Topic: Friendship

Don’t Fear the Creeper

The Mob Squad are the greatest heroes the town of Cornucopia has produced since it was founded: Mal the bold, Lenna the strong, Tok the wise, and Chug the steadfast. And Jarro, who’s renounced his bullying ways to reveal a truly kind heart. Together they’ve journeyed across the Overworld, delved into the Nether, and saved the day for Cornucopia again and again.

So why can’t they get any respect from the adults who run the town? The only one who understands is Nan, Mal’s great-great-great-grandmother, who trained them to be as resourceful and adventurous as she was in her day.

So when Nan gets sick and isn’t getting any better, the kids refuse to just sit by and do nothing. There’s something out there that can help her—an enchanted golden apple that can cure just about anything. And the Mob Squad will stop at nothing to get it.

But as they venture outside the walls of Cornucopia, they aren’t counting on being followed. The kids soon discover a mysterious foe whose motives are as unknown as the face that hides behind a Creeper’s head. If the Mob Squad wants to rescue Nan, they’re going to have to save themselves first.

Don’t Fear the Creeper is a fast-paced adventure with plenty of near-death experiences to keep readers’ hearts racing. As the Mob Squad searches for the golden apple, they travel into the unknown and often end up in unexpected danger. Through it all, each member of the mob squad plays an important role as the kids work together to reach their goal. Their determination and persistence are admirable, even if their actions are often imprudent. The book’s chapters change point of view which allows each member of the Mob Squad to give their perspective. However, the alternating points of view add little to the story and the characters’ voices are not unique, which makes it difficult to keep track of who is telling the story.

While most of the events stay true to the Minecraft game, some readers may be frustrated by the Mob Squad’s careless actions. For example, when going through a cave system, the Mob Squad comes across dark green blocks. Every time someone makes noise, something shrieks. Despite this, the kids are not quiet and end up waking a monster that chases them. While they make it out of the cave safely, they nearly died because they couldn’t stop talking. 

The book’s ending also becomes a little preachy as it focuses on the Elders’ attempt to close off the town. However, Lenna thinks, “There’s value in teaching children they’re not invincible. . . There’s nothing wrong with running away when it’s the best choice.” The ending contains several epilogues that drag on. Still, fans of Minecraft will enjoy the story’s action, adventure, and the Mob Squad’s friendship. If you’re ready to delve into another Minecraft adventure, grab a copy of Minecraft: The Crash by Tracey Baptiste. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • When the Mob Squad sees a goat, Chug approaches it. Jarro sees “the horns lower into position, and I see the horror on Chug’s face, and then Chug is flying through the air like a bird. . .Chug flops onto the ground, his armor clanking. . . [Lenna] takes the goat out with a few shots.” Chug isn’t injured.
  • While underwater, the Mob Squad is attacked by a “drowned” which is an underwater zombie. “When the drowned throws its next weapon, Chug bats it away and goes in for a slice with his sword.” When Chug screams, Jarro draws “my own sword and kick[s] down towards Chug, who’s hurt and having trouble continuing the fight.” The drowned bites Jarro and “the bite burns my arm, and Chug lands a hit while I struggle. . .” Finally, Chug “takes it down.” The scene is described over three pages. 
  • Fish attack the Mob Squad. When Tok sees the first one, he screams and “paddle[s] backward with my hand, but the gigantic fish is right in front of me, and it slams into me, and it feels like getting run over by a horse covered in knives, and I thrash and squeal in panic. . .” When the fish attacks, Tok describes, “a wired beam of purple wavy light burst out of its giant eye and straight for me, and I flail and dodge.” The kids escape. The fish attack is described over four pages. No one is seriously injured.
  • The fish again attacks the Mob Squad. Chug beats “the fish down with my sword, but it gets a few slams in. . . Someone screams behind me and I spin to find Mal being targeted by a fish-eye bubble ray. . . I hit it with my sword from behind, and it spins and comes after me. As I keep fighting it, trying to dodge the spikes, it suddenly feels like my entire body is on fire.”
  • As the fish surround the kids, Chug is “beating on the guardians (the fish) while they’re focused on Lenna. . . I double down on my onslaught, even when one of the guardians turns to face me, spikes out and bristling and big eye shaking like he’s going to start blowing bubbles at me again. . .” The kids escape. The attack is described over six pages.
  • In a previous book, Jarro was kidnapped. When an unknown enemy taunts Jarro, he thinks, “I’m going to end up just the way I did last time, tied up and blindfolded, abandoned in the middle of nowhere. They tied me to a tree and left me to die, alone and without weapons. . .” 
  • While on an island, a zombie appears and “Efram dispatches the zombie in a few quick slashes and moves on. Then an arrow tangs at us from the left, and Lenna takes it down with a few arrows of her own. . .”
  • A man wearing a Creeperhead attacks Tok. Tok explains, “He just hit me, again and again. . . he didn’t say a single word.” Tok was seriously injured and needed a Potion of Healing. 
  • Tok takes a Potion of Swiftness that makes him run super-fast. Lenna thinks he is a Creeper, so she “takes careful aim and lets her arrow fly. . .Tok stands before us, an arrow in his shoulder.”
  • In a multi-chapter battle, a Wither (a three headed skeleton) attacks the kids. Tok jumps into the fight when the Whiter is “headed right for Lenna, and without telling my body to do anything, it’s sprinting toward her, sword out. As the skull nears us, I swing my sword, and it swooshes right past my blade and smacks me in the chest, and the world explodes around me in a flash of white against the dark sky.” Tok is seriously injured. Tok exclaims, “my body doesn’t seem to want to work. My arms are weak, my legs exhausted like I’ve already run a mile.” 
  • The Wither and the Creeperhead appear at the same time and the Creeperhead begins throwing TNT at the kids. The Wither skull hits Mal. “She’s almost limp” and Chug carries her “like a baby back toward the open cave mouth.” 
  • As the Mob Squad fights the Wither and the Creeperhead, the Creeperhead holds a block of TNT over his head. Then, “The TNT block he was holding over his head explodes, throwing him back against the mountain.” He is knocked out and the kids tie him up, but the Creeperhead is not seriously injured.
  • The Wither follows the kids into the cave. Chug sprints “right at the Wither, running it through with my sword. I hit it again and again, so fast that it can’t seem to launch a skull. . .” Then, Tok joins in the fight. “Tok lands hit after hit. It’s perfect for him, really— [the Wither] can’t move and it can’t fight back.” The Wither explodes and its skeletons run away. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Potions are often used. For example, when someone is sick or injured, they are given a Potion of Healing. 
  • In order to breathe underwater, the Mob Squad uses the Potion of Water Breathing. When Jarro drinks the potion, “the funniest feeling comes over me—like I’m inside a bubble and as light as air.”
  • After being attacked by fish, Tok gives his friends “Potions of Regeneration. They should help us heal faster, if we get hurt.” The ingredients include “a ghast tear and some Nether wart.” 
  • One of Tok’s potions uses “fermented spider eye.”
  • When given a golden apple, an elderly lady’s health is restored.

Language   

  • Poppeycock is used once.
  • The town’s people call Lenna “Loony Lenna.”
  • Heck is used once; darn is used twice. 
  • One of the Mob Squad calls someone a jerk four times. 
  • After almost dying in the fish attack, an old man saves the kids. He calls the kids “fools” and “morons.”
  • Tok is injured, but he’s still trying to talk, so Lenna says, “Shut your piehole.” 
  • Lenna calls the guards who won’t open the gates “creeps.”
  • An elderly woman calls one of the town’s elders “the little nincompoop.” 

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

A Fairy’s Gift

No one believes in fairies more than the Never Girls—Kate, Mia, Lainey, and Gabby. The four best friends can visit Never Land anytime and have adventures with Tinker Bell and the rest of the fairies.

But eventually, most people grow up and forget about fairies. And fairies need people—especially children—to believe in them. Without belief, a fairy’s magic cannot exist.

When the girls find out that widespread disbelief is threatening the fairies, they must find a way to make their families and neighbors believe again—and save the magic of Pixie Hollow. But how can they convince people to believe in something they cannot see?

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and curl up with a copy of A Fairy’s Gift, the perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit. When Mia’s cousin, Angie, visits for the holidays, Mia is surprised that her fairy-loving cousin no longer believes fairies are real. The fairies need all the Never Girls’ help, but Mia is spending all her time doing grown-up stuff with Angie. Soon, the other Never Girls wonder if Mia has caught the Disbelief as well!

Two of the fairies join the Never Girls in the Clumsies’ world and learn about the magic of winter—snowball fights, hot chocolate, and toy donations. While the joy of the holidays is apparent, the fairies’ plight adds suspense and increases the worry about Mia’s grown-up behavior. Nevertheless, Mia’s absence allows Gabby, the youngest of the girls, to shine. Gabby is determined to help children believe in fairies, and her optimism is contagious. The happy conclusion will leave readers believing in both Christmas magic and fairy magic. 

The chapter book has ten short chapters. While the short chapters and illustrations make the story accessible to readers, younger readers may need help with the vocabulary. Each page has a festive red border to add more holiday cheer. Cute black and white illustrations appear on every one to four pages, which helps bring the fairy magic to life. Plus, the illustrations will help readers visualize the story’s plot.

A Fairy’s Gift is a fun holiday read that will remind readers that the holidays aren’t about gifts, but about spending time with family and believing in magic. Readers who want to cuddle up with a good book with holiday cheer should also check out these picture books: Bear Stays Up for Christmas and Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • During a snowball fight, a fairy gets hit. “The snowball knocked the fairy clean out of the air. She landed headfirst in the snow. . .” The fairy is not hurt, but she “looked a bit stunned.”
  • One of the fairies goes around and pinches people. The pinch feels like a sting.
  • When the magic of Prilla, one of the fairies, starts to fade, she couldn’t fly as fast and a hawk “caught her. It tore her wing—she was lucky to get away.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • Prilla can travel to the Clumsies’ world when she blinks. 
  • To stay strong, fairy magic needs children’s belief. Prilla helps “children believe in magic. And in turn, children’s belief is what keeps fairy magic alive.” 
  • When the fairies’ magic begins to fade, Prilla explains that “Every time a child stops believing in fairies, a fairy’s magic fades. Usually more children come along to keep the balance.” When too many children stop believing, the fairies lose their magic and their ability to fly.

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Hot Cocoa Hearts

‘Tis the season. . . for heartbreak? Emery Mason is not a fan of the holidays. She’s so over the tinsel, the shopping, and all the other trappings of the season. Unfortunately, this year, Emery is forced to work — as an elf! — at her parents’ Santa photo booth at the mall. There, Emery meets Alejandro Perez, who works at the hot cocoa shop next door and is always full of holiday spirit. Alex is cute, but he’s nothing like Emery’s real crush — the brooding and artistic Sawyer Kade. 

But the more time Emery spends with Alex, the more she realizes that she may not be the Grinch she always thought she was. Soon a blizzard, a Secret Santa surprise, and a family disagreement throw Emery’s world upside down. Can Emery embrace the magic of the holidays and find the perfect boy to kiss under the mistletoe?

Like Scrooge, Emery doesn’t believe in Christmas and she isn’t afraid to kill other people’s Christmas joy. Because of Emery’s bah-humbug attitude, readers may find it difficult to connect to her. Emery’s hatred of all things Christmas is connected to her grandmother’s death. Despite this, it’s hard to sympathize with a character who makes young children cry. Like Scrooge, Emery eventually finds the true meaning of Christmas and the happy ending shows that the holidays are about “the magic of believing. The sheer fun of giving the gift of that to other people, of sharing it with them.” Even though the story has a happy ending, the book’s negative tone takes much of the joy out of reading it.

Emery’s bad attitude isn’t the book’s only negative aspect. Emery idolizes her crush Sawyer and is ecstatic when he finally notices her. However, she soon finds that it’s difficult to be honest with Sawyer. To make matters worse, Sawyer doesn’t seem to understand Emery at all. As Emery spends more time with Alex, she begins to question what she really believes. The love triangle adds suspense to the story, but Sawyer acts more like a confident adult than a preteen which makes some of the scenes unbelievable. However, the scenes between Emery and Alex are full of sweet moments that middle-grade readers will enjoy.

Unfortunately, readers may have a difficult time connecting with Emery. While her grief over her grandmother’s death is understandable, Emery’s bad attitude hurts others. Despite this, Hot Cocoa Hearts teaches the importance of not making assumptions about others. In addition, the conclusion is super sweet not only because Emery finds the joy of Christmas, but also because Emery finds an unexpected community that jumps in to help her when needed. Readers who are looking for a more joyful holiday book to curl up with should read the Celebrate the Season Series by Taylor Garland. However, if you’re feeling a bit like Scrooge, Young Scrooge: A Very Scary Christmas Story by R.L. Stine gives the typical Christmas story a new twist.

Sexual Content 

  • Emery and Alex are at a spice store and suddenly she “wasn’t focused on the beans. I was looking at Alex’s mouth, at how soft and full his lips looked. And then a thought flashed through my head. What might it be like to kiss Alex?”
  • Emery goes on a date with Sawyer. Afterward, “he leaned toward me, and my eyes closed instinctively as my heart pummeled my chest. . . But at the last second, when we were so close I felt the warmth of his breath, I panicked and turned my face to the side. His lips brushed against my cheek.”
  • While at a holiday party, Emery finds Alex and puts mistletoe over her head. Then, she “stood on my toes and kissed him. The kiss was breathtaking and sweet.”
  • While at the mall, Alex “leaned close and gave [Emery] another sweet, lingering kiss.”

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • When Alex gets sick, his grandfather had him “take a temazcal herb steam treatment.”

Language 

  • Omigod is used occasionally. 
  • Crud and darn are each used once. 

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • While working at the mall, Emery prays that none of her friends see her.
  • Alex’s grandfather has a sign on the wall that says, “Oh divine chocolate. . . we beat it with our hands in prayer, and we drink it with our eyes lifted to the heavens.”

Marion and the Girls’ Getaway

Marion plans a perfect girls’ weekend for her friends—with a surprise appearance from a snow bunny!—in the twentieth book of The Critter Club Series.

Marion has planned the ultimate girls’ getaway. There will be skiing, a trip to the spa, and of course, hot chocolate! What Marion didn’t plan was a snow bunny sighting! As members of the Critter Club, she and her friends are so excited to find the most adorable bunnies. But when Marion’s kitten, Ollie, scares the bunnies away, Marion scolds him. That’s when she notices he’s been acting a little strange the whole time. What’s wrong with Ollie? And will the girls get to see the bunnies again?  

Marion is a considerate friend who plans a weekend full of snowy fun. As Marion plans the trip, she finds activities that each girl would enjoy, even though that meant that the girls were not always together in a single group. However, while planning the trip, Marion needs to find out if her friends know how to ski. In order to do this, Marion “fibbed. She figured a little lie wouldn’t hurt, since she was about to tell her friends the truth!” Because of this, parents may want to talk to their little reader about when it’s okay to keep something a secret, and when it’s not. 

The story has a slow start because the plot focuses on Marion’s planning stage. During an outdoor activity, the girls see some cute white rabbits and the curious girls use a wildlife guide to learn more about them. When Ollie refuses to come out of his cat carrier, the girls decide to stay inside so they can take turns sitting next to him, which makes Ollie feel comfortable and safe to come out of his carrier. While the girls have a fun weekend, reading about their adventures isn’t very exciting. However, fans of the series will still enjoy this winter-themed story.  

The Critter Club Series is perfect for animal-loving readers. The story uses easy-to-read language in large font. In order to break up the text, large illustrations appear on almost every page. The black and white illustrations use bubbles to show the girls’ thoughts and bring the winter wonderland to life. Plus, Ollie and the bunnies are super cute. The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

United We Spy

Cammie has finally discovered why the Circle wanted her dead. Once upon a time, she had seen a list of the Circle founders. Now that Cammie’s mother has the list, she and her most trusted allies are determined to track down the masterminds of the Circle and arrest them. But they are not the only ones hunting them. A splinter group of the Circle is also tracking the founders down; their goal is not to arrest, but to kill. One by one, members of the Circle arebeing picked off. But before one dies, he warns Cammie that the Circle is planning something big, and the wheels are already in motion.  

To make matters even worse, the Winters are one of the names on the list of Circle founders. Macey swears Preston Winters can’t know that his father is in the Circle, but with tensions as high as they are, Preston may be guilty by association. When he and his father are whisked off to a secret, high-security prison, Macey fears Preston isn’t safe even there. Those worries are proved right when his father is killed by a mole while in prison. Cammie and her friends are left with no choice—they must break Preston out before it’s too late. 

The mysteries of the Circle are being solved one by one, yet Cammie continually feels one step behind the Circle’s plot. As the dominoes begin to topple, Liz warns that the building tension will lead to World War III. Cammie will do anything—even give her own life—to stop the cascade before it’s too late. 

United We Spy is full of action, tension, and the satisfaction of a long-brewing mystery resolved. Cammie and her usual cast of friends and family will stop at nothing to prevent the Circle from starting World War III. The question is, can they stop the chain of events before they reach a critical mass? And even if they can, what will be the price they have to pay? Through first-person narration, Carter creates an exciting story full of relatable characters and action-packed sequences. Readers may want to have a box of tissues handy as they close the final chapter of this epic saga.   

Sexual Content  

  • Cammie sees her aunt Abby kiss Agent Townsend. “On the Tarmac, Agent Townsend whispered something to Abby, then squeezed her hand and kissed her softly when he didn’t think we were watching.”  
  • Zach and Cammie kiss several times. Most kisses are described in one to three sentences. For example, “Zach’s hand was warm in mind, and I didn’t feel the chill, even when he stopped me on the stairs, pressed me against the wall, and kissed me. Softly at first, then more urgently, hungrily. It was like he hadn’t eaten in weeks.”  
  • Another time, Zach and Cammie kiss. “I brushed my lips across his mouth, lightly at first, teasing. Tasting. And then his lips parted and the moment was over.”  

Violence  

  • When Cammie and Bex go to arrest Sir Walker, a member of the Circle, Zach’s mom beats them there and kills him. Cammie gets there and she “heard the hiss of the bullet, saw the dark spot that grew on Sir Walter’s chest, and watched him fall to his knees . . . A drop of blood ran from his lips. As the life drained out of him, he toppled over onto the floor, never to defy us—or anyone—again.”  
  • A member of the Circle launches a grenade at Cammie. Cammie describes, “Blood ran into my eyes. The grenade must have struck a gas line, because smoke swirled all around me and I could feel the heat of the explosion at my back.”  
  • Cammie and her friends are in a car crash during a getaway chase. “The crash came too fast—too hard. One second we were careening along the Roman streets, and the next there was nothing but the screech of tires and the crunch of metal. I felt myself falling, tumbling in the back of the truck as it flipped onto its side. Sparks and scraping metal.”  
  • Cammie hears Preston’s dad get shot in the next room. Cammie “jumped over the partition and into the other room . . . blood stained the concrete. His face looked almost peaceful as he stared up at me and gave me one last smile. ‘Save Preston,’ he whispered, eyelids fluttering. And then he died.”  
  • When outsiders come for Cammie, the Grand Hall of the Gallagher Academy breaks out into chaos. “Seventh graders jumped onto the backs of FBI agents. Seniors squared off against the CIA. It wasn’t cat versus mouse; it was spy versus spy.” No one was seriously injured. The fight takes place over two pages.
  • While infiltrating a prison, Zach attacks a guard. Cammie “stepped into the hall just in time to see Zach haul back and head-butt the guard, knocking him to the floor.” Later on the way out of the prison, Macey takes out some guards. “A guard rounded the corner and Macey dropped to the ground, knocking the man’s feet out from beneath him. Another guard followed so closely behind that they became tangled together, falling.”  
  • After escaping from the prison, Cammie realizes Bex has been shot. Cammie “looked at Bex just as she unzipped her heavy down jacket. Blood stained her shirt spreading across her shoulder and dripping down her side.” Bex survives.  
  • Cammie and her friends are close to a bomb that detonates. “There was nothing but a cloud of smoke and terror. People screamed . . . The force of the blow had knocked [Cammie] to the ground, and my side ached . . . A man stumbled through the crowd, his face so covered in blood that I couldn’t even tell what damaged had been done.”  
  • When Zach’s mother turns herself in, Cammie hits her because she is angry. Cammie “pulled back my fist and punched with all my might.”  
  • Cammie lunges at a man with a gun and is shot. “He fired. Once. Twice. Blinding pain coursed through me, but I didn’t stop. I just kept running toward him, catching his gun hand in my arms and spinning.” 
  • While rescuing Amirah, a fellow Gallagher girl, Cammie is shot. Cammie then kills the man who attacked her and Amirah. “Pain seared through me again—a hot, burning stab . . . I took aim at the very place Amirah had been just seconds before and pulled the trigger . . . [Amirah] crawled away from the man who was falling to the ground. His blood was on her shirt, but she didn’t seem to be in any pain.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • When taken to a top-secret prison, Cammie is drugged so that she cannot reveal its location. “In the next second a syringe was in Agent Edward’s hand, and the needle was in my arm, and just that quickly my mother’s office began to spin, the whole world spiraling quickly into black.”  
  • A teacher at the Gallagher Academy developed Napotine patches, which knock a person out. These are used several times. Once, Bex “slapped [a guard] hard across the face . . . the man looked almost amused for a moment before the strength slipped out of his limbs and he crumbled to the floor. The other guard was struggling to his feet, but Macey was already on him, attaching yet another Napotine patch to the back of his neck.”  
  • Liz drugs Zach’s mother with a concoction stronger than truth serum. “Liz’s concoction entered her bloodstream. It was like she was growing drunk and sleepy. Her eyelids were heavy.”  

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Secret of White Stone Gate

After the events of The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane, Emmy goes home to Connecticut for summer break. Now she has returned to England for the new semester at Wellsworth, but there’s a catch—her mom wants her to spend time with and be under the strict rules of her mom’s cousin, Lucy. On top of this, upon returning to Wellsworth, Emmy begins receiving threats from Jonas, a leader in the Order of Black Hollow Lane, who tried to kill her in the previous book. Jonas wants information about her father and the medallions that she stole from the Order and he is willing to do anything to get what he wants. Emmy realizes the reality of her situation when her friend, Lola, is framed for stealing money from a charity fundraiser causing her to be expelled. Emmy must navigate dealing with the constant threats from the Order. Should she give them what they want so that they stop hurting her friends? Or is there another way?

A major theme in The Secret of White Stone Gate is betrayal. Emmy’s favorite teacher, John Barlowe, discusses betrayal in his class. He says, “Brutus betrayed Caesar during the Golden Age of Rome, Henry the Second betrayed Thomas Becket in the twelfth century, and it goes on and on. Sometimes greed and power become stronger than friendship.” This theme is reflected in Emmy’s discovery that her dad had been friends with Jonas, the leader of the Order, but Jonas betrayed him and now is part of the group of people trying to find and kill her dad. 

Desperation to get what one wants is also a topic since the Order demonstrates they are willing to manipulate children. For example, it is revealed that Emmy’s friend, Jack, has a younger brother named Oliver who the Order forced to frame Lola. Isolation and struggling to make friends, combined with the Order’s manipulation, forced Oliver to frame Lola. However, Emmy and her friends do not get angry or act cruelly toward Oliver because they realize an important lesson, “We’re your friends, and you need to know that the Order isn’t your only option.” Emmy and her friends demonstrate true friendship which in turn teaches Oliver that he doesn’t need the Order for a sense of community. 

At long last, Emmy is able to reconnect with her dad. He reveals that he has been secretly watching her, maintaining disguises all along. He explains, “I knew Jonas would be following you. I had to be there. I had to make sure you were safe. I tried to help [Lola] too, but it wasn’t easy to get to her.” Her dad is able to explain why he left her and her mom all those years ago. He says, “[the Order] knew I had a twelve-year-old American daughter. [The Order] found out I was alive and had a family, but [they] didn’t know your name or where you were. I had to run to keep you safe.” Though at first, Emmy struggles to overcome her anger that her dad left, she realizes that what matters most is that her dad is alive and loves her. 

The story neatly wraps up with the Order believing that Emmy’s father is dead. Emmy finally feels that she and her family are free “since you [Emmy] cannot get what [the leader of the Order] wants, we have decided to pursue other avenues. You are no longer of any interest to the Order.” Knowing that Emmy and her friends are safe leaves Emmy feeling happy that she will finally get a chance to “do all the things normal kids got to do . . . Well, maybe they’d never be totally normal.” 

Readers who enjoyed the first book in this two-part series, The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane, will enjoy the strengthening friendship between Emmy, Lola, and Jack. Overall, The Secret of White Stone Gate will keep readers on the edge of their seats as it shows the importance of enjoying the little moments with your friends and loved ones. Readers who are eager for more fun mysteries should also read Saving Montgomery Sole by Mariko Tamaki and Jada Sly Artist & Spy by Sherri Winston.

Sexual Content 

  • Emmy notices Sam, a new student at Wellsworth. “He pushed some floppy blond hair out of his eyes and smiled at something he was reading. Emmy’s stomach fluttered in a way that it usually only did for famous, good-looking soccer players.”
  • When Sam says hi to Emmy, “Emmy prayed no one would notice her cheeks getting hot.”
  • Emmy and Sam work together to help set up a school charity event. “Every once in a while, if Sam made her laugh or accidentally brushed her hand, she’d feel a giant swoop behind her belly button. Those swoops seemed to have a direct connection to her ears, making them hot and flushed. Thank goodness she could hide her ears behind her hair.”
  • Emmy appreciates that “[Sam] was sacrificing a lot for Lola, even though he barely knew her. She imagined being with Sam, Lola, and Jack, sitting around the fire, just being normal friends. And maybe being more than friends with Sam.”

Violence 

  • Reflecting on events from the previous book in the series, “Emmy shivered. She always did that when talking about the old head of security, Jonas. She had trusted him, but he was the one who had caught her in the tunnels, chased her into the belfry of an old church, and tried to kill her.”
  • Emmy finds a threatening note in her room from Brother Loyola, the head of the group that attempted to kill Emmy in the previous book, “In case you were wondering, I’m always keeping an eye on you.”
  • Emmy’s friend Lola is framed for stealing money from the school’s charity fundraiser. Then Emmy receives a threatening video message from a member of the Order. He says, “Tell us where your father is, or your friend will get far worse than expulsion.”
  • At her new school, Emmy’s best friend Lola is attacked by two students. Lola says, “My face is hurting pretty bad, and my hand is killing me from trying to hit them back . . . I managed to stay off the ground, though, otherwise, it would have been a lot worse.”
  • While Emmy is visiting Lola, Jonas, the leader of the Order, suddenly appears and threatens her and her friends. Emmy is afraid so “her hands started to shake. Should she run? Should she scream? Jonas wouldn’t try to hurt her in broad daylight with all these people around . . . would he?”
  • Jonas threatens Emmy’s friend, Lola. Jonas says, “Such a shame about what happened this week. I hope [Lola] isn’t too banged up. You don’t think that’ll be the end of it, do you . . . we’d always find [Lola].”
  • Jonas tells Emmy, “If you value your dear friend’s life, I’d suggest you try a little harder to find your dear old dad.”
  • When Emmy still refuses to tell Jonas where her dad and the medallions are, he says, “It doesn’t seem like you’re getting the message, so let me make it clear. I hurt [Lola]. I hurt your roommate. Here’s the next person on my list.” He then pulls out a photograph of him with Emmy’s mom and says, “Get me what I want, or I’ll bury her.” 
  • Emmy and her dad are chased by several cars carrying members of the Order. The Order is trying to kill them, and her dad decides the only way for them to escape is for him to fake his own death. He grabs an air tank, “It will let me breathe underwater.” Then as they approach a bridge over a large body of water, “the door flew open and her dad leapt onto the railing. Emmy screamed. He didn’t look back. He just disappeared over the edge.” After he landed in the water, Emmy’s dad was able to safely get away, convincing the Order that he is really dead. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • The characters occasionally use mild insults like git, prat, or stupid.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • The leader of the malicious group threatening Emmy and her dad is referred to as “Brother Loyola,” as one would refer to a priest. 

Breadcrumbs

Hazel Anderson and Jack Campbell were inseparable best friends. They shared a unique and magical world of their own creation, filled with wonder and imagination, that no one else could fully understand. It was only together that they found their place within the world. 

But one day, without any warning or explanation, Jack suddenly ceased all communication. Hazel feels bewildered, hurt, and alone, and she’s unable to comprehend why her closest companion had seemingly abandoned her.  

Hazel is devastated and can’t understand why her best friend left without a word. Hazel ponders over Jack’s mysterious behavior until Tyler, a close friend of Jack’s, shares what he believes to be impossible. Jack had been taken into the woods by a white witch on a sled. 

Determined to find out the truth and rescue her friend, Hazel embarks on a perilous journey through the mystical woods, using all of her wits and bravery to navigate the treacherous terrain and overcome many obstacles. Her only hope lies in finding the white witch who is rumored to dwell deep within the woods – the same witch who Hazel believes holds Jack captive. 

Hazel can’t help but wonder if Jack truly wants to be rescued or if he has intentionally chosen to leave her behind. The closer she gets to the truth, the more Hazel’s doubts and uncertainties begin to consume her. She wonders if she’s truly prepared for what she might find and if the truth behind Jack’s disappearance might be more than she can handle. 

Hazel is a character that is easily relatable due to her simple and down-to-earth personality. She has a warm and welcoming demeanor that allows people to feel at ease around her. Additionally, Hazel’s experiences are ones that many can relate to, such as the ups and downs of relationships, the struggles of balancing school and friendships, and the journey of self-discovery. In essence, Hazel is a character that embodies the human experience, making her a truly multi-dimensional and interesting character to explore. As she relies on her wits, bravery, and unspeakable determination to uncover the truth and rescue her friend, readers will be rooting for her the entire way. 

The whimsical story includes fifteen black–and–white illustrations that are scattered throughout the text. The illustrations are detailed, yet soft and cartoon-like. It helps bring the reader fully into the world within Breadcrumbs. 

Breadcrumbs is a captivating and enchanting story that takes readers on a journey of self-discovery, friendship, and resilience. The story demonstrates that no matter how lost one may feel, it is never too late to find oneself and embrace who you truly are. Hazel, the protagonist, is a shining example of this. She discovers her true worth and identity. Through her journey, Hazel learns the value of true friends who support and encourage one another, even during the most challenging of times. Breadcrumbs also highlights the importance of perseverance and determination in overcoming obstacles and achieving our dreams. Overall, Breadcrumbs is a heartwarming tale that reminds readers of the power of friendship and the resilience of the human spirit. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • After getting upset, Hazel throws a snowball at Jack. A few seconds later, unhurt by the snowball, something else causes him to cry out in pain. “’Ow!’ He yelled. ‘Ow!’ His voice cracked into the sky. His other hand flew to his chest and he fell to his knees.” A snowflake with a shard of cursed glass fell into his eye.  
  • Two classmates, Tyler and Bobby, taunt Hazel as they do most days, but this time she has had enough. She retaliates by throwing a pencil case at Tyler. “In one motion Hazel stood up, grabbed the hard pencil case from her desk, and hurled it at Tyler. There were some yelps, some gasps, and then absolute quiet.” Tyler is hit in the head and left with a large, painful bump. 
  • Hazel meets a woman who stole a swan’s skin. Hazel accidentally discards the skin. The woman scratches  Hazel for throwing away the skin. “‘I see,’ the woman said, running a cold finger down Hazel’s cheek. ‘Actions have consequences, little girl.’ And then there was pain. Stinging, and then searing. The woman had stuck a nail into Hazel’s cheek, and it was like a talon. She dragged her finger down, splitting the skin on Hazel’s face. It traveled down her cheek to her neck.” Hazel is left with a gash that bleeds profusely until a young man comes to aid the wound. She is left with a horrible scar. 
  • The white witch gives Jack a puzzle of broken shards that continually cut his fingers as he moves them. “He looked down at the puzzle shards. They were made of old, jagged angles. He reached a finger out to touch one of the points. He felt nothing, but a small dome of red blood rose out of his finger pad.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language   

  • When Jack abandon’s Tyler and Bobby as friends they blame Hazel. They taunt her with different names such as Crazy Hazy, psycho, and baby. 

Supernatural  

  • The narrator gives background on a goblin, who is only prevalent to the beginning part of the story.  “Mal looks nothing like you can imagine, neither goblin nor troll nor imp nor demon. But neither the goblins nor trolls nor imps nor demons know what Mal is either. For Mal is not any of those one things, but all of them . . .” This character only exists to create an entryway into the magic that exists throughout the rest of the story. 
  • The narrator takes a moment to provide context about the glass that made its way into Jack’s eye. This piece of glass is not anything ordinary, because it is a shard from a cursed mirror. “Mal had just invented something delightful – or at least something he found delightful, for that is an altogether different prospect. On the surface, it looked like an ordinary mirror . . . For the mirror took beautiful things and made them ugly, and took ugly things and made them hideous . . . the mirror shattered into the sky. . . one landed in the eye of a boy.”  
  • After Hazel notices the change in Jack’s behavior, she asks an adult what supernatural options there could be for Jack’s sudden change in personality. The adult says, “There are a few options. Possession is one. Not by a demon, but by something a little more harmless, like a goblin or imp. . . Or an evil disembodied brain thing.  Or there could be some sort of enchantment. By a witch or wizard. Or by a magical item, something that was given to them, or something they acquired, maybe by accident. Or something that’s infected them that causes them to see the world in a skewed way.’” 
  • Tyler tells Hazel about the impossible thing he saw right before Jack’s disappearance. Tyler says, “He wasn’t alone. There was a woman there. She was . . . she wasn’t right. She was tall and weirdly thin. She wasn’t real. She was all white and silver and made of snow . . . like an elf or a witch . . . like a movie.” 
  • Hazel encounters three women in the woods that promise to help her. “[The first woman] picked a long gray string out of the box. It had a puff of wool attached at one end. She passed the string down, puff end first, and the three hooded women stared at it as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.” The string the women look at represents Hazel’s life. The three women are supposed to represent the Fates who are in charge of the lives of those inside the world. They can see that her fate is yet undetermined and promise to help her if she asks a question. Although upon hearing her questions about the white witch, they send Hazel on her way.  
  • Hazel meets a young boy who lives in a cabin in the woods. His sister has been changed into a bird. The boy explains that a couple “‘said she’d run away. But I saw the bird and I knew. . . ‘ He glanced at the gold cage behind him. ‘It’s just like her. And you always know your sister.’”  
  • As Hazel walks through the woods, she thinks, “There were witches in the woods, they stole beauty from swans and then rotted from the inside. There were couples who wanted to turn girls into pretty little birds. The woods do strange things to people.” 
  • Hazel meets a kind couple that says they want to help, but upon walking Hazel listens to the stories of the flowers. She finds out that the couple has changed the girls into flowers. Hazel runs back into the woods before they can turn her into a rose.  

Spiritual Content  

  • None

Star of Stage and Screen

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

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

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Mystery of the Egyptian Amulet

When the Nile town of Thebes is threatened by a scarab-amulet eating ghost, Zet is determined to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Zet’s best friend, a jeweler’s apprentice, is in trouble. Could the ghost and his best friend’s ominous master be connected somehow?

As if he didn’t have enough trouble, special orders have gone missing at Zet’s family pottery stall. With angry customers on his hands, his family’s reputation is going downhill fast. Soon the investigation becomes a race against time. Zet and his sister, Kat, must solve the ever-twisting puzzle before it destroys the people they love. 

Zet is an extremely likable protagonist who isn’t afraid to face danger to help the people around him. When Zet suspects that his best friend, Hui, is in danger, he does what comes to him naturally—he investigates the jeweler’s compound where Hui works. When he investigates, Zet is often impulsive; however, his intentions are always honorable. Zet’s fun personality, his mystery-solving skills, and his bravery make him shine. By the end of the book, readers will be wishing Zet was their best friend.

Mystery of the Egyptian Amulet is an engaging story that will appeal to anyone who likes a fast-paced mystery. Readers will also enjoy learning what life was like in ancient Egypt. Even though Zet is only twelve years old, he is responsible for running his family’s pottery stall as well as providing for his mother and younger brother. Zet takes this responsibility seriously, and while he worries about not being able to care for his family, he never complains about his lot in life. Likewise, even though his sister can be annoying, he treats her kindly and even appreciates her knowledge (although, he doesn’t let her know this!). 

The Mystery of the Egyptian Amulet’s danger and mystery will captivate readers. While they will enjoy trying to solve the clues, the best part of the Kid Detective Zet Series is Zet, an interesting character who has many positive character traits despite being impulsive enough to get into some sticky situations. Even though Zet often runs from thugs, the story is kid-friendly with plenty of suspense without being scary. The story’s short chapters and easy vocabulary also make the book perfect for reluctant readers. The Kid Detective Zet Series is a highly entertaining series that will hook kids on reading. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Zet’s best friend, Hui, is an apprentice for a jeweler. When Zet tries to see Hui, a guard tells Zet to leave. When Zet “didn’t move, the man cracked his meaty fingers. . . . the man grabbed his arm and twisted Zet into a headlock.” The guard says, “Makes a funny noise when your neck breaks. Crunch-like.” The next day Zet shows his sisters the bruises the guard gave him.
  • Hui says he must be careful of the jeweler or, “He’ll make me disappear. I know that’s what happened to his partner.” 
  • The police chief tells Zet to be careful because “a servant was attacked in Khonsu Street and almost killed. He was found unconscious, his head bleeding.” 
  • Zet tries to sneak into the jeweler’s house. When he jumps over a fence, “three large hounds crouched at the open door to the house. The snarling dog bared its teeth. . . They bore down on him in a flash of teeth and fur. . . Teeth caught hold of his ankle. He felt skin tear. He wrenched his leg free. . .” Zet got free and ran. His wound is not described. 
  • Zet knows the jeweler is planning on hiding stolen jewels in bread. To catch the jeweler stealing, Zet dresses like a demon. When he went into town, “people fell back in shock.” People began running which allowed Zet to get close to the cart with the hidden jewels.
  • When Zet begins throwing bread out of the cart, the jeweler’s guard, Snaggletooth, “snatched Zet’s ankle. Meaty fingers took hold of Zet’s oiled skin. Zet wrenched backward. . .” 
  • When Zet crawls into the cart, “someone shoved him hard. . . He flew forward. . . he saw Sanaggletooth’s sword chop down.” Zet is uninjured. The scene is described over three pages. 
  • Another one of the jeweler’s guards tries to get Zet. “The henchman landed a glancing blow against Zet’s leg with his club. Nails scraped down his shin. If it had been any closer, it would have broken Zet’s leg. . .” The injury is not described. 
  • When the jeweler’s guards are detained, Zet finds Hui hidden at the bottom of the bread cart. “Hui’s arms and legs were bound tightly to his side. The medjay [police chief] whipped out his blade and cut the bindings free.” Hui is uninjured.

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • When the police chief went to investigate a man’s residence, the man “sat back drinking wine while we turned the place upside-down.” 

Language 

  • Zet sneaks into the jewelry apprentice shop with Kat. When she makes a loud noise, Zet thinks, “Wormsnot and bettledung! He was a complete idiot. . .”
  • Kat uses “by the gods” as an exclamation once. 
  • When surprised, Zet yells, “What in the name of the gods?”

Supernatural

  • There is a rumor that an evil army of spirits is coming to town. A shopkeeper says, “They’re creeping into town. Stirring up trouble. Casting dark dreams.” The spirits are accused of stealing scarab amulets. The man explains, “And you know how important scarabs are to Egypt. They ensure long life. They ensure birth. Creation. Balance.”
  • Kat worries that the rumors are true because of the war. She says, “The Hyksos spirits probably are mad. And you know they can’t be burying the enemy Hyksos soldiers properly, with the war going on.” 
  • When Hui acts strangely, Kat thinks he has been “hypnotized, or worse, possessed.” 

Spiritual Content 

  • When giving the time of day, the text refers to the sun god. For example, when Zet walked to work, “the sun god spilled his rays over the rooftops.” 
  • When splurging on a litter to carry her, Hui’s mom says, “The gods know I don’t indulge in luxury much.”
  • Because of the strange things happening, some people were frightened. While walking, Zet “passed a man painting a protection symbol on his front door, and chanting what sounded like a spell.”
  •  A man opened a new shop. “Protection amulets of every kind swung from his awning. There were oil lamps with strange symbols, Hyksos spirits probably; heady, acrid-smelling incense burned, and he was stirring liquid in a pot and chanting.” 
  • When Zet’s mom travels down river to find out about a missing shipment, Zet prays, “Please, let her have found out about the shipment.” 
  • Hui made his mother “a tiny gold statue of Maat, Goddess of Truth. The goddess looked ready to do her job – to greet people when they arrived in the afterlife.”
  • In his room, Hui had a statue of “Bes – Hui’s family God. . . Sure he protected their household, like all family gods did, but Bes also loved to stir up trouble. Generally of the entertaining kind.”  
  • Zet passes a temple that had a pool of water in front of the doors. Hui thinks, “Everyone knew the temple pools were doorways into the underworld.” He hurries past the temple.
  • When Zet’s mom doesn’t return home as expected, he prays. “Zet went straight to the household shrine. He knelt in front of the statue of Bastet. The cat goddess regarded him with her gold-rimmed eyes. He lit one of the incense for her . . . ‘Please bring Mother and Apu home safe,’ he whispered.” 

Revenge of the Beast

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

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

Drugs and Alcohol 

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

Language 

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

Supernatural

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

Spiritual Content 

  • None

My Diwali Light

Devi loves the Diwali season. It’s a time to wear her favorite red dindi and eat samosas until she bursts! Make mithai and design rangoli with her papa. And paint diyas with her nani—a reminder to shine her light brightly all year long.

The story, with vibrant collage illustrations, follows one girl’s Diwali traditions as her family celebrates their favorite holiday with the ones they love. The illustrations are full of interesting details that feature Devi’s clothing, her family, and her neighborhood. The pictures’ brilliant, bright colors give the book a joyous, festive tone. Each page has one to five sentences. However, both the complex sentence structure and the frequent use of Hindi words will require the book to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Since the book doesn’t contain a glossary, My Diwali Light will not help children from other cultures to understand the customs associated with Diwali. 

Devi’s activities show a strong sense of family and the importance of learning from your elders. For example, “Nani says when we clean our home, we remember to keep our hearts clean, too.” During the holiday preparations, Devi’s family strings marigolds and twinkling lights and also paints diyas. While they are preparing for the holiday, Nani says “the flame is a reminder for all of us to shine our lights brightly, to be kind, helpful, and loving.” 

While readers unfamiliar with the holiday may have difficulty understanding some of the book’s language, the general concept of allowing your kindness to shine will be understood by all readers. My Diwali Light revolves around Devi’s family, who show kindness to each other as well as others. 

While all of Devi’s family celebrates the season, they all celebrate differently, which allows readers to understand that the holiday is about sharing the Diwali light and sparkle. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • As part of the holiday tradition, Devi’s Papa gets the thali ready and Devi “sprinkle[s] the rice and the water and help[s] shower the statures in the mandir with milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and sugar. We offer flowers and mithai. I shake the coins. Mama sings the aarti, and I ring my bell loudly.”
  • Devi’s family prays “our own prayers, quietly whispering words of hope from deep in our hearts.” The family prays for health, happiness, peace, and that “we are always together on Diwali.” 

Squad Goals

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content 

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

Violence 

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

Drugs and Alcohol 

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

Language 

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

Supernatural 

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

Spiritual Content 

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

The Dragon’s Blood

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content  

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

Violence  

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

Drugs and Alcohol  

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

Language    

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

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Deadman’s Castle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

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

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Magical Imperfect

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

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

Spiritual Content 

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

Kitty and the Twilight Trouble

Girl by day. Cat by night. Ready for adventure! In the sixth book of this popular chapter book series, Kitty, a little girl with catlike superpowers, must teach a new friend what it takes to be a true superhero.  

Kitty is looking forward to visiting the carnival with her family and her cat crew. But her feline friend, Pixie, is too busy spending time with Hazel, a new superhero. When near disaster strikes at the carnival, Kitty uses her catlike superpowers to help. But Hazel thinks she can save the day without any assistance from Kitty. Can Kitty show Hazel what being a true superhero means, before someone gets hurt? 

Kitty returns in this fast-action story that focuses on friendship. In this new installment of the series, Kitty and her cat crew experience friendship trouble when Pixie meets a new friend, Hazel. Pixie starts spending all her time with Hazel and ignores everyone else. Even though Kitty and the cat crew are hurt, Kitty tries to be understanding and non-judgmental. When Figaro complains about Hazel, Kitty says, “She might be really nice once you get to know her.” Even though it’s difficult, Kitty doesn’t criticize Hazel.  

But when Kitty finally meets Hazel, Hazel is mean. Hazel tells Kitty, “Pixie is my sidekick now. She doesn’t need you anymore.” Kitty is upset and wonders why Pixie didn’t stick up for her. However, when Hazel and Pixie need help, Kitty doesn’t think twice; she jumps in to rescue the two cats. In the end, Kitty forgives both Hazel’s and Pixie’s bad behavior and even befriends Hazel. Kitty realizes that “being a superhero is more than being brave. It’s about being kind, too, and looking for the best in others—animals and humans.”  

Kitty and the Twilight Trouble has a fast-paced plot that will keep readers engaged until the very end. Each page has illustrations ranging from cat prints to detailed illustrations of Kitty and her activities. The illustrations are black and white with a pop of orange. The beautiful pictures will help readers visualize the story. Although most of the vocabulary is easy, younger readers may need help with some of the words such as harrumphing, clambered, dangerously, and slunk. 

Whether readers are new to the Kitty Series or have read them all, Kitty and the Twilight Trouble will captivate them. Newly independent readers will fall in love with Kitty because she is brave and kind; however, she is not perfect and learns from her mistakes. In the end, the story teaches that friends forgive each other. Both parents and children will love the Kitty Series because Kitty and her cat crew show the importance of being kind and having empathy for others. If you’re looking for another cute cat book that teaches about friendship, check out Pioneer Cat by William Hooks or The Catfish Club by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Hazel calls Kitty a “silly human.” 
  • A cat, Figaro, says, “That Hazel is a menace!” 

Supernatural 

  • Kitty has “catlike” superpowers that allow her to jump and somersault. “With her superpowered senses, she could see in the dark and hear sounds from miles away.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Undercover Book List

Jane McDonald is a self-professed book nerd. When her best friend, Sienna, a fellow reader, moves away, she plans an “Undercover Book Club” to ease Jane’s loneliness. The idea is to leave an anonymous note in a designated library book and strike up a friendship with whoever finds it. Tyson Flamand is a video game-loving jokester whose antics tend to land him in the principal’s office. By accident, he sees Jane slipping her note into the library book, and he leaves an anonymous response. As Jane and Tyson become closer though the Book Club, they both discover their own resilience and ability to overcome seemingly overwhelming obstacles. 

Jane is an avid reader and a driven student, consistently impressing her teachers and other adults in her life. Her father is deployed in the Middle East on a military assignment, so her grandparents spend a lot of time supporting Jane’s mom with childcare. Her best friend, Sienna, recently moved away and Jane has to learn how to honor her friend while still moving on with her own life. Jane is a likable character due to her efforts to support others and make everyone feel appreciated. Despite her positive personality, Jane is dealing with a lot of loss, from missing her dad and best friend, and the threat of losing her after-school club, Kid Lit Quiz. This gives her another layer of character development, which makes her relatable to readers. 

Tyson’s nonchalant attitude has given him many friends but poor grades. Everybody in Tyson’s life believes he is a troublemaker. When he tells his mom he’s reading, she scoffs and says “Yeah, right,” which hurts Tyson. When Tyson joins the Kid Lit Quiz team Stefan, another member, asks Jane, “Are you sure he didn’t join as a prank? I didn’t even know he could read, never mind liked it.” Readers will appreciate Tyson’s efforts to change his reputation despite everyone in his life discouraging him – he shows that everyone is capable of greatness despite their past. 

Each chapter of The Undercover Book List alternates between Jane’s and Tyson’s perspectives. Jane’s chapters are in the first person, while Tyson’s chapters are in the third person. At first, the shifting points of view are confusing; however, as the teens grow closer, their perspectives overlap and build off each other. As part of The Undercover Book Club, Jane and Tyson write anonymous letters to each other. The novel periodically includes the letters between Jane and Tyson, which allows readers to see the perspectives of each character and watch their growth throughout the novel.  

The Undercover Book List highlights the importance of having the strength to embrace change. Jane learns that she is a fantastic leader who can accomplish lofty goals. Tyson manages to transform his reputation from a troublemaker to a successful student. He eventually decides he would rather be kind than popular. The obstacles that the teens face, including vandalism and illness, are handled in a straightforward manner but without sacrificing emotion. By the book’s gratifying conclusion at the Kid Lit Quiz regional competition, both Jane and Tyson prove to be excellent role models. 

Sexual Content  

  • Tyson’s friends, Andrew and Affan, “drew penises all over the poster” that Jane made to recruit more students to join. Tyson created “the penis game” several weeks before, where “the goal was to draw as many penises as possible before the risk of discovery forced the vandal to walk away.” This is the only instance of the penis game. 

Violence  

  • Tyson and his friends have a reputation as bullies. The pranks these teens pull on others can be mean and targeted, often at a student named Connor. At the beginning of the book, Tyson “ruined [Connor’s] jersey” after dropping it in the lunchroom trash can and “accidentally threw [his] hat on the roof.” As Tyson begins to repair his reputation, he distances himself from the bullying. 
  • Andrew and Affan want to “put [all Connor’s stuff] where it belongs – in the toilet.”  Nothing happens because Connor walks into the locker room while the teens are debating their course of action. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Tyson frequently plays a video game called “Mutant-Z.” It is about “a group of mutants who want to take over the Earth. They battle humans for control over key sites.” Tyson has a character named Lizardo who can “spin his head almost 360 degrees and crawl like a lizard up buildings and across ceilings.” The video game does not have a major role in the novel, but it is mentioned a few times. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Found

On one fateful day at Sky Trails Air, an airplane full of 36 infants and no adults appears out of thin air. Thirteen years after the plane incident, readers meet Jonah Skidmore and Chip Winston, neighbors, and new friends. The boys were adopted thirteen years ago, and both receive mysterious letters that read “You are one of the missing” and “Beware! They’re coming back to get you.” 

When trying to find out what the letters mean, the boys meet an FBI agent who refuses to share any information regarding a matter of “national security.” After a bit more digging, the boys discover they were victims of a vast smuggling operation and are now caught in a battle between two opposing forces that want very different outcomes for Jonah’s and Chip’s lives. The boys struggle to decide how to protect the lives of all 36 children and must choose to return to the future or stay in the current time which might ruin the fabric of time. 

Jonah is the primary protagonist, who is nonchalant about most things in his life — adoption, planning, confrontation, and more. However, when others are in trouble, Jonah is the first to step up and fight. Chip is Jonah’s newest neighbor and friend, and the boys bond over their mysterious situation. Chip is more emotional than Jonah, and he is more prepared to jump into situations headfirst. Jonah’s younger sister, Katherine, is intrigued by the mystery and is enthusiastic to help —  sometimes to a fault. Jonah reflects that “she made this whole mess sound as if it was just a challenging math problem . . . this was just an intriguing puzzle to her.” Chip and Katherine are more eager to find clues than Jonah, who ends up being the voice of reason at times. Despite their differences in approach to the challenge, the three characters work together to solve the mystery.

Found is a phenomenal book for young teens as they begin to question their identity and relationships with others. The book’s primary theme is identity, as Jonah and Chip try to answer the question: “Who am I?” While not every adolescent isn’t adopted or struggling with a multi-generational infant-smuggling operation from the future, readers can appreciate how the characters work to understand their past and how to shape their future. However, there are plot holes in the story regarding how the timeline works and there is little background on what the reader knows about Chip and Jonah’s past. The questions readers are left with leave them to continue reading the series to find answers.

The action-packed book has suspenseful turns that readers won’t expect. For readers who love science fiction and mystery, Found is a perfect story. The science isn’t entirely explained, but if readers are able to look past that and focus on the story, the book will be hard to put down. The main characters are brave and try to do the right thing, which could inspire readers to do the same. This is the first book in an eight-part series, so the book ends on a cliffhanger to keep readers engaged and interested in the next book: Sent. 

Sexual Content 

  • Chip admits that he has a crush on Jonah’s sister, Katherine. When Jonah’s mom finds out Katherine is hanging out at Chip’s house, alone, she thinks, “There couldn’t be anything romantic going on between those two, could there? She’s only in sixth grade, but this is an older boy . . . ”

Violence 

  • After Chip learned he was adopted, his father refused to talk about the topic. This upsets Jonah, who fantasizes about “stalking over to Chip’s house, swinging his best punch, and hitting Chip’s dad right in the mouth. He wanted to hit him a couple of times.”
  • Someone tries to abduct Jonah, Chip, and Katherine when they meet with an eyewitness from the plane incident, Angela DuPre. Someone else jumps onto the abductor, which allows the children to get away. The person who tackles the abductor “had one hand pressed into the other man’s hair, holding his head down. With his other hand, the tackler was frantically waving Jonah away.” The teens are able to safely escape with no injuries.
  • Two of the bad guys get tased while trying to abduct the teens in order to return them to the correct time. Angela DuPre “pointed her gun at [one] and a stream of light shot across the room, jolting him. He let out a scream and fell to the ground, twitching.” The men are stunned momentarily but are not seriously injured.
  • The final fight scene between the attackers and the children gets violent. Jonah has a direct confrontation with one of the bad guys named Gary. “With one hand, Jonah grabbed for Gary’s hair, with the other, he poked his fingers into Gary’s eyes . . . Jonah let go of Gary’s hair just as Gary was shoving him away, flinging him toward the stone wall. Jonah slammed against the wall hard. He thought he could feel every bone of his spine hitting rock, one bone after the other.” Jonah is not seriously hurt, and able to run immediately after. This scene only lasts one page.

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • The teens believe there is a ghost sharing information with them. 
  • Angela DuPre has a conspiracy that Chip and Jonah were part of an attempt to travel back in time. Angela explains, “the theories are that if anything could go faster than light, all sorts of weird things would happen. Time and space would have a different relationship.”

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Random Acts of Kittens

When Natalia Flores finds a lost cat with a litter of newborn kittens, she is desperate to keep one of them. Whether or not her mami says yes to a new pet, the rest of the kitties will need homes — and Natalia has the purrfect plan. With help from her friend Reuben, Natalia starts an anonymous online account to find each cat the right owner. But as her classmates apply, her matchmaking scheme gets more complicated. And when her former best friend Meera applies for a kitten, Natalia doesn’t know what to do. Will her attempt to spread kindness help heal their friendship, or simply tear her and Meera further apart? 

Random Acts of Kittens has a slow start because a lot of kitten facts are introduced. While the facts will be helpful for readers who don’t know a lot about cats, others may find the fact-heavy pages boring. In addition to the slow start, readers may have a difficult time connecting with Natalia because at first, she is very unlikable. She complains about not having any friends; however, it’s hard to sympathize with her because she tries to manipulate people and situations to get others to like her. Her main concern is how other people perceive her. Despite this, she does learn and grow through her experiences. 

Random Acts of Kittens has several positive aspects, including teaching the importance of finding animals a loving forever home. It also highlights the difficulty in finding families to adopt older animals. In addition, Natalia connects what she learned about kittens to her life. By taking care of the kittens, Natalia realizes that “I didn’t have to divide my love up between [the kittens]—I would always have more than enough to go around.” Natalia applies this lesson to her life because now she understands that her mother loves both her and her sister equally, even if she gives one more attention when needed. 

Many middle-grade readers will relate to Natalia’s conflicts with her family and friends. Even though Natalia’s life is full of conflict, in the end, she learns the importance of communication and forgiveness. The heartfelt conclusion shows Natalia’s personal growth when she makes amends with a former friend and prioritizes the kitten’s needs.  

The back of the book also explains how readers can help animals in need. The story’s positive message makes Random Acts of Kittens a book worth reading. Younger kitten-loving readers will find the Pet Rescue Adventures Series by Holly Webb an engaging series with plenty of cat cuteness. Cat lovers will also find plenty of action and adventure by reading the Warriors Series by Erin Hunter. 

Sexual Content  

  • Natalia’s gets a ride to school with her sister, Julieta, and her boyfriend, Hayden. “. . . Julieta got in the shotgun seat and kissed Hayden on the lips. Fireworks and sparkles were exploding in his eyes.” 

Violence  

  • At school, Natalia overhears two boys talking. One, Brigham, says, “My older brother used to shoot at cats up in the canyon. It’s a lot of fun.”  
  • The boy’s conversation reminds Natalia that, “Brigham had been kind of a bully when we were in kindergarten. Whenever I complained about him, the teacher said he was like a puppy that didn’t know his own strength. One day, he pushed me off the swing. I turned around and jabbed him with a one-two-three to the stomach. He never bothered me again.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Brigham calls Natalia a weirdo and a loser several times.  

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • When Gigi, the momma cat, gets out of the house and can’t be found, Natalia prays. “In a desperate move, I closed my eyes right there in the middle of the sidewalk and sent a prayer to the universe for forgiveness, and for help.”  

Imogen, Obviously

Imogen is straight. She’s the world’s biggest queer ally and is surrounded by queer friends but is a self-described “raging hetero” herself. Her best friend, Gretchen, who has an amazing gaydar, confirms this every day with affectionate nicknames. 

However, Imogen’s world shifts when she visits her childhood best friend, Lili, on Lili’s college campus. Imogen is warmly greeted by Lili and her amazing group of queer friends, and she quickly forgets her anxieties about not fitting in. However, Lili tells Imogen a secret: at the beginning of the school year, she told her friends that she and Imogen briefly dated, to avoid revealing that she’s never been in a relationship before. She apologizes to Imogen and offers to tell her friends she lied, but Imogen tells her not to worry. It’s not a big deal to her if LIli’s friends think Imogen is bi. 

But Imogen can’t stop thinking about Tessa, one of Lili’s friends. And Tessa is constantly flirting with Imogen. Maybe. Imogen isn’t sure. After all, Tessa is flirty with everyone. But she does know that she should probably stop talking to Tessa like this because it’s not fair to lead her on. After all, Imogen is straight. Or. . . is she?

From the author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda comes another brilliant journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Imogen, Obviously features a cast of funny, witty, and loveable characters that show that there’s no one way to be queer. Some teens will relate to Imogen’s long journey of discovering her sexuality amidst the rationalizing and denial that comes with the journey. Others will see themselves in her younger sister, Edith, who always knew she was different and proclaimed that she liked girls when she was seven. Still, others will recognize the darker side of this book, which tackles the uglier side of being queer. Biphobia is discussed, specifically, the pressure that many bisexual people face to “pick a side” as well as the downside of having labels be a prerequisite for being “queer enough” to truly belong in queer spaces. These complex issues are handled in a nuanced way, allowing room for discussion and growth.

While these issues are given the gravity they deserve, the book overall is still lighthearted. This atmosphere is kept alive by the characters – Lili’s college friend group and their antics are quintessential. Their warmth and immediate acceptance of Imogen as one of their own will make readers feel as if they themselves can also belong in that group.  Imogen, Obviously is a romcom perfect for teens that are looking for a story that is cute and heartwarming, but also thought-provoking and relatable. Readers who want more books that cast LGBTQ+ characters in a positive light should add the following books to their reading list: All the Invisible Things by Orlagh Collins, Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo, and All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson.

Sexual Content 

  • Imogen and Tessa visit a sculpture of the world’s largest scissors and take a few pictures. Imogen posts a picture to Instagram with a scissor emoji for the caption. Gretchen texts her jokingly asking, “Who are you scissoring?” Scissoring is a term used to describe lesbian sex. 
  • Lili’s friends Kayla and Declan have an inside joke where they pass a sausage in a plastic bag back and forth between them. Many sexual innuendos are made with this joke, such as when Imogen texts Gretchen, “I don’t even want to tell you what I’m about to do with a German sausage” with no context and Gretchen responds, “IMOGEN. What are you about to do with a tiny German sausage???”  
  • Imogen and Tessa make out in Tessa’s room while Tessa is partially undressed. Imogen describes, “My words melt away when I see her. Tessa in an undershirt, white with short sleeves, the straps of her sports bra faintly visible underneath. Nothing on bottom but boy shorts.” 

Violence 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Imogen goes to a party with Lili and her friends. Imogen has an alcoholic drink for the first time.

Language 

  • Profanity such as “fuck” and “shit” are used as exclamations, but rarely.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

The Puppy War

Wild has been on the run—jumping from one family to the next—ever since she left Chance almost a year ago. But when a mysterious canine corporation, C.A.T., abducts her and threatens to hurt Chance, she will stop at nothing to escape and find her old friend.

Together again, Wild and Chance must enlist the help of Junebug to hack into C.A.T.’s computer to discover what they really want. Along the way, the group is reunited with an old friend and introduced to the Puppio puppies, which are love-at-first-sight cute, with massive eyes, and smell like apple pie. Yet even though they look cute on the outside, Wild is convinced everything isn’t as it seems.

When Wild finds out a shocking discovery about her past, she must decide who is more important to protect—her past, her best friend, or the greater Los Angeles area that is in incredible Puppio danger.

The second installment in the Wild & Chance Series has just as many heart-stopping moments as the first book. However, in this installment, Wild isn’t sure who the real threat is. Is it the Russian men in suits that tried to dognap him, or is it Dr. Pao the woman who invented the technology that created Wild? Unlike the previous book, Wild, Chance, and Junebug aren’t working together. Instead, the three have gone their separate ways, leaving Wild to find out what the puppy war is all about.

Readers will fall in love with Wild, who wants to protect her friends. However, when she realizes that Dr. Pao has used her DNA to create puppies, Wild is torn between protecting her children or protecting the humans she loves. To make matters even more difficult, Chance is given one of Dr. Pao’s genetically altered puppies, and the two instantly bond. Wild must use her stealth to discover Dr. Pao’s real reason for creating the puppies.

The Puppy War uses the unique perspective of Wild to create a suspenseful story that is also full of heart. The story combines intense chase scenes, friendship difficulties, and two separate groups who want to make Wild their property. Plus, an old nemesis appears and showcases that dogs (and people) can change for the better. However, the true gem of the story is the relationship between Wild and her two human friends, Chance and Junebug.

While The Puppy War is a solid story, the conclusion is rushed and unrealistic. In order to allow room for a third book, Zadoff leaves several threads untied which is frustrating. Despite this, The Puppy War uses a unique concept that will have readers on the edge of their seats—and contemplating the ethics behind manipulating DNA. Dog-loving readers who want to view life through a heroic dog’s point of view should also read the Pawtriot Dogs Series by Samuel P. Fortsch and the Hero Series by Jennifer Li Shotz. If you’re in the mood for a less serious, humorous dog series, check out Two Dogs in a Trench Coat by Julie Falatko.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • After being kidnapped, Wild wakes up in an airplane. In order to escape, Wild knocks a man off his feet. “I seize the opportunity to dart toward the skinny man, avoiding his attempt to kick me by biting down on his arm. He howls in pain and tries to get away from me, but I clamp harder.”
  • Wild drags the man out of the flying plane. “A second later we’re falling into open air, my jaws firmly attached to the skinny man’s arm.” The man tries to detach Wild from his arm, but Wild twists and “bite[s] down on his calf.” As the two fall, the man deploys a parachute. When they land, the man “is alive and breathing, but it looks like he’s going to be out for a while.”  
  • Men go to Chance’s home with the intent to kidnap him. Wild jumps out and “I hit the first man like a bowling ball, sending him careening into his friend, the two of them stumbling into the wall. . . I land and spin in place, instantly jumping towards the third man. I kick him in the throat and he falls, breathless and clutching his chest.”
  • The men in suits find Wild and Chance again. Wild sees “one of the men in suits coming toward us, a can of knockout spray in his hands. . . I roar and leap at the man, knocking the can from his hands and striking him dead center in the chest.” They escape.
  • The men in suits drag Chance, Wild, and Junebug into a car. In order to get Wild to talk, “the man puts a hand on Chance’s shoulder, squeezing in a claw motion. Chance grits his teeth against the pain as the man’s fingers turn white with effort.”
  • Someone drives a vehicle into the men in suits’ SUV. Wild hears “brakes screaming around us and the sound of multiple crashes.” Wild sees one of the men “stumbling out of the car, a trickle of blood on his forehead where he injured himself during the crash.”
  • During a training exercise, Wild attacks several men. “I leap from the sidewalk into the first man’s chest, knocking him back into his friend . . . I snatch his paint leg, ripping it with my teeth and knocking him to the ground.”
  • Two puppies, Sebastian and Scarlett, get into a fight. “Sebastian tries to dominate her, two paws slapping down hard on Scarlett’s face. Her head bounces off the floor with a crack.” Wild stops the fight.
  • An animal control officer tries to capture Wild. “Suddenly, a Taser hits me, the electric shock passing down my spine and through my nerves. My muscles contract and release in rapid succession, freezing me in place. . . A needle goes under my skin. It burns when the injection goes in and the tranquilizer enters my bloodstream.” Wild wakes up in a cage.
  • The head of the puppy project, Dr. Pao, orders her men to euthanize Wild. When Wild wakes up, she’s on a medical table. Wild kicks “the medical tray to the floor, then I use a paw to whip off my muzzle.” One of the men goes for a weapon and Wild races “toward him, vaulting over the table and smashing his head into the side of the cabinet . . . He groans and goes down, unconscious.” The other man passes out from fright and Wild escapes.
  • On the puppy release day, Dr. Pao holds Junebug and Chance as hostages. Wild confronts Dr. Pao and then Wild “leap[s] at her from across the room, smashing against her chest and sending the two of us sprawling backward.” A struggle ensues and is stopped when the men in suits take Dr. Pao away. It is unclear who the men work for.

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Men kidnap Wild and drug him with something that makes him go to sleep.
  • Wild and Chance go to a secret Ukrainian hangout spot where Wild smells “food, combined with alcohol.”  

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Kat Wolfe Takes the Case

When a suspicious death coincides with the exciting discovery of the fossilized bones of a two-hundred-million-year old “dragon” dinosaur, Bluebell Bays’ one and only pet-sitting sleuth, Kat Wolfe, knows this is a case for her and her best friend, Harper Lamb, to dig into. But it’s going to take all of Kat’s focus, and she doesn’t have much to spare. 

For Kat is also fending off accusations that one of her pets is attacking local animals, dealing with a difficult and perhaps dangerous relative, and uncovering clues about a secret society. Can Kat and Harper juggle more than one high-stakes mystery and find a way to save Kat’s pet’s life before it’s too late?

In the second installment of the Wolfe and Lamb Mysteries, Kat’s curiosity and pet-sitting lead her into danger as she tries to solve several mysteries at once. When a famous Hollywood couple comes into town, Kat is soon entrusted to care for both their horse and their temperamental Pomeranian. Even though the couple claim to be in Bluebell Bay for rest and relaxation, their suspicious behavior leaves Kat wondering what the Hollywood duo is up to. Kat’s enthusiasm for solving mysteries is balanced with fun interactions with animals, her friend Harper, and the people from Bluebell Bay.

The discovery of the “dragon” dinosaur adds a unique twist and gives the reader insight into the use of endangered animals in medicine. From the first chapter, readers know that someone with a terminal illness is willing to kill in order to receive a traditional Chinese medicine that uses dragon teeth. While Harper helps her father excavate the “dragon” dinosaur bones, she is able to learn inside information that adds suspense.

Both Kat’s investigative skills and her pet sitting skills lead her into many difficult and sometimes humorous situations. While the first book in the series focused on many of Bluebell Bay’s residents, the second book focuses more on Kat and her relationship with her grandfather, the Dark Lord, who has many secrets. Readers will enjoy the evolving relationship between the two and will wonder what dangerous mission the Dark Lord is caught up in. This storyline also highlights the importance of not making character judgments based on a person’s physical appearance. 

Kat Wolfe Takes the Case has many positive aspects including a wide range of interesting characters, surprising twists, and a unique mystery. The fun animal encounters are an added bonus. However, for maximum enjoyment, the Wolfe and Lamb Mysteries Series should be read in order. Since the story revolves around dinosaur fossils, it may also spark the reader’s interest in another fossil hunter Barnum Brown or in the Ancient Animals Series by Sarah L. Thomson.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • A man with a tire iron breaks into Dr. Liu’s office. The man demands a medicine that contains dragon’s teeth. When Dr. Lui says he does not have any, the man uses a tire iron to destroy “a tray of glass jars, sending splinters flying.” If Dr. Liu doesn’t comply, his son will be killed.
  • When Kat brings an injured dog, Pax, into her bedroom, Kat’s Savannah cat is displeased. “After a nightmarish chase and wrestling match, he’d flown out the high window, leaving Kat and Pax bleeding and enough fur on the floor to stuff a mattress.”
  • When Kat is looking for Tiny, a Savannah cat, she goes into a barn and finds a “man was aiming a high-powered rifle at her. There was a silencer on it. . . he fired. The bullet passed so close to Kat’s cheek that she felt it scorch by like a mini comet.” The man fired a tranquilizer into a lynx so the animal could be relocated safely.
  • When a Pomeranian’s owner threatened Kat, the dog “flew at her mistress and bit her ankle.” The woman has a bloody ankle but is otherwise okay. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Kat sees a college student at a restaurant eating lobster and drinking champagne. 
  • Dragon’s teeth are used in traditional Chinese medicine, because some believe dragon’s bones and teeth “can be used as a sedative to treat insomnia, depression, fever, and liver disease, among other things.”

Language 

  • Damn and darn are both used once.
  • Kat says Ohmigod once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • When Kat’s Savannah cat takes off into the night, Kat goes to look for her. Kat cannot find her, but “she’d prayed that Tiny would be curled up in the crook of her legs when she awoke.” 

The Fourth Suit

Ridley Larsen is a friend that anyone would want. She’s fierce, loyal, and sharp as a whip. However, her harsh critique puts her friendship with the rest of the Magic Misfits on the rocks, even with the threat of Kalagan—the group’s long-time enemy—hanging over them. 

Nonetheless, the Magic Misfits solve the incidents happening in Mineral Wells, which brings them closer to discovering Kalagan’s hiding spot and his true identity. But Ridley’s temper gets in the way of their hard work. Ridley must work to master her temper so the Magical Misfits can work together. 

Ridley takes the spotlight in this installment of Magic Misfits. A limited third-person perspective lets the reader learn about Ridley’s reasons for her brash attitude and her tumultuous relationship with her mother, who often prioritizes her work over Ridley. Readers will relate to Ridley’s frustration when she doesn’t understand why the others are happy with trusting adults, due to her rocky relationship with her mother. The lack of communication tears apart Ridley’s friendship with the rest of the Magic Misfits. 

Ridley’s distrustful, distant relationship with her mother raises her suspicions towards other adults. She especially doesn’t trust Mr. Vernon, the purveyor of magic goods, because he’s been keeping secrets from the Magic Misfits all summer. The Magic Misfits ask her to trust Mr. Vernon when they find out about the Emerald Group, Vernon’s old network of fellow magicians. Ridley agrees to trust her friends and opens up to them because she realizes that her being impulsive and not listening is making her friendships suffer. 

As the Magic Misfits encounter Kalagan more often, the idea of trust and acceptance comes to a head. Ridley’s mistrust in Vernon halted their progress in stopping the villain, much like Ridley’s distrust of the rest of the Magic Misfits did. Vernon is forced to open up about the truth behind the dissolution of the Emerald Group. Eventually, with everyone’s support and openness, the old and new magician groups can face Kalagan. When Kalagan is defeated and Ridley and her mother reconcile, Ridley learns that you can rely on the people around you to help you become a better friend and a better person.

Occasionally, an omniscient, unnamed narrator chimes in with a recap of the story’s events, which blends in seamlessly with the overall narration. As a bonus, black and white pictures are scattered throughout the novel and help readers visualize the setting and the action scenes. In order to engage the readers more, there are how-to magic tricks sprinkled throughout the story. These sections contain instructions for performing the magic tricks, along with illustrations to reference. Tricks such as transforming a quarter into a penny and turning water into ice are easy to do, but adults are encouraged to help their little ones with these activities. 

The Fourth Suit is a lively and riveting story that gets its energy from the tension of holding onto the past while trying to change for the better. Combined with exceptional narration and detailed descriptions, the striking visuals of various styles complement an incredible story. Readers will enjoy reading about the friendship between Ridley and her friends, and how they patch up their relationship as well as stop Kalagan once and for all. If you are looking for stories about magic, friendship, and secrets, give Magic Misfits: The Fourth Suit a read! Readers who want more action and adventure should also check out The Revenge of Magic by James Riley and Rise of the Dragon Moon by Gabrille K. Byrne.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • Carter, one of Ridley’s friends, calls Kalagan a “creep.”
  • Carter refers to Kalagan’s brother as a “lunatic.”

Supernatural 

  • Many of the characters use tricks related to illusions or trickery, such as Ridley’s transformations or Theo’s levitation. They are in no way similar to supernatural magic or the paranormal. 

Spiritual Content 

  • Carter’s uncle says he “did some digging deep in [his] soul” and that he “joined a church group in town.”

Dolphin Song

Martine’s class is going on an exciting school trip—a voyage to watch the Sardine Run off the coast of South Africa. But the trip takes a dramatic turn when their ship runs into a fierce storm, and Martine and her classmates are thrown into shark-infested waters! Luckily, a pod of dolphins rescues and transports them to a deserted island, but now the children—and the dolphins—face a new and terrible danger. Will Martine be able to use her special gift with animals to save them?

While other students are looking forward to the class trip, Martine has been plagued with terrifying nightmares about being in the ocean and surrounded by sharks. Then Grace, a witch doctor, warns Martine about staying away from the ship’s gate, which increases Martine’s fear and confusion. Martine’s fear of the ocean is understandable, and it increases the story’s suspense. 

Despite the warnings, Martine’s greatest fears come true when she and several of her classmates are thrown into the raging ocean. The story takes an unexpected turn when Martine and some of her classmates are stranded on a deserted island and must fight for their survival. While much of the story revolves around survival, there is still plenty of animal action — a cage dive with sharks, an encounter with a man-o-war jellyfish, and a swim with dolphins. Through Martine’s experiences, readers will enjoy learning about various sea creatures as well as how sonar poses a threat to ocean life. 

Once the group of students lands on the island, they soon split into two groups, leaving Ben and Martine to join forces. During their time on the island, the kids only begin to work together out of necessity. However, they soon join forces to save the dolphins, and in the process, they learn the importance of giving someone a second chance. Along with this lesson, Dolphin Song weaves in many important life lessons including being able to fix your mistakes and the importance of standing up for what you believe.

Martine struggles with uncertainty, fear, and forgiveness, but her inner turmoil doesn’t slow the story’s action. However, readers will enjoy seeing Martine’s personal growth that leads her to more fully understand her best friend, Ben. In the end, Martine realizes “that was the thing about a friend. You could do things that weren’t really possible on your own. Friends made you brave. Friends made things fun.”

The Legend of the Animal Healer Series uses a unique approach that will give readers a new appreciation of sea life. The story educates readers about the importance of protecting all sea creatures. However, Dolphin Song does have several scenes that may upset sensitive readers. While Dolphin Song recaps the important information from the first book in the series, for maximum enjoyment, the books should be read in order. Animal-loving readers who want more action-packed animal adventures should also read the Wild Rescuers Series by Stacy Plays and the Survival Tails Series by Katrina Charman.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Santa Carolina was known as Death Island, as it was a penal colony. “The jailers at Santa Carolina used to take prisoners to Death Island, a tiny shell sandbar, and tell them if they could swim the five miles or so back to the mainland—a stretch of water cursed by vicious crosscurrents and even more vicious sharks—they’d be freed. None of the prisoners ever survived.”
  • When the ship hits a terrible storm, everyone grabs a life jacket. One student, Claudius, “wrenched at Ben’s life jacket, trying to pull it off by brute force. Ben wriggled out of Claudius’s desperate grip and held up a hand in surrender.” Ben falls into the ocean without a life jacket, but he survives.
  • Martine is exploring a reef by a sunken ship when a manta ray pushes her toward the surface. “An instant later, there was a muffled, undersea explosion. . . the ray caught the full impact. Bits of cartilage, tissue, and manta ray skin rained down on the sea like lava.” Martine had a bloody gash on her arm, but the ray saved Martine’s life.
  • A group of bad men show up on the island and see Claudius. They think the boy might be a spy so they take him back to their hideout and tie him up. The skipper questions Claudius and “struck Claudius across the face. A palm print appeared on the boy’s cheek.” When the group finds out there is a reward for information about Claudius, they decide to treat him better.
  • A tourist, Norm, was cage diving with sharks when he fell into the water. A great white swims toward him, “like a torpedo sleek and deadly, shooting toward the stricken man. As it approached, its jaws stretched wide and its serrated teeth were plainly visible. In seconds, Norm would be missing an arm, his head, or even his torso.” Martine uses her gift to stop the shark.
  • An island, Santa Carolina, has a dark past that is discussed several times. Santa Carolina was “a notorious penal colony and Death Island, which was not an island but a shell bar, had seen many prisoners drowned after being abandoned by guards.”
  • Sonar can disorient and confuse dolphins and whales. The sound a sonar gives off “can carry up to a hundred miles and be as loud as a fighter jet takeoff. In some cases, it can cause whales to surface too quickly, leading to a fatal condition similar to the bends in human beings. They get gas bubbles in their organs. Their brains bleed. Dolphins’ lungs explode.”

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • One of the sailors drinks “a home-brewed concoction called palm wine.” 
  • A sailor tells Martine a story about a man who had a “skull-splitting headache.” A “witch doctor had started the treatment by putting a large pebble into his fire. . . blended herbs in a bowl made from a special wood and engraved with a cross, then added water. . . After making a series of tiny incisions in the man’s forehead, the witch doctor rubbed in a little of the herb point and sent him home. . .” After the story, the sailor says he uses aspirin for his headaches.
  • When Martine sees a sunken ship, she assumes the pirates had been drunk on rum.
  • A tribe of sailors would catch fish by crushing “the leaves of the lulla palm” which made the fish intoxicated. “When the fish were rolling drunk, the men would simply scoop them into a net.”
  • One of the student’s parents would leave him alone while they went to cocktail parties. 

Language 

  • There is some name calling among the kids including runt and loser.
  • Martine gets angry at Ben and says, “You are a wimp. You’re pathetic.” 
  • One of the kids tells Martine, “I thought you were a fruitcake.”
  • One of the kids says Ben is “a tree-hugging nutcase.”
  • Oh my God is used as an exclamation once.

Supernatural

  • Martine is able to heal animals with her touch. When she finds a beached dolphin, Martine touches the dolphin, and “the electric current zapped her. . . She kept her palms on the dolphin’s side . . . then her palms heated up to the point where they were almost sizzling . . .” After the dolphin is healed, Martin and a kite surfer put the dolphin back into the ocean and it swims away.
  • Martine goes to a secret cave where she sees paintings that show her future. When Martine sees a new painting, she thinks the paintings are “as if the forefathers were reaching out from beyond the grave.”
  • Claudius, one of the stranded school kids, gets stung by a man-o-war jellyfish. Martine tries to help him. She “laid her hands on him. Almost immediately her palms began to heat up. . . The energy went as far as Claudius’s skin and then stopped as if blocked by an impenetrable barrier.” Martine’s gift didn’t help.
  • While trying to use her gift to help Claudius, Martine has a vision. “The scene at the beach swam away and she saw smoke and Africans in animal masks and then, out of nowhere, a mental picture of Grace’s plant. . . came into her head.” Martine uses the plant to save Claudius.
  • Grace, a witch doctor, uses bones to tell the future. She believes that “everythin’ is already written” and that you cannot change fate’s path. 

Spiritual Content 

  • Ben is Buddhist and also half Zulu. He says, “Buddhism does allow the eating of meat; we’re just not supposed to cause pain. . . Buddhists believe that animals are equal to people.”
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