers throughout Cologne under the cover of Allied bombing runs.  

As the war raged on and the Nazis became more desperate to win, the Edelweiss Pirates became bolder in their acts of defiance: committing acts of sabotage, stealing weapons and rations, and even shooting at SS officers. Dealing with the Pirates’ growing influence became the Gestapo’s top priority. Fritz, Jean, and Gertrud were arrested, brutally beaten, and interrogated. With death hovering over them, the Edelweiss Pirates continued to resist the Nazis despite the dangers. 

Flowers in the Gutter is a fascinating nonfiction piece that tells the largely untold story of the youth resistance in Germany during World War II. The book is broken into seven parts, beginning in Cologne in 1932 and ending in the winter of 2000. Each part is divided into mini-chapters, and told from the perspective of either Fritz, Jean, or Gertrud. They are ordinary kids from working-class families who yearn for freedom and are forced to take extreme measures to achieve it. Fritz was initially a member of the Hitler Youth but grew to resent their authoritarianism; he is the most determined and rebellious of the group, sabotaging the Nazis in broad daylight. At a young age, Jean witnessed his father being attacked by the Nazis. He is a thoughtful boy who loves to sing with the Pirates. Gertrud is a young girl who, along with the other female Pirates, defied the rigid gender norms of Nazi Germany.  Gaddy puts the reader into the teenagers’ shoes, and the fact that this is a true story makes the book even more immersive.  

What makes Flowers in the Gutter such a compelling read is the seamless blending of thorough research and engaging storytelling. The stories of Fritz, Jean, and Gertrud feel personal and grounded and are accompanied by contemporary documents and historical facts. Through her writing, Gaddy captures the internal conflicts the teens experience, such as dealing with loss, fear, and the increasing costs of resistance. The teens also encounter many external battles against the Gestapo, Hitler Youth, and Nazi Germany as a whole. The inclusion of both internal and external conflicts allows today’s readers to connect with and understand the Edelweiss Pirates.  

Flowers in the Gutter is a thorough and well-researched book that tells an important story and raises the question of what constitutes resistance. After the war, the Allies and the West German government initially dismissed the Edelweiss Pirates and other youth groups, labeling them as criminals. It wasn’t until decades later that the government formally recognized the Pirates and commemorated their courage. As Gaddy concludes, “There are always more stories to be told, if we take the time to listen.”  

Sexual Content 

  • In 1939, Gertrud and her mother visited the women’s society’s office. While there, “a woman told Gertrud about the role and duty of a German woman, which was, put simply, to have children- ‘Aryan’ children — preferably with an SS man.” 
  • Gertrud told her friend, Lolli, about a boy she liked named Gustav. Lolli asked, “So, have you and Gustav. . .” Gertrud turned red because “they didn’t normally talk about guys, and they definitely didn’t talk about sex.” Furthermore, “‘Normal’ sexuality fit into a small box in Germany: anything other than being heterosexual and cisgender was considered deviant.” 
  • Before an interrogation in 1944, Jean noticed an SS man and a female stenographer kissing. “Jean thought they looked like they were going to have sex. He couldn’t watch; he was so embarrassed.”

Violence 

  • In 1936, Jean and his father were staying at his grandparents’ apartment when suddenly two SS officers barged in. When they located Jean’s father, they began beating him as they arrested him. Jean, who was hiding in another room, “could hear everything — every blow, every cry of pain, every plea to stop.” 
  • During an altercation with the Hitler Youth in 1940, one of the members bumped into Gertrud. “She felt a tug on her scalp. He had her hair . . . the front of her neck strained as he pulled his hand back and her head came with it.” This escalated into a brawl between the Pirates and the Hitler Youth. After the fighting, Gertrud noticed that two other Pirates named Jus and Banjo Willi were injured. “Blood trickled down from both their nostrils and dripped off their chins. She hoped their noses weren’t broken.” 
  • In the winter of 1941, Jean and his grandparents ran to a bunker as the air raid sirens began to blare. The next morning, they returned to their apartment building, which was devastated by the bombing. “People were there, cleaning the rubble and pulling out bodies.” Jean found one of his neighbors who survived, but her daughter did not. “She just screamed over and over again, ‘Why do I have to live when my child is dead!’” 
  • Gaddy writes about the mass deportations in Cologne during the spring of 1942, noting “44,000 people are sent from the Messe to Theresienstadt, a camp-ghetto where they face almost certain death to disease or further transport to extermination camps like Auschwitz.” 
  • One day in spring 1942, Fritz discovered a bunker “where a bomb had broken through the shelter and destroyed everything — and everyone — inside.” Fritz “couldn’t imagine the gruesome scene where people realized they were about to die.” 
  • Gertrud is detained at the Gestapo’s Cologne office, the EL-DE House. While there, she was brutally interrogated. The Gestapo wanted to know the names of the Edelweiss Pirates. “Who were they? No answer. A blow to the side of the head. Where did they meet? No answer. Another smack.” Gertrud was hit multiple times but wasn’t seriously injured and was released the next day. 
  • Gertrud was soon arrested again. “According to Gertrud, they hit her so many times in so many places that her skin was shades of blue, violet, red, or green, depending on where they’d hit her and how hard.” 
  • In October 1943, Fritz was arrested at the EL-DE House. He and about a dozen other boys were “whipped, punched, and verbally abused.” 
  • After being transported to another facility, a guard punished Fritz and two others for whistling. He was hit over the head by a guard’s baton. “Fritz heard Emil crying and screaming. They all knew they couldn’t fight back; they just had to accept what was happening.”  
  • During an interrogation, Fritz remained tight-lipped when asked who distributed the anti-Nazi leaflets. A man with a baton hit him, saying, “Open your mouth, or I’ll kill you!” 
  • After being released from prison, Fritz was forced to work at a Ford factory. He noticed that one guard “was particularly sadistic with the starving forced laborers. When he caught someone, he’d shove their faces into the bowls and hit them on the back of the head. Fritz saw another guard kick a pregnant laborer in the belly for talking back. Others were simply worked to death.” 
  • Fritz, accompanied by his mother, was called back to the EL-DE House for questioning. When his mother defended him, an officer choked her. “Her color drained from her face and her lips turned from red to blue. She gasped for air.” 
  • In 1944, two Pirates named Barthel and Lang discussed how much further they could go. “We gotta get these party fat cats out of the way,” said Barthel. “‘What you mean. . . ’ Lang stuck his index finger and thumb out from his fist and made a shooting motion.” The implication is that they were thinking about escalating by killing certain Nazis. Later, when chased by SS officers, Barthel “pulled out his gun from his pocket and fired two or three shots in the direction of the patrol.”  
  • One day, Jean opened his apartment door expecting his friend but was instead met with a Gestapo officer, who asked where a Pirate named Ferdi Steingrass was. When Jean hesitated to answer, the officer “suddenly hit Jean in the face so hard that he flew backward into the cupboard, smashing the glass window.” Jean was bleeding from the back of his head due to this assault. 
  • Gestapo Officer Joseph Hoegen brutally interrogated Barthel. Hoegen’s “interrogation techniques included laying Barthel with his belly on the seat of a chair, placing a cord around his neck and a gag in his mouth so he couldn’t scream, and then beating him with chair legs until he couldn’t feel or think anything.” Barthel admitted that these interrogations broke him, forcing him to tell the Gestapo key details about the Pirates’ operations, in order to stop the pain. 
  • Jean, while imprisoned, noted that “the Gestapo men seem to take pleasure from making the prisoners hurt.” 
  • In November 1944, a group of Edelweiss Pirates were publicly hanged in Cologne. “Hangings aren’t supposed to happen in a public place like this, but the Nazis were desperate and wanted to show any resistance in this neighborhood what would happen if they continued.” Describing the hanging, Gaddy writes, “Instead of an instant death, strangling by hanging can last as long as twenty minutes.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • One night, twenty Pirates, including Gertrud, met up in an old German tavern. “Spread out across the checkered tablecloths were light and dark beers in big steins. Sometimes the girls mixed the beers with apple juice for a drink called schorle.” 

Language 

  • In 1940, Fritz, then a member of the Nazi Youth, was tired of being obedient to the Nazis. “This was bullshit, and he didn’t want to do it anymore.” 
  • A Pirate named Sepp wrote graffiti that read, “IS YOUR NOSE STILL FULL OF BROWN SHIT?” 
  • During Gertrud’s Gestapo interrogation, she was verbally abused. She was told she was a “piece of shit,” as well as being called a “slut”, a “bastard”, a “whore”, and a “devious bitch.” 
  • When returned to his cell after an interrogation, Fritz yelled, “How could you say such things and have done this to me! You’re fucking crazy! You assholes, do you know what they did to me?” 
  • When Fritz and his friend Bubbes walked past a group of starving Russian prisoners, Bubbes said, “These Nazi shits.” 
  • In September 1944, Fritz was sent to a “reeducation camp.” Accurately, Fritz thought, “Reeducation was bullshit; this place was a forced labor camp and children were the forced laborers.”

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • Two Pirates, brothers Bub and Wolfgang, were half-Jewish. Bub recalls being with his aunt at the train station when “family friends and the rabbi were loaded on trains for the Litzmannstadt Ghetto, friends they never saw again.” 

by Nicholas Paragano 

Fierce

Learn all about Aly Raisman’s journey from watching the Olympics as a child on her living room floor, to competing on the 2012 and 2016 USA Olympic gymnastics teams. Aly Raisman began her gymnastics career at eighteen months old in Needham, Massachusetts, taking part in a “Mommy and Me” class. By the age of six, Aly had made her studio’s pre-team, a gymnastics team that prepares young kids for future competitions. From there, her dedication and passion for the sport allowed her to continue to progress.  

Fierce delves into the hardships and triumphs that Aly Raisman faced on her way to the Olympics. From coming in fourth place – one spot away from a medal – at multiple competitions, to feeling tears stream down her face as she realized she won the silver medal in the all-around at the 2016 Olympics, this book gives an in-depth look at the time and dedication it takes to be a high-level athlete.       

Raisman explains her routines and the structure of each competition in a clear, beginner-friendly way. For example, Aly describes the competitive process of qualifying to become an elite gymnast. She explains the process of qualifiers, and how it involves a “compulsory. Compulsories are routines where gymnasts demonstrate that they can perform basic skills with good form.” These explanations make the book easy to understand, even for those unfamiliar with the nuances of gymnastics. Fans of the sport will be pleased with getting an inside look at what it takes to compete at a national level, while newcomers can enjoy learning about various aspects of the sport.  

Though the book is likely to resonate most with young kids with a passion for gymnastics, the level of commitment and athleticism that Aly Raisman demonstrates will feel relatable to any young competitor. Aly recalls moments where she felt left out at school because everyone was discussing their fun weekend plans that she could not partake in because of her busy practice schedule. However, she was confident that the sacrifices that she was making would allow her to achieve her greatest goal of being an Olympian. This dedication will be inspirational and relatable to any athlete.  

Chapter 25, titled “The Road to Rio,” speaks about Aly Raisman’s journey in gaining her confidence before the 2016 Olympic trials. The chapter includes twenty-two photos, ranging from Aly’s childhood all the way up to her time competing at the 2016 Olympics. Each photo also features a caption that explains what is happening in the image. Fans of the gymnast will enjoy getting this inside glimpse into Aly’s life.  

While most of the book describes her preparation for competition, Aly spends a chapter explaining the sexual assault that she and many of her teammates faced from USA Gymnastics physician, Larry Nassar. She states that she will not go into detail about what Nassar did but makes it clear that Nassar made her and her teammates uncomfortable during many treatments. Aly writes this chapter “in hopes that it may help people who are going through something similar.” She encourages people to speak up if they ever feel that they are being taken advantage of, as everyone’s story matters.  

Fierce also delves into the themes of body issues and the struggle to find confidence. By middle school, Aly had muscular arms from training. Since most other middle schoolers were not yet developing muscles, this quickly became a topic of discussion among other students, causing her to wear long-sleeved shirts to school to avoid showing her arms. She describes encounters with strangers after the 2016 Olympics, where she was asked how much weight she had gained since she stopped competing. In the final pages of her book, Aly reveals that as she’s gotten older, she’s learned to “be confident and comfortable in my own skin. It’s still a learning process and sure, there are definitely days where I don’t feel confident, but every morning, I look in the mirror and try to focus on something that I like about myself.” Young readers will feel inspired by Aly’s strength when dealing with her body insecurity and will feel empowered to embrace their true selves as a result.   

The book’s final chapter is titled “The Fierce Guide to Life,” where Raisman lists twenty-one pieces of advice for all her readers to live by. From speaking up for yourself to being kind to others, this list of rules is a great ending piece to encourage young readers to reach their goals and make the most of their lives. This chapter encapsulates the book’s overall tone, as Raisman is telling her story to encourage her audience to always try their best. Though Aly speaks about her successes, she also outlines the hardships and injuries that she has faced along the way, proving that even the strongest athletes have hard days. These honest recounts, along with Aly’s positive attitude, will make the audience feel connected to her story. Overall, Raisman’s Fierce is an empowering autobiography that will inspire young readers to chase their dreams and remain true to themselves while doing so.  

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • Aly discusses the differences in how men and women are represented in the media, particularly in their clothing choices. “I heard an actress who had been raped say that when she shared her story, people sometimes asked, ‘What were you wearing?’ As though wearing a sexy outfit gave a man the right to disrespect her.”  
  • When Aly got treatment from USA Gymnastics athletic trainer Larry Nassar, she felt uncomfortable. “It was different with Larry. I would lie on the table, my hands involuntarily balling themselves into fists as his ungloved hands worked their way under my clothing.”  
  • At training camps, Aly and many of the other gymnasts thought the way Larry Nassar “touched us was weird. But he did it to so many of us that we assumed, blindly, that he must know something we didn’t.” 
  • After speaking with a private investigator, Aly began to realize that what she had experienced with Larry Nassar was sexual abuse. “I wanted to throw up. Realizing that you’ve been a victim of sexual abuse is a horrible, sickening feeling. I didn’t want to believe it, but it had all become clear.”  
  • Aly believes that her focus on training and competing caused her to live a sheltered life. “That’s probably why I didn’t question why Larry would sometimes close his eyes or seem out of breath when he worked on me. More than once I would make excuses for his strange behavior.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Madeline Hettrick 

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution

This memoir by Ji Li Jiang details her experience as a young girl in China during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. She and her family are living under the influence and rule of Mao Zedong, a communist leader. Her red scarf is an emblem of the Young Pioneers of the revolution.   

Ji Li was 12 years old in 1966 and lived with her mother, father, grandmother, and two younger siblings. She grew up believing that her life was nearly perfect, but that was about to change. At school, Ji Li is selected to audition for a dance training class for the Liberation Army. When she tells her parents, they urge her not to go to the audition. Her father doesn’t think the family would be able to pass the political background check, and her auditioning could cause social issues for her family. This is her first glimpse into the more nuanced reality around her. Articles are written about Ji Li in the paper that critiques her identity as a communist, and those same newspapers are used to cover the door of her grandfather’s bookstore. Ji Li’s world is changing.  

She starts to uncover truths about her family and their class status. She discovers that her grandfather was a landlord. This is against the Red Party’s code of ethics. More events like this pile on, and soon after Ji Li’s home is searched, and her father is detained. She begins to worry about her family.  Later, Ji Li finds a letter her mother wrote to the comrades of the municipal party committee about the torture the Red Guards inflict on those who oppose the Red Party. Her family’s house is searched, and the guards find the letter. The memoir is a frightening example of how quickly things can change.  

All of the events in Ji Li’s memoir occur when Ji Li is between the ages of 12 and 14, which makes the book’s pace fast. Ji Li goes from thinking her family and government are perfect to discovering that both have their flaws. This realization leaves her confused about how the world works. Young readers may relate to Ji Li’s constant mental battle between doing what she believes is right and what is wrong. She overcomes bullying by believing in herself, which may encourage young readers to be brave and believe in themselves.   

Overall, Red Scarf Girl is an engaging and informative book that provides insight into China’s Cultural Revolution of the 1960s. Ji Li’s story is an emotionally charged tale that will linger with readers for a long time to come. Through her personal journey from innocence to awareness, Ji Li demonstrates how political upheaval can shatter individual lives and force young people to confront difficult truths about loyalty, family, and survival. The memoir serves as both a historical document and a universal coming-of-age story that reminds us how resilience and love can endure even in the darkest of times. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Ji Li is visited by her father’s friend Fan Wen-Chong, who was beaten up by the Red Guards. Ji Li “stopped when [she] saw his face, it was swollen, bruised and bloody. Standing in the dark doorway he looked like a monster.” 
  • The family is interrogated about a letter to the municipal party committee. A Red Guard slaps her grandmother. “Thin face slapped her with all his strength. Grandma staggered into Mom’s arms.”  

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • Ji Li’s classmates bully her about her name and her family. She thinks to herself, “No, I do not want to have this damned name anymore.” 
  • Kids call Ji Li’s family a black family, which means they oppose the Red movement.  

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual 

  • After Ji Li’s father is detained, her grandmother prays, “May Allah protect my son.” 
  • When the family finds out Ji Li’s father is okay, “Grandma was in tears and she could not stop thanking Allah for his blessing.” 

Kayleigh Doyle

The Inheritance Games

Avery Kylie Grambs was a practically invisible teenager before she mysteriously inherited billions of dollars.  

After her mother’s death, Avery lives with her older sister, Libby. Avery plans to graduate from high school, secure a scholarship, and help her sister with the bills. But then, Avery is summoned to Texas to hear the will of Tobias Hawthorne, the ninth-richest man in the world. Avery is incredibly confused because she’s never met the man before. When the will is read, Avery is shocked to discover that she has inherited nearly all of Tobias’s wealth, uprooting the lives of Tobias’s daughters, Skye and Zara, and Skye’s sons, Nash, Grayson, Jameson, and Xander. But there’s one condition—Avery must live in Hawthorne House for a year with all the people whose inheritances she just stole. 

Well, as they say, more money, more problems. Avery quickly finds herself with a target on her back as she faces threats from those within and outside of the Hawthorne family. As Avery spends more time with the Hawthornes, she gets to know the family and realizes that all of this is a puzzle waiting to be solved. With no idea who is rooting for or against her, Avery struggles to adjust to her new life while simultaneously trying to figure out why Tobias chose her to be his heir.  

Avery is strong-willed and fiercely independent. She is initially confused and stunned by this turn of events but keeps her head high and her wits about her. Her background is vastly different from that of everyone she interacts with in her new life, but she is able to adapt and hold her own. Avery is also incredibly kind-hearted and doesn’t spend any of her new money on herself; instead, she attempts to send money to a homeless man. Avery also tries to protect her sister from her abusive on-and-off boyfriend, Drake. Avery is kind to those important to her and draws firm boundaries with those who try to harm her. Readers will be drawn to these admirable traits and find Avery to be a likable protagonist. 

It is compelling to watch Avery take control of her new responsibilities and shake up the Hawthorne world as she makes changes and takes risks. The story also explores themes of family, love, and the importance of staying loyal to those who are important to you. The narrative is constantly evolving, leaving readers desperate to turn the page and discover the next piece of the puzzle.  

The Inheritance Games will captivate readers with its twists and turns, riddles, complex family relationships, and a touch of romance along the way. The story will keep readers on the edge of their seats with dozens of unanswered questions — some of which remain open-ended, perfectly leading to the second book in the series, The Hawthorne Legacy.  

Sexual Content 

  • On a flight, Libby, Avery’s sister, tells Avery, “Smoosh in and hold up your warm nuts.” Another woman on the flight gives them a dirty look, likely due to the innuendo.  
  • Skye, the Hawthorne grandsons’ mother, says she has lovely conversations with people and “that’s how [she] ended up with four sons. Wonderful, intimate conversations with four fascinating men.” 
  • Jameson, one of the Hawthorne grandsons, is shirtless when he meets Avery. She notes “the muscles in his back tensing, rippling over his shoulder blades.” She later looks at his abs and his hair before he brushes his bare arm against hers as he leaves. 
  • Xander, one of the Hawthorne grandsons, describes the Hawthorne House as if “an M.C. Escher drawing conceived a child with Leonardo da Vinci’s most masterful designs.” Avery cuts him off and says he can’t use any “baby-making” terminology to describe the house. 
  • Jameson tells Avery it would be a shame if they were related. Avery tells herself to stop thinking about his smile and looking at his lips. 
  • Max, Avery’s best friend, calls Jameson “faxable,” meaning “fuckable.” She says that he looks like he knows his way around a “fax machine” and is probably really great at “dialing numbers.” 
  • Thea, a girl who shows Avery around her new school, tells her that “everyone who likes boys wanted to date” the Hawthorne boys. 
  • Jameson says that Avery “doesn’t bite” and that “now that the issue of relatedness has been settled in the negative, I’d be game if she did.” 
  • Avery walks past Grayson, one of the Hawthorne grandsons, and brushes up against him, thinking, “even that split second of contact made me feel like I was going two hundred miles an hour.” She later finds it attractive that he uses the word “empirically” and then tells herself to get her mind out of the gutter. 
  • After someone shoots at Avery, she and Jameson kiss. He angles her face by pulling her hair while she imagines him shirtless like before. She thinks that the kiss “isn’t soft and sweet” and it’s what she needed. 
  • In order to stay safe, Max recommends that Avery “whack” the entire Hawthorne family, but she’s worried Avery will take that as a euphemism.  
  • Max tells Avery that she sent “personal photos” to her boyfriend, Jaxon – meaning nude photographs of herself. After they break up, he sends the photos to her parents. 
  • Nash, one of the Hawthorne grandsons, tells Avery that Zara, his aunt, and her husband had trouble conceiving, while his mom “would leave for a few months, come back pregnant. Wash, rinse, and repeat.” 
  • After protecting Avery from his mother, Avery brings her hand up to Nash’s chest and then his jaw. He tells her that he’ll always protect her, “But this. . . us. . . It can’t happen, Avery. I’ve seen the way Jameson looks at you.” 

 

Violence 

  • Avery notes that Drake, Libby’s boyfriend, has “a fondness for punching walls and extolling his own virtues for not punching Libby.”  
  • After hearing that Avery received most of the money in the will, Avery notes that Skye, the Hawthorne grandsons’ mother, looks “like she could kill someone. Literally.”  
  • Avery can’t be kicked out of the house she now owns. The family looks at her, and she thinks, “They’re going to kill me. Someone in this room is actually going to kill me.” Several times, Avery worries that the family will kill her. 
  • Libby goes back home, and when she returns, one of her eyes is bruised and almost swollen shut. It’s implied that Drake hit her.  
  • Libby says her mom used to hit her when she was really stressed. However, Libby says she understood because things were hard for her mother raising Libby alone; because of this, Libby adds that she tried to “make everything easier” for her mother.  
  • Xander, one of the Hawthorne grandsons, and three other boys leave the headmaster’s office, and they’re all bleeding from what Xander calls “Robot Battle Death Match Fight Club.” It’s unclear exactly what this is, and Xander does not elaborate. 
  • Avery’s attorney tells her that Toby, one of Tobias’s sons, and three other young people died in a fire at a vacation home. The nature of the fire is unclear. 
  • Angry after dinner one night, Jameson goes into the woods and punches a tree “multiple times.” His wounds are not described. 
  • One night in the woods, someone shoots at Avery. They don’t shoot her, but the bullets hit a tree, and she “got hit by a couple pieces of bark.” She thinks to herself, “I’m bleeding” and “Pain.” There’s a “stabbing pain” in her chest, and her “chest throbbed” where she had been hit by the bark. Afterwards, her bodyguard stitches her “skin back together.” 
  • When Tobias’s mother was younger, she played piano, but she got too much attention for it, and her husband broke her fingers. He was “met with a tragic accident not long after that.” 
  • Avery’s attorney and bodyguard plan to have Avery go out shopping to draw out the person who shot at her previously. It works and the shooter tries to run Avery’s car off of the road; no one is injured. 
  • It is later revealed that Drake was the one who shot at Avery, and Skye helped him plan it. 
  • Grayson tells Avery that he killed Emily, a girl he used to date. Later, he adds that if it weren’t for him, she “wouldn’t have been there or jumped.” Finally, he reveals that they went cliff diving, which didn’t kill her, but “her heart stopped from either the adrenaline, the altitude, or the change in pressure.”  
  • Jameson tells Avery and Grayson that he “watched Emily die” because she was gasping and hunched over, and he thought she was “tricking him.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Jameson is drunk when he first meets Avery.  
  • One evening, Jameson drinks to cope with the fact that he knows nothing about his father.  
  • At dinner, Skye gives a toast while she is drunk and slurring her words. 
  • After getting stitches from being shot at, Avery drinks tea that has a lot of whiskey in it. 

Language 

  • Profanity is infrequent and includes bastard, hell, ass, bitch, and screw. 
  • Max has very strict parents who watch her closely, so she and Avery frequently talk using words very similar to curses to avoid this. One example is Max texts Avery, “Are you foxing with me, beach?” 
  • Avery describes Tobias by saying, “There weren’t any polite terms for what Tobias Hawthorne was, other than really insert-expletive-of-your-choice-here filthy rich.” 
  • In mentioning playing a game, Grayson says, “And God help us, we played.” 
  • Avery and Xander try to get Jameson to join them. Xander says, “I can report that some very colorful language was used when I requested his presence.”

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

by Alexa David-Lang 

The Iron Flower

Elloren Gardner knows the truth about her world, and there’s no going back. Elloren and her friends were only trying to do the right thing when they rescued a Selkie and freed a military dragon. The last thing they expected was to be thrust into a realm-wide underground resistance against Gardnerian conquest. After just a few months at Verpax University, she’s abandoned her Aunt Vyvian’s more conservative and discriminatory values for the Resistance and is more dedicated than ever to protecting her friends. However, to do so, she is forced to pretend that she’s the same pious, ignorant girl she was at orientation.  

As war looms over the continent of Erthia, Elloren is trying to secure safe passage to the east for her friends. But more Gardnerian soldiers descend on the University, led by none other than Lukas Grey. To complicate things, Elloren is stuck in her own little love triangle, between a Commander who is not all he seems and the mysterious Yvan Guriel, who contains more power and allure than anyone she’s ever known. As his magic calls to her, Elloren finds it more and more difficult to believe she’s truly powerless. However, the last thing Elloren and her friends expected was to be thrust into a realm-wide underground resistance against Gardnerian conquest. 

Outspoken and authentic, Elloren is an inspiring character who studies medicine to help others. She also flaunts University traditions as well as negotiates with queens and renegades. In The Iron Flower, Elloren has found her family, and her relationship with each member becomes increasingly complex. They bond during emotional and traumatic times, but their home soon begins to fall apart with every raid, riot, and murder. Elloren is a force of nature and a lovable character who defies everything she’s ever known for what she knows is right. Her narration is simple and clear, even with all the moving parts, the average reader can’t help but root for her.   

The Iron Flower picks up where The Black Witch leaves off, with Elloren joining the Resistance and Marcus Vogel being elected and cementing power as Gardneria’s High Mage and leader of their government and military. The story includes new and old characters, as well as multiple plot lines, which can make the novel overwhelming and confusing at times. While a lot happens outside of university grounds, Elloren’s own story moves slowly at the beginning, peppered with exposition dumps and emotional turmoil. However, everything speeds up about halfway in and the conclusion is packed with twists and bloody endings. This book successfully builds a believable trajectory of the Gardnerian government’s descent into authoritarianism, while also teaching about standing up to bullies and knowing when to pick your battles.   

Readers who enjoy political intrigue, magical battles, and teenage drama will love The Black Witch Series. The Iron Flower adeptly continues Elloren’s journey through the magical world with powerfully moving tragedies and victories of the Resistance. Elloren and her friends are brave, complex characters who highlight the themes of acceptance, love, friendship, and kindness. The Iron Flower is about hoping for the best, even when nothing seems like it will work out, and it concludes with an exciting cliffhanger that will have readers eager to read the next book in the series, The Shadow Wand.  

Sexual Content  

  • Waiting for a Resistance meeting to start, Elloren sees “Iris [tilt] her head and [kiss] Yvan’s neck, nuzzling against him with a soft moan.” Yvan shuts it down before it goes further. 
  • Lukas and Elloren reunite after months of no contact. Lukas “leans in to kiss [Elloren], [she] lets [her] lips soften, like sugar melting against his heat.” 
  • While at a ball, Elloren talks to one of her friends, Jarod, who is a werewolf with the ability to scent emotions and arousal. He points out two men standing at the fringes of the dancing. Jarod says, “Those two men, they’re madly in love with each other. I can feel it from all the way over here.” 
  • When Elloren’s brother, Rafe, and his girlfriend, Diana, sneak into the dance, “he kisses [Diana] deeply” in front of the whole room.  
  • As Elloren dances with Lukas, she feels “a sudden, overwhelming desire to be dancing with [Yvan] instead. To feel his lips against [hers]. To have his arms around [her]. And to be close to his fire.” 
  • Andras, the child of Amazonian warrior women, describes their fertility rites. The woman who chose him “felt that [his] seed would produce especially fine, strong daughters.” 
  • While reviewing Resistance plans with two professors, Elloren remembers that “Diana told [her] about [them]—that they’ve one of the strongest attractions to each other that Diana has ever sensed in any couple.” 
  • Lukas announces his desire to marry Elloren, and then he kisses her. “Light as gossamer, he kisses the base of [her] neck, his lips rousing [her] fire lines with a heated longing that tingles straight through [her].” 
  • Mid-conversation with one of her friends, Elloren thinks about their marriage rituals, how “the consummation of the sealing union is expected [the] same night, prompting the fastlines to flow down a couple’s wrists as proof of consummation.” 
  • After freeing a Selkie from a prostitution ring, Elloren’s friend, Gareth, describes the inside of the brothels. He explains, “They were clothed, though barely. They had them standing in a row for the men to look at. Like livestock at a fair. Most of them seemed scared. A few of them, especially the younger ones, looked completely traumatized.” 
  • Elloren’s roommate, Ariel, plans to sacrifice herself so that another roommate, Wynter, can go free. Ariel confesses that she loves Wynter “not as a sister. [She] love[s] [her].”   
  • After a succession of traumatizing events, Elloren seeks comfort in Yvan. They have a tender conversation and then “he brings his lips to [hers]. His lips are warm and full and salty from his tears, his kiss tentative as a surprising warmth blooms from where his mouth touches [hers], his heat sliding through [her] affinity lines in a tingling rush.” 
  • At the end of the novel, there is a big plot twist that leaves Elloren and Yvan reeling from new information. “He kisses [her] again, his lips growing heated, his fire building and then flashing though [her] lines with a feverish urgency that makes [her] shudder against him.” 

Violence  

  • During their first Resistance meeting, Yvan warns the room about a new brutal practice. Elloren’s friend from work, Bleddyn, describes it as “cutting off the points of [Urisk] ears, like [they’re] animals. And shearing the hair from [their] heads.” The Urisk people are commonly enslaved in this novel, though the Resistance is working to free them. 
  • While waiting near a military camp for Lukas, Elloren “remember[s] the stories Yvan told [her] about how Gardnerian soldiers set their dragons on the Kelts during the Realm War. How the soldiers wiped out entire villages and burned them to the ground.” Descriptions of war and vague, past violence appear frequently in the book. 
  • During the holiday ball, Elloren sees her friend Aislinn, who’s unwillingly betrothed to an abuser, Randall. Randall “roughly grabs Aislinn’s free arm and yanks her toward himself.” In the process, Aislinn “makes a hurt sound and instinctively recoils.” One of Aislinn’s friends growls and threatens Randall, but ultimately, Aislinn leaves with Randall, and no blows come to pass. 
  • As Elloren discusses Rafe’s unwillingness to join the army, someone says that if Rafe doesn’t cooperate, “He’ll be shot.”  
  • With the fascist government gaining power, Elloren’s friend, Tierney, worries about her aquatic-creature friends. She says to Yvan and Elloren, “[the government has] pounded iron pikes into the waterways. Five of [her] Kelpies are now dead.” 
  • On a walk into town with Elloren’s friend, Tierney, Elloren spots graffiti on a wall that says in all caps, “reap the evil ones/Erthia for Gardnerians/take back the western realm.” Once they reach town, they notice a hate crime has been committed and non-Gardnerians have been attacked. They find Bleddyn “only semiconscious, her unswollen eye unfocused.” When she wakes to see Elloren, she “jerks her whole body violently away, her expression twisting into a desperate snarl.” They take Bleddyn home to heal her. Along the way, they find another friend, Olilly, whose ears had been partially but brutally cut off.  
  • After finding a Selkie in the woods in The Black Witch, Elloren and her friends are trying to free the rest of them in The Iron Flower. Frustrated at their lack of progress, Elloren yells at Yvan, “They’re beating the Selkies. Raping them!” 
  • Since Elloren and her friends can’t free the Selkies on their own, they ask the Amaz for help. During their visit, the Amaz are conflicted over housing Elloren and they almost come to blows over it. Their Amaz appointed bodyguard, Valasca, “pulls out a knife, leveling it at Alcippe,” another Amaz who opposes Elloren’s presence there. There’s a good deal of yelling and physical threatening before everyone backs down.  
  • To explain Alcippe’s hatred of men, Elloren’s Amaz bodyguard explains: “When Alcippe was twelve, she returned from tending livestock and found her mother unconscious on the floor. Blood was streaming out of her mother’s nose and ear, and her eyes were swollen shut.” Alcippe murdered her father for his abuse of her mother. 
  • Trying to find the valuables of the Selkies, Gareth infiltrates the brothels where they were housed. To describe where they keep the valuables, he says that “All the Selkie taverns have the same [storage] system—apparently, they streamlined things after one Selkie [freed herself] and murdered several people.” 
  • On a dark day, a werewolf shows up at Elloren’s footstep with news that all of the werewolves have been slaughtered, save him and her two friends at university. He cries, “I went out to hunt . . . and when I returned . . . I. . . I found them. . . all of them. . . dead. . . our homes turned to blackened ash.” In response to hearing her family was dead from Elloren, one of the last remaining werewolves, Diana throws herself off a building, but she survives.  
  • To distract the guard and smuggle her friends to another country, Elloren poisons the university’s students and the guard. The poison isn’t lethal, but it renders everyone unconscious for almost two days. 
  • During her escape, Diana gets revenge for the murder of her family. When the guard wakes, they find that “fifteen Gardnerian soldiers are dead. The University groundskeeper is dead, viciously decapitated. The ears pulled clear off a group of Third Division Gardnerian military apprentices.” 
  • When the government declares that all Icarals must be imprisoned, Elloren’s bully, Fallon Bane, and her brother watch as “a male Icaral [is] hauled up for execution, two soldiers grasping its arms, the creature’s wing-stumps flapping in panic.” There is no explicit description of his death, but it is implied. 
  • At the end of the novel, Elloren’s aunt discovers how rebellious she has become. Aunt Vyvian reveals that Elloren’s uncle is sick, and it is implied that Vyvian is responsible. As Elloren sobs next to him, Uncle Edwin “slumps back, his head lolling, his eyes gazing over,” and he dies. Vyvian’s guards “jump to [Elloren’s] side, roughly pushing [her] back and restraining [her].” Her aunt forces her to marry Lukas, but he lets her go when the process is over. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Elloren’s roommate, Ariel, is addicted to an opiate-like drug called nilantyr. When the Gardnerian military raids her room, they seize her stash. There is no description of the raid, only her withdrawal symptoms. Within an hour, Ariel is “starting to tremble,” which soon “worsens to full-body quaking.” Ariel then “vomits all over the clothing she’s pulled from [Elloren’s] drawers.”  
  • While visiting the Amaz, Valasca “pulls a flat flask out of her tunic pocket, unstoppers it and hands it to [Elloren].” At Elloren’s hesitance to take it, Valasca says, “Oh, I forgot. You Garndnerians don’t drink spirits.’” Eventually, Elloren gives in and they both drink. Elloren goes to bed drunk. 
  • During a visit to the capital city’s prison, Elloren and Yvan notice that the Icaral inmates are being drugged. They see a little girl in a cell with her “white tunic stained down the front with black vomit,” as a “woman appears to be trying to force-feed nilantyr to the child.”  
  • When Elloren and Yvan find Ariel in one of the cells, Elloren describes her “gaze [as] unfocused, her mouth curled up at the edges into a numb, blissful grin.” As they try to escape with Ariel, Yvan makes a surgeon and an apothecary eat the nilantyr on their way out, to knock them out and not alert the guards.  

Language    

  • Language is very tame, but includes words like stupid, idiot, and hell that appear frequently. 
  • The word whore is used three times. 
  • Bitch is used twice. 

Supernatural  

  • This book features a diverse array of supernatural creatures, including witches, kelpies, Icarals, fairies, elves, werewolves, other animal shifters, Selkies, dragons, green- and purple-skinned peoples, and Amazonian women who utilize rune magic in battle.  
  • The Iron Flower has spells, runes, and mentions of magic on nearly every page. Elloren often has dream-like visions of the future that she can never quite remember; things like “a battlefield beneath a reddened sky” or “a white wand gripped in [her] hand.”  
  • Their magic is defined by their “affinity lines,” which are how they describe their affinity for certain kinds of elemental magic. One of Elloren’s professors tells her “just because [she] can’t access [her] power doesn’t mean her affinity lines are weak,” meaning that Elloren may have more of an affinity for magic than she thinks. 
  • The Amaz are protected by runes, another form of magical spells, where the wielder doesn’t need strong affinity lines. Elloren describes part of the Amaz settlement as “farms set under geometric glass domes marked with huge scarlet runes.” 
  • Potions and magical medicines are made in this book. As an example, on a walk into town, Elloren watches as a “disheveled-looking apothecary is busy pulverizing a dragon’s talon into black powder.” Elloren and Tierney gather their alchemy materials from him.  

Spiritual Content  

  • During a Resistance meeting, Elloren is informed that “the mandatory wandfasting age for Gardnerians has been lowered to sixteen.” Those over the age of sixteen “will be forced into a fasting” by their religious government.  
  • On a walk into town, Elloren spots graffiti on a wall and describes it as “a phrase from [their] holy book. /Bring the reaping times.” 
  • Elloren says Gardnerians hate forests because “it’s part of our religion. We’re meant to subdue the wilds. They’re supposedly filled with the spirit of the Evil Ones.” 
  • On family weekend at Verpax, the werewolf pack visits and Aislinn’s family “pointedly make[s] the holy gesture to ward off the stain of the Evil Ones.”  
  • Elloren explains why Gardnerians have arranged marriages. She says, “Mating is considered sinful in our religion. Its sole purpose is to bring forth as many mages as possible. Mating for any reason beyond that is considered immoral. We’re supposed to rise above our base natures. Not be wild things.” 
  • A man and his Amaz mother discuss the werewolves. His mother says that the werewolves are “everything the Goddess despises. And after they die, it will be as if they never existed, whereas [you and I] will go to Goddesshaven.’” 
  • Around a campfire, Elloren’s brother, Trystan, remarks that their friends are “all Evil Ones” and that “according to the glorious and most holy Book of the Ancients, [they’re] all Evil Ones. Except, maybe, for [Elloren].” 
  • In a political speech to a large crowd, the fascist leader in power claims that the Gardnerians will “flush [the Evil Ones] out of our cities. [They] will flush them out of the wilds. [They] will flush them out of this realm and the next. [They] will flush them out with the full power of the Ancient One behind [them].” 
  • While visiting the Amaz, Elloren notices a painting that depicts “the three First Women walking in a beautiful garden with the Great Goddess; the slaying of the cruel male partner by the only faithful daughter; the Goddess rewarding this faithful daughter, naming her Amaz.” 

When Friendship Followed Me Home

Ben Coffin has never been one for making friends. As a former foster kid, he knows people can up and leave without so much as a goodbye. Ben prefers to spend his time with the characters in his favorite sci-fi books… until he rescues an abandoned mutt from the alley next door to the Coney Island Library.  

Scruffy little Flip leads Ben to befriend a fellow book-lover named Halley—yes, like the comet—a girl unlike anyone he has ever met. Ben begins thinking of her as “Rainbow Girl” because of her crazy-colored clothes and her laugh, pure magic, the kind that makes you smile away the stormiest day. Rainbow Girl convinces Ben to write a novel with her. But as their story unfolds, Ben’s life begins to unravel, and Ben must discover for himself the truth about friendship and the meaning of home. 

Although Ben has spent most of his childhood in foster care, many of his conflicts are relatable. Ben struggles to make friends and isn’t sure where he fits in. Ben says, “I always felt like a stranger, even to myself sometimes. I just didn’t know where I fit in or what I was supposed to do or be in my life, maybe I was a mistake.” Ben’s feelings of worthlessness are compounded after his adoptive mother dies, and he goes to live with his Aunt Jeanie and her boyfriend, Leo.  

Unfortunately, living with his aunt comes with its own set of problems. After Leo hits Ben, Ben runs away. When Ben realizes how helpless he is, he thinks, “If I didn’t have Flip to take care of, I wouldn’t have cared if I lived or died, and I was sure nobody else would have either, not really, not anymore.” Thankfully, Halley and her parents welcome Ben into their lives and teach Ben the meaning of home. 

When Friendship Followed Me Home explores the topic of death. Ben struggles to understand what happens after someone dies. He thinks his mom “was totally and absolutely nowhere.” The topic of grief is further explored through Halley, who has terminal cancer. Despite Ben’s situation, he never receives help dealing with his swirling emotions, and the book doesn’t give any information about the stages of grieving or how to handle grief. Even though Ben questions what happens when a person dies, he never finds a clear answer to the question. 

When Ben meets Halley, they decide to write a story, which is incorporated into the book. However, the story is confusing and slows the book’s plot. Much of Ben’s story is presented through his thoughts and emotions, further slowing the plot. Aside from Halley, none of the characters are well-developed, making them appear shallow and, at times, uncaring.  

Middle-grade readers may struggle to follow the plot of When Friendship Followed Me Home due to its confusing narrative, lack of action, and underdeveloped characters. Readers will feel empathy for Ben’s situation, but be confused by the adult’s lack of action. The story’s conclusion will leave readers in tears, even though it hints that Ben’s life will change for the better. When Friendship Followed Me Home will appeal to readers who enjoy books that focus on characters’ deep emotions and want to explore the topic of death. Readers seeking a book that showcases the enduring power of love should consider When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little.  

Sexual Content  

  • One of Ben’s friends thinks the school’s principal has “a great butt.” 
  • When Chucky meets Halley for the first time, Chucky tells Ben, “Nice butt. Not bad in the chestal area either, Coffin. I mean, they could be bigger, but well done just the same.”  
  • Halley tells Chucky to “scram. . . because you need to go rest your eyes after staring at my, ahem, chestal area nonstop for the last two hours.” 
  • When Halley is very sick, she tells Ben, “If you’re ever going to kiss me, you might want to do it soon. For instance, now would be a good time.” Ben kisses her, and he “felt her heartbeat in her lips. They were chapped, and then they got slippery. They were just like I’d dreamed, lit with sparks.” Afterward, Ben says it was his first kiss, but it was Halley’s third.

Violence  

  • Ben and his friend Chucky were walking down the street when a kid from school, Rayburn, slaps Chucky “on the back of the head.” When Ben refuses to show Rayburn what’s in his pockets, Rayburn “crackled him across the mouth. I shoved Rayburn and then everybody went nuts. Rayburn was belting me and Angelina was kicking Chucky and Ronda was yelling for everyone to stop. . .” Chucky has a fat lip, and Rayburn takes everything that was in Ben’s pockets. 
  • Rayburn’s mother kicks him out of the house, and “he’s living at his cousin’s, and the cousin’s in the Mafia, and he’s killed like a thousand people, and he’s been in jail.”  
  • After Ben’s adoptive mother dies, Ben goes to live with his Aunt Jeanie and her boyfriend, Leo. Leo gets angry and “he kicked Flip—hard too. Very hard. Hard enough that Flip flew from where Leo kicked him, into the fence. Flip yelped and then staggered and sat and panted and whimpered.” 
  • Upset about Flip, Ben calls Leo a “freaking idiot.” “Then, Leo swung out at me with a big, meaty, open hand . . . He slapped me across my face hard enough to make my head whip to the side. My cheek stung and then went numb.” Ben grabs Flip and runs away. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Ben uses an inhaler for asthma.  
  • When Ben was a few days old, his mom dropped him off at the police station. No one wanted him because “My blood had drugs in it. . . That scares people away.” 
  • One night, when Ben gets home, Leo’s “just sitting there. . . his eyes were glassy.” Later, Jeanie and Leo fight because Leo was drunk.  
  • When Ben stays the night at a friend’s house, he takes Benadryl because he’s allergic to cats. 
  • Halley has terminal cancer and takes “these pills to make her less queasy, [and] the other pills to help with her headaches.” Towards the end of her life, Halley is given “pills to help her hurt less.” 

Language  

  • The book occasionally uses language such as holy crud, heck, and frickin’. 
  • There is occasional name calling including loser, moron, idiot, and jerk. 
  • OMG is used as an exclamation several times. 
  • Ben asks, “What the freak?” 
  • Leo calls Flip a “stupid dog” and a “stupid little rat!” 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • Before breakfast, Halley prayed, “God, thank you for this meal. Thank you for us. I hope you get everybody here to see that nobody should stop living the heck out of life the next month or so. Each day is the best day from here on in.” 

The Pharaoh’s Charioteer

Visited by the restless ghosts of warriors past, Arthur and Finn must travel back in time and rewrite history to set the ghosts free. Will the boys be able to gain the trust of a prince and princess caught up in dangerous rivalries? Even if they do, will they be able to prevent a war? 

Join Arthur and Finn as they travel back to ancient Egypt and find out if the boys have what it takes to survive a kidnapping and make it home alive. 

In The Pharaoh’s Charioteer, Arthur and Finn arrive in Ancient Egypt in separate parts of the city. Arthur finds himself in the Nile River, where the pharaoh’s son, Thami, fishes him out of the water. The two arrive on the edges of a city just in time to see Finn and Thami’s sister, Nefi, running from a group of men. Thami and Nefi take the two brothers to their home, allowing the reader to understand the life of a pharaoh’s child who was born from one of his secondary wives. While the pharaoh’s children’s lives are luxurious, they are also dangerous.  

Filled with adventure and suspense, the story has many exciting scenes—a lion hunt, a kidnapping, and a cunning high priest—that propel the plot forward. Suspense is created because Thami’s and Nefi’s lives are always in danger. Their mother explains some of the dangers facing a pharaoh’s child, “The palace is full of plotting between the queens, all of whom secretly hope that a son of theirs will be pharaoh one day. All I want is for Thami and Nefi to make it out of the palace, grown up and alive.” In this adventure, Arthur and Finn get an intimate view of the dangers of palace life, which makes the surprising conclusion satisfying. 

Even though The Pharaoh’s Charioteer is part of a series, the books do not have to be read in order because each focuses on Arthur and Finn going back to a different time period and wraps up the storyline. Each book in the series follows a familiar pattern, but there are enough differences to make each story unique and exciting.  

The Pharaoh’s Charioteer is a wonderfully engaging adventure that uses a unique angle to showcase the lives of the children of the pharaoh’s secondary wives. Neither Thami nor Nefi dreams of one day being the pharaoh, which allows them to have a caring sibling relationship. Even though Thami and Arthur are kidnapped, The Pharaoh’s Charioteer feels like a daring adventure with interesting characters, power-hungry villains, and unexpected developments that will keep readers reading late into the night. Readers can learn more about Ancient Egypt by reading these fast-paced adventures: Kid Detective Zet Series by Scott Peters, and TombQuest Series by Michael Northrop.   

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • Finn goes into a tavern where a girl cheats at a game. When the men discover the con, Finn grabs the girl, and they flee. The girl disappears into a courtyard with multiple exits. “But before he could begin to think about which route to take, he felt cold metal at his throat.” The men find the two kids and begin shouting at them. 
  • Finn’s brother, Arthur, and the girl’s brother, Thami, hear the commotion and come to their aid. Thami throws a fishnet over some of the men. “Two of the men went down, cursing in the tangle. . . Arthur swung the boathook through the air and knocked [one of the men] out with a blow to the head.” 
  • Arthur and Thami are kidnapped. “When he and Thami cried out for help, they were swiftly knocked unconscious.” The two kids are bound, blindfolded, and taken to the enemy’s country.  
  • Finn and Nefi help Arthur and Thami escape prison and return to Thebes. Finn and Thami are hiding when soldiers find them and give chase. “The first guards grabbed each boy by the shoulders, and the next thing Finn knew was the nasty sensation of a hood being pulled over his eyes, followed by a sharp blow to the head, and complete darkness.” 
  • The high priest finds two men he claims are spies. The high priest says, “And when we had tortured them, only yesterday, before we made them swim with Sobek, the great crocodile god, did they not reveal that the queen, also, is a spy?” 
  • Thami’s father, the pharaoh, realizes the high priest is plotting against him. The pharaoh decides they will let the crocodile god decide if the high priest is innocent or guilty. The high priest is taken to the pool. “Two guards brought forward a long, thin beam. . . they placed on either side of the pool so that it spanned the middle of the water. . .” The high priest is ordered to walk across the board. 
  • When the high priest refuses to walk across the plank, “the pharaoh brought his wipe down again, causing the priest to lurch forwards. . . The crocodiles’ head emerged from the water. . . With a sudden surge, the crocodile powered up and thrust the upper part of its body out of the water, huge jaws gaping. . . The priest screamed. The crocodile’s jaws snapped closed and there was a loud splash.” The crocodile kills the high priest.

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • The Nile River allowed the Egyptians to grow “a lot of barley, which they used/ to make beer.” 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Arthur and Finn’s grandfather created a museum about warriors throughout history. The museum is haunted, and when the grandfather died, “he started haunting the place too. He felt guilty about the trapped ghost warriors and vowed he would not rest in peace until all the other ghosts were laid to rest first.” 
  • When one of the ghost warriors touches the boys, “we get transported to the time and place where the ghost lived and died. And we can’t get back until we’ve fixed whatever keeps the ghost from resting in peace.” 
  • When the boys travel through time, “the room began to spin, and the firelight turned into a belt of light acceleration around them, until it vanished completely.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • In Egypt, the pharaoh “was believed to be a living god, in touch with the other gods who controlled the universe and who decided when the Nile would flood. . .” 
  • After being kidnapped, Arthur and Thami are imprisoned. They hear footsteps, and “Arthur prayed that it would be the prince returning with a plan. . .” 
  • Before going to war, the high priest “would conduct sacred rites in the palace temple in Thebes before blessing the pharaoh and his army.” 
  • Before giving the pharaoh his blessing, the high priest gives a speech saying, “The gods have spoken to me of VICTORY! VICTORY! VICTORY!. . .And the gods have decreed that your pharaoh will lead the army himself!” 
  • The high priest was plotting against the pharaoh. During the high priest’s blessing ceremony, the pharaoh and Thami discuss who is the messenger of the gods. Thami says, “No, Father, YOU are their messenger, just as YOU and not the high priest will one day become a god yourself.” 
  • When the high priest begs for mercy, the pharaoh says, “Pray to Sobek for mercy!” 
  • Two and a half pages explain who some of the Egyptian Gods were. For example, Amen-Ra “was really a combination of two gods—Ra, the great sun god, and Amen, the local god of Themes.”  

My Life as a Meme

Derek is a tween navigating life and the social playground that is the internet. And he loves making memes! His mom is a veterinarian who was hired to care for a rich client’s dog, Poufy. Poufy is an Instagram-famous Pomeranian who is a little bit of a Diva. When Derek’s family arrives at Poufy’s house in Malibu, they are greeted with a big binder of instructions on how to care for the dog. Derek has brought his friends Matt, Carly, and Umberto to Malibu with his family. Even with all these people, the task of tending to Poufy falls on Derek, which frustrates him.  

Soon after their arrival, a fire breaks out in Malibu, forcing Derek and his crew to head to an evacuation center, where Poufy is a star! The famous Pomeranian helps take people’s minds off the fire that is sweeping Malibu. But then Derek finds himself on the other side of an embarrassing meme when a picture is taken of him with Poufy on his lap. Because Poufy is so well-known, the meme spreads quickly. When Derek returns to school, he decides to confront the creator of the hurtful meme, Brian. 

Derek exhibits significant character development as his worldview expands. He learns the importance of communication and learning people’s stories and perspectives. This is shown in his conversations with Brian and Poufy’s owner, Darcy. She is so high maintenance with Poufy because her last Pomeranian was hit by a car and killed. Brian learns that most people have reasons behind their actions, even though he may not understand their reasoning. This character arc teaches not to make assumptions and snap judgments. Readers will likely relate to Derek as he navigates the internet and potential cyberbullying. His story shows the impact that even one meme can have on someone’s life.  

The book is great for reluctant readers because it’s written in oversized text with humorous cartoon-style doodles around the edges of the pages. Even though a wildfire is presented, it is used as a tool to move the story along and get Derek and his friends to the evacuation center. Although it is a fun read, the narrative jumps around and has a strangely paced structure, which makes the moral of the story confusing. Although My Life as a Meme is part of the My Life Series, it can be read as a standalone. 

My Life as a Meme has a relatable protagonist and other quirky characters that will appeal to middle-grade readers. Since the book delves into the world of social media and internet fame, it will have a broad appeal. In addition, the book offers several positive life lessons, including how online behavior can impact real-life situations. Janet Tashijan employs metaphors to reinforce themes about the rapid dissemination of information on the internet. For example, the motif of things “spreading” is prevalent throughout the novel, as seen in examples such as fire, memes, and lice. My Life as a Meme is a quick and enjoyable read that prompts readers to consider the perspectives of others.   

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Darcy explains how she lost her last dog. “I had a Pomeranian as a kid, Fluffy. She never liked to fetch but I kept trying to train her. I threw her a tennis ball, and she ended up getting hit by a car”.  

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual 

  • While the fire is sweeping through Malibu, Derek’s mom prays. Derek thinks, “It’s not often Mom talks about praying, so the seriousness of the situation definitely sinks in.”  

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

As the daughter of a Count in the whimsical, cheese-themed kingdom of Fromage, Lady Camembert must marry a man to provide for her. This effort goes poorly very quickly when it becomes clear that she would much rather marry another woman. With her father on the brink of death, Cam and her father hatch a plan to allow Cam to claim her father’s inheritance and survive on her own: she must pretend to be a man.  

Taking on her late father’s title, Cam moves to the heart of the kingdom where she meets Brie, the Princess of Fromage and fashion icon to many. The two bond over their shared passion for activism and fantastic clothing in an illustrative backdrop filled with color and style. Cam begins to fall helplessly in love with Brie, and it seems the feelings may be reciprocated – the problem is, Brie believes Cam is truly a man. As their shared feelings grow stronger and harder to ignore, Cam must decide between remaining safely hidden or pursuing the perfect, yet risky happiness she never thought possible.  

Cam is a fiercely bold and funny main character, often full of poise and charm until a mishap renders her dramatically morose. She fits both the Lady and Count personas perfectly, stylishly, and remains unabashedly herself in either form. As she navigates her new life, she struggles to reconcile her desire to remain undetected with her feelings for Brie as well as her tendencies towards extravagance. Cam’s maid and cook, Feta, gives Cam advice with a healthy dose of tough love. Cam also quickly makes friends with Ricotta, a close advisor to Brie, and the fashion line designer Lady Gorgonzola. These supporting characters provide comic relief and help Brie and Cam come to terms with their difficult feelings, playing a crucial role in advancing the narrative.   

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a fun, lighthearted graphic novel that most readers will breeze through. Each panel features zero to four sentences that combine onomatopoeia, fashion-related discussion, and playful banter. At one point, Brie flirtatiously invites Cam to see her gown collection, saying, “I can’t imagine anyone else who would appreciate my vintage Cheddior.” Muniz’s illustrations feature a wide variety of bright and pastel colors in a detailed, comic style. The panels’ art illustrates the colorful and stylish clothing as well as the characters’ emotional and often humorous facial expressions. The illustrations and dialogue work well together to tell this whimsical story.   

Readers of all ages will fall in love with Cam and the world of Fromage because it’s filled to the brim with clever cheese-based puns and references to real luxury clothing brands. Anyone who loves cheese or fashion will find themselves particularly at home in this story. In addition, Muniz tells an endearing romance that includes interesting commentary on gender, social classes, and not fitting in. The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a delightfully cheesy tale that readers are sure to enjoy.  

Sexual Content  

  • Brie tells Ricotta that “something happened last night” between her and Cam. Ricotta becomes excited, saying, “Zola and I were hoping you guys would smooch after we left.” However, nothing occurred between the two.  
  • In her explanation of the previous night, Brie expresses excitement at the former prospect of being alone with Cam, though it did not happen.  
  • When the pair finally reaches an understanding, Brie pulls Cam in for a brief, sensual kiss. 

Violence  

  • Count Camembert – Cam’s father – is illustrated coughing into a handkerchief. The handkerchief has bloodstains on it, and the Count says he is “not long for this world.”  
  • There are a couple of references to animals being harmed to create fashionable furs as Princess Brie begins a campaign for cruelty-free fashion. She says, “I think it would be more effective to just show them how fashionable they can be without harming a single animal.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language 

  • When Cam crashes Princess Brie’s ball, she thinks, “Ooh, she’s pissed.”  

Supernatural  

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • There are a few references, usually in exclamation, to “gods.” For example, Cam says, “Gods, this sucks!”  

Wrath of the Triple Goddess

Percy Jackson has fought monsters, titans, and gods. But now he faces his greatest challenge yet: college admissions. In order to attend New Rome University, Percy needs to earn three recommendation letters from Greek gods. After earning his first letter by finding the cupbearer Ganymede’s missing chalice, Percy was enjoying living a quest-free life. But as the son of Poseidon, Percy rarely gets a break from being a hero. When Hecate, the goddess of magic and crossroads, promises to write a recommendation letter for Percy in exchange for a week of pet sitting, he can’t refuse.  

With the help of his girlfriend Annabeth, and his best friend Grover, Percy hopes that looking after Hecate’s hellhound and polecat will be a piece of cake. But Hecate’s mysterious mansion is filled with temptations, and her mischief-minded pets are eager to cause trouble. When Grover’s appetite gets the better of him and he drinks one of Hecate’s potions, chaos is unleashed. And so are Hecate’s pets. As Grover tears through the house in a potion-induced frenzy, Hecuba the hellhound and Gale the polecat escape to romp around New York City.   

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover must find Hecate’s missing pets and repair her mansion before she gets home, or they will face the goddess’s wrath.  

Percy Jackson is a witty, strong, and heroic character. As the narrator, he guides the reader through the story in a way that is engaging and humorous. Throughout the novel, Percy proves himself to be a compassionate and capable leader. He learns from his mistakes and uses the knowledge that he has gained from previous experiences to ensure that he keeps his friends safe. He also maintains a positive outlook, despite the challenging circumstances. 

Percy is joined by Annabeth and Grover, who are both strong and inspirational characters. Annabeth, the daughter of Athena, is a fierce warrior and strategist. She often uses her wisdom and intelligence to think her way out of situations, and she uses her skills to protect her friends. Grover is a selfless satyr with a big heart. He is in tune with nature and his emotions, using these skills to advocate for the natural world.   

While Wrath of the Triple Goddess is the seventeenth book in the Percy Jackson universe, it is still understandable and enjoyable for readers who are unfamiliar with Rick Riordan’s previous works. The main details are summarized for new readers, and the plot is straightforward. Readers also do not need to be familiar with Greek mythology to enjoy this book. Longtime fans will appreciate reading about the adventures of familiar characters and will enjoy many references and callbacks to the previous books.  This novel contains Rick Riordan’s recognizable style and humor but differs from Riordan’s previous works since the conflict is less high-stakes, and the overall tone is more whimsical.    

This story contains themes of friendship, perseverance, and compassion. Throughout the novel, Percy and his friends succeed because of the faith they place in each other. They are stronger as a team and work together to solve their problems. The trio also faces many different challenges, but they are determined to keep on fighting. They don’t give up on each other or their goals. Ultimately, the characters are compassionate and forgive one another for the mistakes they make. Rather than blaming Grover for the pets going missing, Annabeth and Percy reassure him that it wasn’t his fault and work with him to find a solution. Wrath of the Triple Goddess is a light-hearted and entertaining addition to the world of Percy Jackson.  

Sexual Content   

  • Before parting ways, Percy and Annabeth kiss goodbye outside Annabeth’s school. “She gave me a big wet kiss.”  
  • Percy and Annabeth kiss after eating an antidote, which helped them recover from a magical gas that gave them animal features. “I kissed Annabeth, though my breath probably smelled like cinnamon and bug shells.”   

Violence   

  • Percy discovers a hellhound puppy with a wound on its back. Percy suspects the puppy was attacked by some type of monster. “His black fur was matted with gunk. Flies buzzed around his cherry-red eyes. His ears were back, and he trembled with fear. A nasty-looking cut zigzagged across his back, like he’d been attacked by something with claws.” The puppy recovers.  
  • Zombies attack Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. Percy “cut down the first reanimated corpse, then sliced another two undead into dust. Meanwhile, Annabeth launched herself at another dead guy, driving her dagger into his face, while Grover goat-kicked one right through the windshield of a parked Toyota.” The trio defeats the zombies. 
  • A bear-monster attacks Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. Percy “got to the bear before she could claw Annabeth and [he] slashed with [his sword]—cutting clean through [the monster’s] right paw. The paw went flying.” The bear-monster recovers.  

Drugs and Alcohol   

  • Percy and Annabeth drink nectar to regain their strength. “Percy gulped it down. A surge of warmth washed through [his] organs. [He] recognized the sensation. It was nectar—the drink of the gods.”  

Language     

  • Percy learns that he will be picked up from school by a family member, rather than taking the subway by himself. When he learns this, he thinks “it made me look like a doofus. . .”  
  • Animals called “hellhounds” are referred to frequently. 
  • Characters rarely say expressions such as “Oh, gods.”  
  • Percy jokingly calls his friend Leo a doofus twice.    

Supernatural   

  • Hecate is referred to as the “goddess of ghosts.” 
  • Percy thinks he sees a ghost while walking towards a park. Percy “thought [he] saw a glowing blue apparition—the figure of a child on a bicycle, pedaling away from us in terror. When [Percy] blinked, it was gone.”  
  • Percy communicates telepathically with three eels in Hecate’s mansion. The eels lie to Percy to try to get him to feed them extra fish. “The eels were telling me all about it telepathically. Their thoughts chiseled their way into my skull like ice picks.” Percy occasionally communicates with the eels throughout the novel.  
  • Grover drinks a potion from Hecate’s laboratory that turns him into a giant goat. Percy discovers him sleeping on the floor in Hecate’s ruined mansion. “And in the middle of all this chaos was a mountain of hairy flesh, snoring with gusto, its two massive shaggy legs propped against the kitchen island, its moose-size hooves pointing towards the ceiling.” Grover recovers and goes back to normal after letting out a large belch.  
  • During a battle against zombies, a zombie touches Percy, and he has a vision of the Siege of Troy. “When I looked up, I was no longer in Queens. I knelt on a barren, battle-scarred hillside. To my right, the city of Troy was burning.” Percy wakes up from this vision and continues fighting.    
  • Grover goes into a trancelike state and summons a large number of squirrels. “Then the squirrels began to arrive. Three scrambled down the nearest tree trunk and hopped onto Grover’s back. Another raced out of the bushes and leaped onto his shoulder. Two more tunneled through the leaves and skittered up Grover’s legs. Within a minute, there were dozens, maybe hundreds.” Grover speaks with the squirrels, and they help him find Hecate’s missing pet polecat. After communicating with Grover, the squirrels leave, and Grover recovers. 
  • Percy shadow-travels with Hecuba, the pet hellhound. Shadow-travelling is a type of teleportation that hellhounds are capable of. Percy “was pulled off [his] feet. A dark portal whirled at the edge of the roof, and as Hecuba jumped through it [he was] sucked into the shadow-world.” Percy and Hecuba shadow-travel across the world for seven pages and stop when they get back to Hecate’s mansion.  
  • Percy is sprayed in the face with a potion that paralyzes him. “The [potion] got in my nostrils, my eyes, my mouth. . . Then my mouth stopped working. My arms turned into sandbags. My legs crumpled. I crashed sideways to the floor, completely paralyzed.” Percy recovers after being revived by Grover.  
  • A magical gas hits Annabeth, Percy, and Grover, which transforms them. Annabeth’s head turns into an owl’s, Percy’s arms turn into octopus tentacles, and Grover’s goat legs turn into human legs. “Where [Annabeth’s] face had been a second before, two huge black eyes stared out over a hooked golden beak. Her head had turned into a heart-shaped expanse of white plumage, rimmed with speckled brown feathers. From the neck up, [Annabeth] was a barn owl. . . Where my arms used to be were eight thick purple tentacles lined with pink suction cups. . . [Grover] was staring down at his legs and weeping. Where his furry goat hindquarters had been, there was bare skin, forward-articulating knees, and instead of hooves. . . feet.” They all return to their normal selves after eating a magical antidote.  
  • Percy makes a magical antidote to return himself and his friends to normal after the magical gas transformed them. “Annabeth tore into the second [antidote] with her sharp, hooked bill. . . She doubled over, breathing heavily. When she straightened again, she was normal Annabeth – human face, human hair, with the scent of her usual apple shampoo.” The antidote is effective, and they return to normal.  
  • Percy, Annabeth, and Grover summon ghosts in a graveyard to help them repair Hecate’s mansion. “The dark silhouette deepened, peeling itself from the bricks and taking on a smoky form like a cloud of coal dust.” They take the ghosts to the mansion, and once it is repaired, they release the ghosts.    

Spiritual Content   

  • This novel is centered around Greek mythology and contains frequent depictions of and references to Ancient Greek gods.  

by Kelly Barker 

Catalyst

Kate Malone just got rejected by MIT. 

Kate is absolutely heartbroken. Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, Kate’s arch-nemesis, Teri Litch, moves in with the Malone family. Kate and Teri are complete opposites of each other. While Kate is seen as the golden child, pastor’s daughter, Teri is the school outcast and daughter of a criminal. 

Kate and Teri have never spent any time together during their years as classmates. However, since Teri lost her home to a fire, they have been forced to share a room at the Malone household. Kate is struggling with the rejection from her dream college, and Teri is dealing with the loss of her family home. While their hardships are not the same, they bond over the hurt. As they work through both normal teenage problems and different forms of trauma, Kate and Teri gain empathy for one another. 

This story is told from Kate’s point of view, which allows the reader to connect with her struggles. Her determination to be seen as the perfect child drives her original prejudices against Teri. Because Kate divides her personality into two sectors – Good Kate and Bad Kate – the reader gets to watch her growth as a person. “Good Kate” refers to all of her accomplishments, while “Bad Kate” refers to her inner personality, where she is mean to others. This creates an interesting and relatable contradiction between her thoughts and actions. For example, she makes snap judgments about others, but she also volunteers at the soup kitchen. As Kate works at the soup kitchen, she labels the people walking in with names such as “ExecuDad” or “the (whisper) Catholics” or “divorcées.” She even claims that “there is always a divorcée or widow trying to get their claws into” her father.  

Kate has a strong personality, and Teri helps balance her out. They are complete opposites. Kate’s father is the community pastor, she has a solid group of friends, and she is well-loved in their community. On the other hand, Teri comes from a family with a bad reputation. Her father is in jail, her mother is disabled, and Teri has no plans for the future. Teri is first introduced as “the ugly girl, the one who smells funny, studies carpentry at vo-tech, stomps around with sawdust in her hair, and has fists like sledgehammers.” They both pretend not to care what others think about them, but deep down, they truly want others to see them as good people. After Kate and Teri have a big confrontation that ends with Teri crying, Kate thinks, “bonds are broken and the substance is reduced to its elements. Magic.” Kate realizes her bond with Teri had to be completely broken before they could see they were connected by their desire to be accepted. And that shared desire is too important to both Kate and Teri to lose. 

At first, Catalyst’s world feels a bit unrealistic because every kid in this town gets into a top college, except for Teri, who has experienced an unbelievable amount of trauma firsthand: bullying, sexual assault, arson, and loss of a loved one. Anderson uses Teri’s trauma to set a foundation that allows both Kate and the reader to understand Teri’s life. In addition, the exaggerated situations of the characters showcase the importance of empathy and self-love. When Teri and Kate spend a lot of time together, they struggle to get along. Kate describes everything about Teri’s stay as “inconvenient.” However, as Kate begins to learn about Teri’s struggles, and Teri starts to see Kate’s perspective, they become more understanding of each other. Kate and Teri’s vulnerable relationship allows readers to connect with them and teaches that we are all the same in that we are all desperate for approval. 

Sexual Content  

  • Kate gets frustrated with her boyfriend, Mitch, for withholding sex. She claims that “Mitchell is very big on consequences, which explains his virginity. Mine, too, for that matter.” 
  • Kate’s friends, Travis and Sara, are dating. They are constantly making out, so Kate comments, “they embrace and suck face in the French tradition. The ice under the pomegranates melts. I’m definitely buying them a carton of condoms for graduation.” 
  • Kate and Mitch cuddle throughout the book. For example, Kate says, “his lap is very happy to see me” when she settles next to him. 

Violence  

  • Teri gets into a fight with several high school football players who have been harassing her. When Teri retaliates, “the football team rises. Teri Litch walks over to them. It happens in slow motion, a ballet. Pas de duel. Teri lifts a thick history book and swings it in a wide arc until it smashes into the mouth of Art Smith, defensive tackle. Art flies backward. A tooth sails over the team and lands near the door.” The scene ends with both the football players and Teri being suspended from school.  
  • Kate discovers that Mikey, whom she first assumed was Teri’s baby brother, is actually Teri’s son. Kate asks her dad, “Mikey’s father – it was Mr. Litch, wasn’t it?” Kate’s dad replies, “Quite possibly. Probably.” This indicates that Teri is a victim of sexual assault and incest. 
  • After the fire, Teri is working to repair her family’s home when Mikey “died of a massive electrical shock.” This sends Teri into a spiral, and she destroys what is left of her house. “A paint can flies through the last intact window of the playroom. The sound of exploding glass makes me flinch and stomp on the gas. Bert shoots backwards and the can bounces off the top of the windshield on the passenger side. It tips and pours red paint everywhere.” 
  • When Mr. Malone and Teri begin working to make funeral arrangements for Mikey, Mr. Malone mentions that all the costs were taken care of by anonymous donors. When Kate overhears this, she asks herself, “Why do these generous mystery donors always wait until a kid dies before they show up? Where were they when Teri’s father was coming into her bedroom and beating the crap out of her mother?”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language    

  • Profanity is used occasionally, including bitch, damn, fuck and shit.  
  • Instead of using profanity, Kate says, “I mutter forbidden gerunds. (You know, the words ending in ‘ing’? The -ings that we’re not supposed to say? Don’t ask me why, none of it makes sense.” 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Mr. Malone, Kate’s dad, is a pastor, and Kate works with the church. There isn’t much discussion about religion as a belief system, but the church is a center of community. 
  • At church, an older woman tells Kate, “I think you should marry [your boyfriend, Mitch], Kate. Jesus would approve.”  

by Allison Penski 

Silent Sister

The Senior Sabbatical. A weeklong school trip to Shady Oaks Lodge that every Forest Lane Academy senior looks forward to. However, the trip goes awry when sisters Maddy and Grace Stoll disappear one night. An injured Grace is found on the side of the road, without her memory and without her sister. Nobody knows exactly what happened, and anyone who might have a clue isn’t talking.  

Silent Sister bounces between the two sisters’ perspectives. Maddy’s perspective focuses on the lead-up to the disappearance and the sisters’ time on the Senior Sabbatical. Maddy is the younger sister who has always felt overshadowed by her “perfect” older sister, Grace. But now, Maddy is determined to use the senior trip to reinvent herself, especially after learning she won’t be able to attend her dream college. And all is going well—she ends up befriending her roommate Jade, getting romantically close to cute jokester Adrian, and enjoying outdoor activities, all while reconciling with her personal struggles—until she and Grace get into a blowout fight.  

The details of what happened afterwards are murky, leading readers to rely on Grace and her post-Senior Sabbatical perspective to try to fill in the blanks. Overachiever Grace had everything going for her before the trip, including a bright future playing college volleyball, but after the trip, she’s totally lost. And when things couldn’t possibly get worse for her, Maddy’s dead body is discovered. Everyone is a suspect—teachers, classmates, and Grace. Determined to find out what happened, Grace teams up with Adrian, and together they interrogate their classmates and piece together snippets of Grace’s memories. They’re determined to find out what really happened to Maddy. Was Maddy’s death an accident? Or was it something more sinister? 

Maddy is an incredibly relatable main character, facing the same issues that most teenagers struggle with, including the stress of deciding their futures, choosing a college, being in the shadow of a sibling, and facing friendship and social troubles. While readers may not relate to the book’s deadly mystery, teenage readers will absolutely be able to relate to the struggles of being a teenager. Maddy and Grace feel very real, as does their sibling relationship—they don’t have a picture-perfect sisterly bond, and that adds to the book’s realism. Grace’s struggle with memory loss is believable and adds intrigue to the story. The sisters’ struggles and resolutions are well-written, and the book’s trauma is presented and addressed in an appropriate manner.  

The list of side characters is extensive, yet each person manages to have a distinct personality, and, as suspects, they contribute to the unfolding mystery in the book. This is especially true of Adrian and Jade, who are both complex and layered characters. Adrian operates as both a love interest and a suspect, complicating his relationship with both Grace and Maddie. Jade becomes Maddy’s friend when she needs one the most, but Jade has ulterior motives and a deep backstory that complicates the mystery. The supporting characters remind readers that things are not always as they seem and that there’s always more to the story than meets the eye.  

The plot is complex and ever-winding, with a plethora of characters and details to remember, yet it’s still an engaging read that ties up loose ends. The perspective swap keeps readers on their toes and makes room for incredible cliffhangers. There’s a surprise in practically every chapter, with plot twists that are incredibly well-done. Silent Sister is a hard book to put down, and readers will be eager to reach the gripping conclusion, which is a true jaw-dropper that both makes sense and prompts readers to take a second read to uncover all the clues they missed. 

Davidhizar nails both the mystery genre and the first-person portrayal of complex, teenage female characters. Additionally, Silent Sister successfully transcends the deadly mystery to explore themes of sisterhood, trauma, the internet’s dissemination of misinformation, and the importance of telling the truth. The book has its moments of harsh violence, but it grapples with death in a way that feels genuine and authentic. Its many emotional moments are relatable and bring an unexpected yet welcome element of hope to the story. Silent Sister thrills with a fascinating, twisting plot that features well-written characters, while also accurately highlighting the struggles of being a teenager.  

Sexual Content  

  • While at a diner, Grace and her friend, Adrian, have a conversation about grief. He tries to comfort her. “Adrian reaches across the table and covers my hand with his. His calluses are rough, but his touch is soft.” 
  • Maddy gets upset, and Adrian, whom Maddy is crushing on, comforts her. “He extends his hand. . . My fingers slide between his. A slow warmth creeps up my chest, and I hope it doesn’t reach my cheeks.” 
  • When Maddy confesses to Adrian that she writes poems, he coyly indicates that he wants her to read one. This leads her to dream of a romantic moment between them. “He’s so close to me that I could stare into his deep, brown eyes, say something flirty and funny, softly flutter my lids closed, and lean in to kiss him.” 
  • Maddy and Adrian are playing a game. When they are close together, she imagines them kissing. “I’d be wishing we weren’t surrounded by classmates so he would kiss me, and maybe he’s thinking the same because his eyes drop to my lips before flicking back up.” 
  • Grace and Adrian skip prom and hang out at a playground instead, which leads to small physical romantic gestures like cuddling and touching, and eventually a kiss. “His lips touch mine, both of us smiling as we relax into a light, enchanting, true kiss of understanding and comfort.” This scene lasts five pages. 
  • At the big post-prom party, teenagers are making out. “A couple is pressed together against a wall.” 
  • A teacher, Mr. Holtsof, initiates an inappropriate relationship with one of his students, Grace’s best friend Nicole, by “making plans to get coffee” and “DMing” her. 
  • Mr. Gutter, another teacher, is rumored to be “a pedophile.”

Violence  

  • Grace remembers pulling Maddy’s body from a lake. “My sister, face up on the ground. Her wet, dark hair half covering her cheeks. Her closed eyes not even fluttering.”  
  • Maddy’s body is depicted again via an autopsy. An officer says, “The initial examinations shows she experienced some severe bruising, particularly around her chest and upper limbs.” Later, the autopsy report is read aloud. “Maddy’s skin, dull and pale and white, against a dark deep-purple bruise. A handprint. Four distinct fingers meeting a thumb, wrapped around the arm in a vise grip.” 
  • Mateo, an old classmate of the Stoll sisters, tragically died in middle school, and his death haunts both Grace and Maddy. His death is described multiple times, as the Stoll sisters recall the incident differently. From Maddy’s perspective, Mateo tripped on a purse strap and fell down the bleachers to his death. She says, “I still remember seeing his hand between [onlookers’] feet. His fingers were half-curled…The fall should’ve broken his arm, not snapped his neck.”  
  • Grace thinks she “pushed” Mateo off her after he made unwanted advances. He fell down the stairs, and “he landed wrong.”   
  • Maddy and Grace get trapped in a flooded cave and start to drown. Grace describes, “My lungs burn and I can’t breathe and I kick harder but there’s no air and I can’t hold my breath much longer and I don’t want to die here.” Afterwards, she finds Maddy’s dead body and tries but fails to revive her with CPR. This scene is described over three pages.  
  • When Grace is in the hospital, she assesses the injuries she got during her disappearance, noting her “black eye, the scratch on my cheek, or healing bruises and the gash at the base of my skull required seven stitches and hurts worse than all of them combined.” 
  • After Grace is found in the woods, she is cleaned up, but there are still remnants of blood. “While the dried blood’s been washed away from my face, I spotted some flecks of it along my hairline in the bathroom mirror this morning.” 
  • When Grace is being questioned after Maddy’s death has been ruled a homicide, the officer reveals they found blood on Maddy. “We found blood on her clothes...We’re having it tested and compared to the blood we found on your clothing, but her injuries don’t match your head wound.” 
  • Adrian tells a story of his mother’s late-term miscarriage. “One night. . . the baby didn’t move. . . When she went in for an ultrasound, they couldn’t find the heartbeat. . . They had to induce her labor.” This story includes Adrian and his siblings holding their dead baby sibling.  
  • Jade used to have an eating disorder, which Grace details. “In ninth grade, she kept making these comments about herself or other girls. She was always talking about her weight. Then she stopped eating lunch.” Jade’s dad manipulated Jade’s disorder to get custody of her. “Her dad claimed she had an eating disorder because of her mom.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Underage consumption of alcohol is mentioned occasionally. 
  • When being interrogated by Grace and Adrian, their classmate, Ryan Jacobs, admits that he “brought some bottles of vodka on the trip.” He didn’t drink it, but his friend “Caleb did [drink]. Not wasted or anything, but enough to numb him, ya know?”  
  • Detective Howard accuses the Stoll sisters of drinking, saying, “If there was any drinking or drugs involved, it’s not worth hiding with your sister missing” because “the police found two broken vodka bottles on the grounds.” However, the Stoll sisters were not drinking. 
  • At a post-prom party, underage teenagers are drinking. Maddy’s best friend Erica chugs an unspecified but presumably alcoholic beverage from a “red plastic cup” before displaying drunken clumsiness. Continuous references to illicit activities occur at this party, including Erica offering a cup and saying, “Here, have a drink.” This scene lasts five pages. 
  • At the same party, a girl is covered in “spilled beer.” The cops show up to bust the post-prom party, and students begin “running from an underage drinking fine.” This scene lasts three pages. 
  • Grace often takes medication to heal from her injuries. For example, “I measure out the number of pills Dr. Thelsman prescribed and swallow.” 

Language  

  • Characters occasionally make references to and use gestures of vulgar language, but never actually say profane words. For example, a boy “flips [his friend] off” and “Jade breaks through the crowd first with a shriek of colorful expletives.”  
  • “Oh God” and “God” are used rarely as exclamations.   

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Grace keeps having flashes of a specific memory. “Whatever cosmic fate or God exists clearly wants me to keep this one vivid image alive: me, dragging Maddy from the water.” 

Gravity Falls: Lost Legends

Four new short, illustrated stories from the Gravity Falls universe explode from the page in this exciting graphic novel! Shmebulock, the gnome who is cursed to only speak his name—except for one night every 1,000 years—spills the beans on four thrilling new stories! After each story, he presents a witty joke or a brief epilogue, concluding each story in a satisfying manner. 

In Face It, Pacifica Northwest comes to her friends, Mabel and Dipper Pines, hoping for some magic to make her ageless. Against their wishes, she summons the monster Mr. What’s-His-Face, who steals Mabel’s face! Dipper and Pacifica must travel to an underground monster market to get it back. Pacifica overcomes her vanity when she realizes that beauty is not the most important aspect of a person. 

In Comix Up!, Stanley Pines (Dipper and Mabel’s grand-uncle) accidently curses a comic book and then gets sucked into it. Dipper, Mabel, their friends Soos and Wendy, and their other grand-uncle Stanford, all must travel through various comic book styles to save him. Stanley Pines initially makes fun of comic books but later reveals that he actually loves comic books and is jealous because his comic book series never took off. 

In Don’t Dimension It, Mabel gets transported to an alternate dimension where everyone is another version of her! As her grand-uncles try to save her, she must work together with her other selves and learn a valuable lesson about the dangers of selfishness.  

Finally, in The Jersey Devil’s in the Details, Stanley and Stanford Pines flashback to when they were kids, solving the mystery of who stole their dad’s gold chain. They encounter a rival set of mystery-solving twins, as well as the Jersey Devil itself. Then they confront their relationship difficulties with their father and each other.  

The graphic novel format of this book will appeal to many readers because of how bright and vibrant the illustrations are. Each story has a new illustrator, meaning the styles slightly change depending on the story—for example, Don’t Dimension It, which is about Mabel, is drawn in a slightly more cutesy style. Furthermore, Comix Up! uses comic book illustration style in an incredibly fun way—the style of illustration regularly changes from manga to Peanuts-influenced to superhero-esque! Each page of each story has numerous speech and thought bubbles, so readers get lots of chances to read real dialogue rather than only looking at pictures. 

The main characters of each story are humorous and entertaining, but also often overcome a flaw in an admirable fashion. Because the characters learn more about themselves and how to be kinder people, their journeys are truly charming, and it is easy to fall in love with them. Furthermore, highlighting each characters’ flaws portrays them as realistic, three-dimensional characters rather than perfect heroes.  

Despite the light-hearted tone of the book, the stories deal with serious topics such as vanity, self-esteem, selfishness, and more. Pacifica’s aforementioned issues with vanity are one, but Stanley Pines’ self-consciousness as the “dumb twin” is also addressed in The Jersey Devil’s in the Details. Furthermore, Mabel must confront how, despite her intentions, she can be unwittingly self-centered and not think about what anyone else wants. She learns a valuable lesson about being more aware of others. These lessons are articulated quite gracefully, without feeling out-of-place or preachy. 

The graphic novel is a lot of fun, but it might not be very fulfilling for readers who have not seen the original show Gravity Falls. Gravity Falls is a cartoon on Disney Channel about twins Dipper and Mabel moving to the supernatural town of Gravity Falls and discovering its mysteries. There are numerous references to the show, and readers unfamiliar with it will likely be confused. However, for readers who are familiar with the show, this book is a fantastic addition because it further develops the characters’ traits while maintaining the same tone as the source material. 

Gravity Falls: Lost Legends is a fantastic addition to the original show Gravity Falls, and a truly entertaining comic book in its own right. The illustrations are vibrant and entertaining, and the book boasts a surprising depth, as it develops the characters into full-fledged individuals and empathetically addresses their flaws. The quality of this book and the richness of its storytelling raise the bar for TV show novelizations. You can find more humorous, action-packed fun by reading the Hilo Series by Judd Winick and the InvestiGators Series by John Patrick Green. 

Sexual Content  

  • In Face It, it is revealed that Stanford Pines dated a siren.  
  • Pacific insults Dipper by saying, “Just like how you care about kissing aliens or whatever!” Dipper responds, “I’ve never kissed an alien! I’ve never kissed anyone!” 
  • Pacifica gives Dipper a hug. Later, she texts him, claiming that the hug wasn’t on purpose and that Dipper shouldn’t “get the wrong idea or anything.” Unfortunately, she accidentally texts Mabel, who gets excited and thinks Pacifica likes Dipper romantically. Mabel asks, “WHEN’S THE WEDDING LOLLLLLL” and sends kissy emojis.  
  • In Comix Up, there’s a brief visual gag where the characters are illustrated in a romantic manga style. Mabel is attracted to many of the characters, including an attractively-drawn sink, and a boy named Gideon, who tells Mabel, “Help me collect the seven crystal sailor angel capture cards, and then we can finally kiss!” Mabel refuses. 

Violence  

  • In Face It, a vendor in the underground monster market, called the Crawlspace, sells, “Severed hands! Straight from a wet cave!” 
  • When Dipper and Pacifica trespass, monsters capture them in a net, sell them, and then put them in a sack. “Sold! Hope you like burlap!” declares a monster vendor. 
  • To protect Dipper and Mabel, Pacifica sets Mr. What’s-His-Face on fire using some magic pills. Mr. What’s-His-Face yells, “Aughh!! My face! My beautiful flesh-tornado of a face!”  
  • Mr. What’s-His-Face threatens to kill Pacifica, Dipper, and Mabel. Mr. What’s-His-Face yells, “When I get my hands on you, they’ll never find your faceless bodies!” 
  • Dipper and Mabel’s grand-uncle Stanford uses a sci-fi ray gun to freeze Mr. What’s-His-Face in a block of ice. “Prepare to be destroy—ack!” 
  • In Comix Up, there is an extensive amount of humorous, comic violence. The characters dodge obstacles such as anvils, dynamite, and swinging logs, which make comedic sounds like “Zoip!” “Poomp!” or “Brak!”  
  • There is a zombie who rises from the grave. He has an eyeball hanging out of his skull. He is only in one panel. There is no dialogue about his decomposed state, but the zombie says, “Nyaaaaaargh.”  
  • Mabel breaks the fourth wall, grabbing the speech bubble and attacking a superhero with it. When she does, the comic superhero cries, “Augh!! My one weakness!”  
  • The characters all gain comic superpowers and defeat the superheroes—their powers include “Telekinervousness,” “Cutting blades and cutting sarcasm,” “Growing bigger every time [Soos] says ‘dude,’” and using a rainbow as a weapon. 
  • Out of frustration and resentment, Stanley Pines threatens to poison a character’s food. Stanley Pines says, “I’ll poison your lasagna, Sarcasti-pup!” after Sarcasti-pup makes fun of him. 
  • In Don’t Dimension It, Mabel travels to the Nightmare Realm and a giant hand with a mouth in the palm tries to eat her but fails. She cries, “This can’t be happening! I’m too adorable to die!”  
  • A Cthulhu-esque monster tries to eat Stanley’s head. Stanley emerges from another dimension with the monster on top of him. Stanley says, “Keep looking.”  
  • All of the Mabel versions wield grappling hooks.  
  • An evil version of Mabel sticks Stanley and Stanford to the floor with a sticky gun and attempts to throw them out of the spaceship they’re in. The evil Mabel says, “Sounds like you two need some space. Endless space!” 
  • The good versions of Mabel have a comical fight with the evil version of Mabel. Evil Mabel glues a bunch of Mabels to the ground and severely wounds Military Mabel (who ultimately survives). Good Mabel punches Evil Mabel and sends her into space. “This is for Military Mabel,” declares Good Mabel. 
  • In The Jersey Devil’s in the Details, Stanley ties a knife to a possum in hopes of turning him into a violent, protective pet. Stanley tells his brother, “Say hello to my associate . . . Shanklin the Stab Possum!”  
  • Stanley pushes two rival twins off a small hill after they make fun of him and his brother. Stanley shouts, “Oh my god! We killed the Sibling Brothers!” They are fine and just passed out. 
  • The Jersey Devil, some sort of dinosaur-esque monster, attempts to eat all of the twins, and also breathes fire. It does not harm anyone. Stanford yells, “I think this is the end!”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • In Face It, Pacifica purchases pills “guaranteed to cure your wrinkles and make you a stunning queen, girl.” 

Language    

  • In Face It, Pacifica refers to homeless people as hobos.  
  • Pacifica refers to the monster Mr. What’s-His-Face as a “freak show.” 
  • In Comix Up, it is revealed that, as a kid, Stanley wrote a comic book with swear words in it. Later, a boy picks it up and says, “A book for kids that has swears in it! Cool!” 
  • In Don’t Dimension It, Evil Mabel calls Good Mabel an idiot. When Stanley and Stanford discover Evil Mabel is pretending to be Good Mabel, Stanford exclaims, “Dang it, Stan! You got the wrong one!” 
  • Evil Mabel calls Good Mabel a “giggling punch line” as an insult.  
  • In The Jersey Devil’s in the Details, Stanford and Stanley debate the existence of ghosts’ crotches. Stanford says, “I’m not sure ghosts have crotches.” 
  • After being accused of stealing, Stanley exclaims, “Darn, Pa!”  
  • The circus performers insult Stanford and Stanley for being normal. “Yeah, we ain’t got time for average jacks in freak-town!” says a heavily-tattooed circus player.

Supernatural  

  • This book is almost entirely supernatural. Each story involves the main characters interacting with a supernatural world or element. 
  • In Face It, Pacifica, Dipper, and Mabel encounter a monster called Mr. What’s-His-Face who steals people’s faces. Mr. What’s-His-Face refers to himself in the third-person, declaring, “Mr. What’s-His-Face can fix anything you don’t like about your face for a price.” 
  • Pacifica and Dipper travel to the Crawlspace, an underground paranormal market for monster vendors. Humans are not allowed. Dipper exclaims, “It’s a paranormal black market under the town!”  
  • In Comix Up, Stanley puts a bunch of comic books in a treasure chest, which turns out to be cursed and sentient. “Stan, that chest is cursed!” Stanford cries in horror. 
  • The characters jump into the comic book world, often breaking the fourth wall and experiencing different styles of comic illustration. Stanford warns the group about the dangers of the world, saying, “This world is subjective and unstable and could change styles at any moment!”  
  • In Don’t Dimension It, Dipper, Mabel, Stanford, and Stanley are in the woods trying to clean up damage from a past event that was almost apocalyptic. “We’re searching for leftover multidimensional rips from Weirdmaggedon to patch with aliens adhesive,” explains Stanford. 
  • Mabel gets transported to the Mabel dimension. “Razzle my dazzle, it’s a Mabel bonanza! There’s every possible version of me…” Mabel says in wonder. 
  • In The Jersey Devil’s in the Details, Stanley and Stanford encounter the Jersey Devil, a flying dragon-dinosaur type monster that breathes fire. “Legend has it that this cloven-hooved weirdo of the night hides by the boardwalk and pilfers gold and jewels to add to its collection,” Stanford informs Stanley. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Figure it Out, Henri Weldon

Seventh grader Henri Weldon is transferring from a special education school to a new school, where she’ll be “mainstreamed.” At her new school, she doesn’t know anyone, and she is already behind in her classes. While the rest of Henri’s family excels in school, she struggles with math and needs the help of a tutoring program to pass her classes. 

Henri’s older sister, Kat, offers to help Henri find friends and survive the seventh grade. That is, until Henri befriends the Morgans. The Morgans (Lily, Ana, Vinnie, and Drew) are a group of foster children that Kat dislikes because Lily used to bully her. However, two of the other Morgans, Ana and Vinnie, are incredibly nice to Henri. Ana convinces Henri to try out for soccer, and Vinnie becomes Henri’s math tutor. 

Henri’s friendship with the Morgans creates a rift between Henri and the rest of her family. Henri’s parents don’t want her to play soccer because they want her to focus on school. To make matters worse, Kat won’t talk to Henri because Henri’s friends with Lily. Henri just wants to be accepted for who she is. She tries to be a good student and a good family member. Henri tries to juggle these new aspects of her life, but she needs the support of her family and friends.  

Henri is an incredibly likable character who always tries her best to please everyone. Henri’s conflicts are realistic and showcase the difficulties of navigating relationships in a way that wins her parents’ approval. Many students will relate to Henri as she wants to try new things and create her own path.  

As Henri becomes closer to Ana and Vinnie, she realizes that families are chosen. Even when Henri’s family has disputes, they still choose each other. Throughout the various characters’ dynamics, Davis creates vivid examples of different types of families. Some families are bound together by blood, while other families are formed through unconventional relationships. Henri realizes that families are meant to love and support each other. Henri compares families to a team, saying, “Each member is the glue that makes a team stick, all for one, together.” Like family members, each player has a different set of strengths and weaknesses. While the members of Henri’s team are all different, Henri’s team sticks together just like a family should. 

Figure It Out, Henri Weldon is told from a third-person perspective. This allows readers not only to see Henri’s struggles firsthand but also to gain a broader understanding of the other characters’ feelings.  Henri wants to maintain her friendship with the Morgans, but Kat believes “sisters [are] supposed to have each other’s backs, or at least be on the same team.” By using the third person, readers understand that Kat thinks sisters should always support each other, even if that means Henri has to give up her friendship. This highlights the complicated nature of relationships and shows that people are not always good or always bad.  

Henri’s relationship with the Morgan family creates an interesting contradiction. While Henri lives in a stable two-parent household, the four Morgans come from different backgrounds and are being raised by a foster parent named “Grandma Dot.” However, they choose to be a family, loving and supportive of each other. The Morgans sit together at lunch, support each other’s hopes and dreams, and go to all of Ana Morgan’s soccer games. On the other hand, Henri’s family does their own thing and often seems cold. Henri’s family doesn’t attend her soccer games or understand the type of love Henri needs to be successful. Figure It Out, Henri Weldon shows that traditional households do not create the mold of a true family.  

Henri’s seventh-grade struggles will be incredibly relatable to readers who have faced similar challenges, including family expectations, friendship drama, and change. Readers seeking genuine friends will connect with Henri’s struggles. Like Henri, all readers want to be accepted, and no one wants to be an outcast; however, no one wants to give up who they are just to be accepted. Henri isn’t like the rest of her family, but she still deserves their love and support. Everyone in this story learns what a true family is: a choice to support the ones you love.  

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • There is some name-calling and hurtful teasing. For example, while Henri and Kat ride the bus to school, Lily Morgan picks on Kat, calling her “My Little Pony” and “Rainbow Pony, ” and saying, ” got that Big Bird sweater going on today. I like it.” 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

I Must Betray You

Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu and his family are merely trying to survive in 1989 Romania, a country ruled by a communist regime. He lives with his parents, his sister, and his terminally ill grandfather, Bunu. All Romanians live under constant surveillance and are censored by the communist dictatorship. They cannot speak freely, openly trust others, and have limited access to information about the world beyond Romania. Cristian dreams of becoming a writer and exploring the world beyond Romania, but he must keep this dream a secret for his protection.  

Inspired by his terminally ill grandfather, who openly opposes the regime, Cristian documents his thoughts and experiences, hoping to share them with the world one day. Cristian’s character is admirable because he values the importance of writing freely in a society that strongly disapproves of it. However, when Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police for possessing illegal American currency, he is forced to become an informant. Cristian cannot tell anyone, not even the one person he trusts—his sister. He is initially tasked with spying on an American diplomat’s family residing in Romania. However, his orders go beyond this, and he is forced to spy on his classmates and loved ones.  

Frustrated and guilty, Cristian takes matters into his own hands. He bravely leaves his notebook filled with documentation and observations of life in Romania on the American diplomat’s desk. A risk like this could land him in prison and put his family in danger, but he seeks to expose the truth about life in Romania. As citizens grow increasingly frustrated with the current regime, a revolution rises. Cristian’s decision to join exposes him to strong violence and the loss of those he loves. However, he is determined to unveil the government’s treatment of Romanians and help his family survive. Through all of this, he never forgets his dream of becoming a writer and engaging with the world. Will he be able to expose Romania’s oppressive conditions and escape the web of lies he finds himself entangled in?  

Lilliana Pavel, a quiet yet curious girl who lives across the street from Cristian, becomes a romantic interest. She engages in intricate acts of resistance, such as listening to American music, reading literature, and sneaking foreign snacks. Although subtle, these actions reflect her exploratory spirit and her willingness to challenge the regime. When her family gets into trouble with the police, she accuses Cristian of informing on them, and their relationship suffers. However, as the story unfolds, Lilliana’s affection for Cristian leads her to join the revolution as well, proving not only how courageous she truly is, but also how much Cristian means to her.  

I Must Betray You captures the bleak realities of those living in a communist society, as well as how restricted their lives are. Filled with tension, gritty content, and resilience, the novel will most definitely appeal to fans of historical fiction. Readers will undoubtedly remain in suspense throughout the story, wondering what lies ahead and how it will impact the characters’ lives. Additionally, the reader will be emotionally invested in the characters’ circumstances and the trajectory of their journeys.  

The story combines themes of betrayal, oppression, courage, and hope to create a powerful narrative. The idea that change can begin with one single voice is prevalent throughout. In this case, Cristian’s actions brought about immense change, and in the wise words of his Bunu, “Wisdom [is]… something [a] country can’t take from you.” Although the story contains graphic scenes, including multiple deaths, they play a crucial role in the overall effect on the reader. This is a must-read for readers interested in stories of liberation and bravery. Readers who want to read more stories based on communism should also read Breaking Stalin’s Nose and Spy Runner by Eugene Yelchin. 

Sexual Content   

  • Liliana and Cristian share their first kiss, not knowing if it will be the last time they see each other. “I kissed her. And kissed her again… More gently each time. I kissed her nose, her jaw, her neck.” A guard came into the room, and the kissing stopped.  
  • Liliana visited Cristian at his family’s apartment, and the two cuddled. Liliana “leaned in to make the point and kissed me. I scooted over on the bed, making room. I wrapped my arms around her and we lay there, sharing the pillow.” Eventually, they fell asleep.  
  • After the revolution ends, Liliana and Cristian share a flirtatious kiss on Christmas Day. “A dot of vanilla fluff lingered on the side of Liliana’s mouth. I leaned in and kissed it away, hovering close to her.”  

Violence   

  • Cristian feels betrayed by his best friend Luca, who informed on him and his family. He is so angry that he punches Luca. “I whirled around and threw my fist. I punched my very best friend.” Luca fell and did not fight back.  
  • Individuals were sent to beat Cristian’s grandfather, who voiced opposition to the regime. “Bunu’s hands lay like broken birds. Their color, a purple so dark, nearly black. The bones above his palms were snapped, smashed. . . Bunu’s bare feet had been clubbed beyond recognition.” Cristian’s mother says, “His chest. The same. All ribs broken. They beat him to death.” 
  • Soldiers capture Cristian and beat him because of his involvement in the revolution, as well as his failure to comply with his Securitate [secret police] handler. “The first blow was to the top of my spine, between my shoulder blades… Then they sat me up and clubbed my ribs . . . They took turns punching my face. . . Then they kicked me below the waist. I lost breath and all track of what was happening.” Finally, they stopped beating him and became distracted by something. The beating is described over several pages. Cristian was badly beaten and in a lot of pain.  
  • Cristian and Liliana discuss their experiences with the state’s soldiers. Liliana tells Cristian that, “They beat us with canes, kicked us, punched us . . . A man was on a special list. . . They scalped him.” 
  • Cristian, Liliana, and a few small children were taken into custody for their role in the revolution and taken to a prison. They are led to a small, interrogation-like room in the prison, and out of frustration, Cristian destroys a picture frame hanging on the wall. When a soldier enters the room and sees what Cristian has done, he punishes Cristian. “He smacked my back and legs with his club.” Although Cristian is already in pain from his prior beating, he acts brave for Liliana and the children.  
  • Cristian’s best friend, Luca, is shot while participating in a revolutionary protest. It is unknown who shot him, but it is clear that there were many bullets in the air. “A bullet tore through Luca’s right shoulder, another ripped through his arm. Blood burst like fireworks in front of me. Multiple rounds flew nearby . . . Luca swayed, staggered, and buckled to the ground.” Luca disappears into the crowd. Later, it is revealed that Luca is in critical condition. 

Drugs and Alcohol   

  • None 

Language   

  None 

Supernatural   

  • None  

Spiritual Content   

  • None  

Maid For It

Though only in middle school, Franny Bishop seems to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. Whether she’s sneakily cleaning houses to pay for hospital bills or hiding prescription drugs in fear that her mother may relapse, Franny has made it her mission to take on any problems life throws at her family.  

On any given day, the words “leave bologna sandwich in fridge for mom” and “ask Mr. Jamison for extra-credit work” may be found in Franny’s agenda. An expert overachiever, she takes pride in completing everything perfectly—and often, alone. But when the pressure of school and financial struggles collide, Franny realizes she cannot conquer these problems by herself. She reluctantly enlists her classmate, and enemy, Sloan, to help clean houses. However, when Franny’s mother learns about her secret job, she reminds Franny that she is only a kid, and some burdens are not hers to bear.  

Told from a first-person point of view, Maid For It follows Franny as she attempts to live a self-reliant life. Franny is a likable character who feels the need to help those that she loves and is often uncomfortable with the thought of imperfection in herself. Readers will sympathize with Franny from the first scene, where she is called to the office and fears her mother has relapsed. Instead, she finds out that her mother has been in a car accident and will be immobilized for some time. Readers will feel compassion for Franny as she adopts an adult role, trying to earn money and care for her mom. The anxiety that Franny feels towards her mother’s potential relapse is palpable and drives the suspense of the plot, ensuring that readers remain engaged.  

Like many middle schoolers, Franny has a complicated relationship with her enemy-turned-friend, Sloan. She also struggles with her relationship with her classmate Noah, as she finds herself yearning to grow closer to him but also feels hesitant due to the complexities of her personal life. These relationships ground Franny, making her a relatable protagonist. While some readers may not find commonality in Franny’s problems with her mother, they are likely to understand the highs and lows of forming friendships and navigating the complexities of middle school relationships. Though Franny is dealing with heavy emotional problems at home, her time with Noah and Sloan shows Franny taking part in typical kid activities, such as going to fast food restaurants and attending a play together. Noah and Sloan add a lighthearted nature to the book, making it a more enjoyable read.   

Maid For It explores themes of perfectionism and delves into how children often put intense pressure on themselves to succeed. For much of the book, Franny is focused on supporting her family and excelling in school. By the end, however, Franny goes to her school’s dance with Noah and Sloan. This turning point shows her growth in understanding that she does not always have to be a provider, and that she can instead find comfort and solace in letting loose and being a kid. Franny’s development is shown through her stepping out of her comfort zone by becoming more social with kids her age, making her a character that audiences will easily root for.  

Sumner introduces serious and mature topics, such as sobriety, substance abuse, and financial instability. While the storyline is simple and easy to follow, Sumner does not shy away from being descriptive when speaking of Franny’s mother’s struggle with sobriety. For example, Franny recalls a time she found her mother after an overdose. Franny says, “I saw her foot first, jutting out from under the coffee table. She was on her stomach with a bottle of pills next to her. I screamed. She didn’t move. I got down on my hands and knees and shoved her. It was like pushing a bag of sand.” Through her honest portrayal of emotional topics, Sumner tells the story of a young girl learning to accept her own imperfections and set aside the burdens of others that were never meant for her to carry. Readers who want to explore more books that tackle the topic of drug abuse should read Stay by Bobbie Pyron. 

Sexual Content  

  • When Noah tells Franny that he snuck out of work for a minute to see her, Franny says, “I swear, the ice cream in my hand actually liquifies.”  
  • Noah tells Franny that he has a crush on her and that he thought Franny liked him. Franny says, “I did! I mean, I do . . . like you.”  
  • When Mimi, Franny’s mother’s sponsor, said that she knew Pastor Carl before he was a pastor, Franny’s mom sang, “Mimi and Carl, sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.” 

Violence  

  • Mrs. Pack, someone who works in the office at Franny’s school, tells Franny that her “mom was in the hospital” because of a car accident.  
  • Franny is dreaming of organizing her candy into her mom’s pill bottles. In her dream, her mom smacks her hand and digs her nails into her shoulder.  
  • Franny gets nervous when she finds her mom in the bathtub, not responding to her. Franny raises her hand and “slaps her once as hard as I can.” 
  • Sloan is crying to Franny about the pressure her parents put on her to do well in school. Franny said that her dad would “murder her if she failed math.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Franny’s mom was addicted to drugs, but she had been clean for “three years, our longest stretch yet.” 
  • Mimi is Franny’s mother’s sponsor and the owner of the laundromat. She is a “long-standing member of Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous,” and hosts meetings at her laundromat on Wednesdays.  
  • Before visiting her mom at the hospital, Franny is scared that the doctor was wrong and that her mom “was high and it really was her fault.”  
  • The doctor decides to increase Franny’s mom’s morphine dosage to help with her pain, which scares Franny because “you don’t give drugs to the drug addict.”  
  • Mimi is happy to be sober because she’s lost “too many good years and good friends to alcohol.”  
  • When Derek, one of the people at the AA meeting, hears about Franny’s mom’s accident, he asks, “Was she high?”  
  • Franny says Derek only shows up to the meetings after a bad round of “uppers, the drugs that make you jittery and forget to eat and sleep.” She says her mother prefers drugs like oxy, which makes her sleepy and space out. 
  • Franny makes a note to leave “Tylenol on the coffee table for mom.” 
  • Franny hides her mom’s oxycodone because she wants to “be the one to divide when and how much she gets” to take to “help her heal.” 
  • Franny’s mom says Derek is staying at their house because he was fired for being high. Franny asks, “Is he high now?” Franny thinks he’s a “druggie stinking up our living room with his sweat and panic.”  
  • Franny’s grandparents received a call, causing them to rush out and leave Franny at the house. The next morning, Franny’s grandmother woke Franny to tell her that her “mother took too many of those pills yesterday” and is now “having a rest at the hospital.”  
  • When Franny gets back from her school’s dance and can’t find her mom right away, she gets nervous that her mom “took the pills because [she]’d left [her] alone.” 

Language  

  • Franny uses the word “dumb” a few times. 
  • Sloan cries, saying that she “sucks at math.”  
  • Franny calls Derek a “druggie” a few times because “he was high” and got fired from his job. 

Supernatural  

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • Before visiting her mom’s hospital room, Franny “shoots a prayer like an arrow. If she’s all right, I say to the higher power Mom is always talking about, I’ll never assume anything’s her fault again.” 
  • Franny believes that Mimi, her mother’s sponsor, prefers “monklife” living.  
  • On the drive home from the hospital, Franny’s mom sings “I heeeeeeeear the word of the Looooord.” 
  • When Mimi is asked if she will be at Church, Mimi responds, saying that she will be working, and that “clothes need cleaning as well as souls. Me and God have our own system worked out.” 
  • Franny’s mom created costumes for “The Easter Jubilee: A Message of Hope” and her family attended the show on Good Friday. 
  • After seeing her costumes onstage, Franny’s mom asks, “Who wouldn’t have a come-to-Jesus moment after seeing those disciples’ robes?” 
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. ...
  11. 51

Latest Reviews