Topic: Heroes

Wrath of the Exiles

Coop Cooperson thought he was settling into life as the only human at Dungeoneer Academy, but no one will even remember his Mushroom Maze victory if he keeps failing Riddles and Runes class. Adding insult to injury is the new kid, Kody, who everyone—including Coop’s best friends on the Green Team—thinks is so great…but Coop is convinced there’s more to Kody than meets the eye.

But it’s not just the arrival of Kody; other things seem off at the Academy. After a serious incident at the school dance, Coop, Oggie, Daz, and Mindy, plus a few other students new and old, realize they must step up to try and stop whoever’s wreaking havoc. But the villains are even more dangerous than anyone realizes . . . and they have a serious vendetta against Dungeoneer Academy.

Coop and his friends put their best junior dungeoneer skills to the test, but their foes are always one step ahead. Can they figure out how to stop them and save Dungeoneer Academy before it’s too late? 

The second installment of the Dungeoneer Adventures will quickly capture readers’ attention with a new twist—Coop wants to ask Daz to the homecoming dance, but the task seems more difficult than facing monsters. Mixed into the story is a little jealousy when the new kid, Kody, dominates Daz’s and Oggie’s attention. Middle school readers will relate to Coop’s insecurities and conflicts, which are presented humorously. 

Despite the drama of the homecoming dance, the action never takes a break. Soon, Coop and his friends—the Green Team—are off on a wild adventure trying to stop the villain, Rake, from acquiring a piece of the wishing stone. As the friends travel into an icy abyss, they meet a robot named Victor Seven. The robot wants to be a hero; this thread allows the book to explore the theme of heroism. In the end, Victor learns that “Being a hero isn’t about never failing. It is about always trying.”  

Wrath of the Exiles’ rich language adds to the story’s fun tone. The book is wonderful to read aloud because it’s filled with alliteration, onomatopoeias, silly names, and made-up words. However, some readers will struggle with the liberal use of idioms such as knock you down a peg, a walk in the park, etc. In addition, the story uses difficult vocabulary such as cacophonous, surmises, perpetual, precipitous, extrapolate, and gobsmacked. Despite this, there are context clues that will assist readers in understanding the story. The story’s black-and-white illustrations also help readers understand the text and visualize the imaginative world. The Dungeoneers Adventures Series must be read in order because each book builds on the same story thread.  

While Wrath of the Exiles has many of the stereotypical characters—a bully, an evil villain, a bookworm, an awkward boy, etc.—each character has unique qualities that make them loveable and, at times, surprising. The magical world, fast-paced battle scenes, and fight against evil make Wrath of the Exiles hard to put down. The story’s message about friendship, trust, and listening gives the story heart. The Dungeoneer Adventures books will have readers laughing out loud one moment, and biting their nails the next. Additionally, the conclusion reinforces important lessons about friendship that will leave readers with a smile as they reach for the next book in the series.  

Sexual Content  

  • After Coop shows Daz his support, she “gives me a peck on the cheek. My brain short-circuits for a second, and I suddenly feel like doing somersaults.”  

Violence  

  • Zeek, the school bully, purposely trips Coop in the cafeteria. Afterward, Coop describes, “I stand up amidst the crowd, dripping with slime, and as I stumble out of the cafeteria, their scolding turns into laughing. Needless to say, it doesn’t feel so good.” 
  • At the homecoming dance, someone puts a potion into the punch and it turns everyone into stone.  
  • While trying to figure out who turned everyone into stone, Coop and his friends go into the school’s vaults and discover a “mechanical behemoth” which is “a sputter-guardian. . . the newest sputter-spark technology that the realm of Shyrm has to offer.” The sputter-guardian attacks Coop. “A barrage of arrows peppers the ground behind my feet as I hop, skip, and jump out of the way. The machine lurches after me.” 
  • Oggie jumps into the fight and “the sputter-guardian spins like a top, striking out with limbs, like each has a mind of its own. One swats Oggie, and he goes crashing into the stone slab that Ingrid’s hiding behind. With a swift tug, she pulls him clear of another blow.” Ingrid is another member of the Green Team. 
  • The sputter-guardian tries to zap the kids with a laser blast. Coop attacks with his sword. “With a clamorous BOOM the sputter-guardian falls to the ground, missing a leg. . . Angerly its red eye heats up and starts rapid-firing in all directions.” Daz pushes Coop out of the way and “with both of her daggers drawn, she dives spectacularly for the glowing eye and shatters it.” The battle is described over six pages. No one is injured.  
  • As Coop and his friends enter further into the vault, they find Zeek and his friend Axel trying to steal an answer key. Then, Coop explains, “I dive as a wrecking ball swooshes past me, tousling my hair. Then a bunch of buzz saws spring at me from the floor and walls.” Daz pushes Coop out of the way. 
  • Axel “tries to avoid a whizzing buzz saw, a wrecking ball clips him from behind and he tumbles to the ground. Zeek scrambles like a cockroach to save himself.” Oggie saves Axel. No one is injured. 
  • A group of students jump into “a black vortex,” which is a portal to the underworld. When they come out of the other side, an exile, Dorian Rider, puts them in chains. 
  • Coop goes after Dorian Rider and another exile. Before he can attack, “everything turns dark as I crumble to the floor. What just happened? The last thing I see is Zeek standing over me with a wooden club in his hand.” 
  • Coop and the Green Team run from a “mutant troggle” that is a “sentient ape” that has been “lobotomized. Turned into a machine.” Coop explains, “With alarming speed, the monster’s giant axe-hand swipes towards me . . . . All I can do is duck and wince. But when I look up, I see the force field from Mindy’s ring repel the attack.” 
  • The ape grabs Oggie and starts to squeeze him. Oggie yells, “You’ll have to do better than that, banana breath!” The angry ape “flings Oggie at the wall, where he clatters into a rack of weapons. . . Oggie looks up in fright as the mutant troggle raises its cruel axe. . .”  
  • In an attempt to stop the ape, the Green Team lets a nether bharg loose, but unfortunately it goes after them. “The nether bharg’s jaws are mere inches away from gnashing at us when Daz steps forward, raising her arms, revealing the strange eye patterns on her cloak. . . the nether bharg freezes in its track, recoiling in fear.” The Green Team escapes. The scene is described over five pages. 
  • The Green Team enters a tomb and faces a group of ghosts who “are her loyal servants. . . even in death.” A ghost asks the group what they wish for and Oggie thinks about food. An avalanche of food begins to fall. Daz is “pelted with a carton of Nork’s Noodles. . . Mindy shouts as she uses her magic ring to conjure a force field above us like an umbrella. A giant tube steak falls like a wiggly tree trunk and bounces off the shield.” 
  • When the kids are about to be smothered in food, their robot friend Victor “leaps clear of a titanic cupcake, carrying Daz, Mindy, and Ingrid over his shoulders.” Victor forces the door open and everyone gets out except for him. 
  • In a multi-chapter battle, Coop and his friends battle for their lives. As the Green Team enters the next level of the maze, the exiles surround them. “In seconds, their weapons are pointed at us from all sides. . . The exiles waste no time and charge us, weapons drawn and magic items humming to maximum power. [Coop] fall[s] back, barely avoiding a swipe from Kodar’s [an exile] axe.” 
  • During the fight, “Mindy shouts, firing bolts into the hanging icicles. A few razor-sharp shards of ice crash down to the floor, keeping Kodar and the others at bay.”  
  • Coop is caught when Dorian’s “grappling gun entangles me. The squeeze is so strong that I can’t move my arms. . .”  
  • The leader of the exiles, Rake, goes after Oggie. Rake “strikes Oggie so hard with his augmented arm that the blow sends my friend sprawling. Oggie slams against a gagged stone, magic armor crumpling.” Someone gives Oggie a Courage Potion and he wakes up.  
  • A trap is set off unleashing “Audrastica’s ice golems” that attack the exiles. Then a huge “behemoth” ice golem appears, but Victor runs to the rescue.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Coop and his class are learning how to make a courage potion that includes “doohagenberry plant,” which has extraordinary healing properties. 

Language  

  • There is often name calling such as jerk, goon, turncoat, loser, and scumbag. 
  • Kodar mocks Coop by calling him little guy. 
  • Heck and dang are both used several times. 
  • Zeek overhears Oggie (who has fur) talking about asking a girl to the homecoming dance. Zeek scoffs and says, “She’d never go to the dance with an overgrown hairball like you!” Oggie’s friend jumps in and says, “Oh yeah, and who would ever want to go to a dance with a couple of puke-breath bullies like you two.” 
  • Zeek calls Coop “Pooperson.” 
  • While learning about a famous dungeoneer, Shane Shandar, Coop thinks, “I, Coop Cooperson, Junior Dungeoneer, am going to the same school as Shane flippin’ Shadar.” 
  • Zeek accuses the new girl of being an evil witch. 
  • “Holy cats” is used as an exclamation twice.

Supernatural 

  • The dungeoneers must take a Riddles and Runes class. Their teacher explains that, “Runes are magic. Specifically, magic words, or strings of words. And they have many complete meanings pertaining to spells, enchantments, or curses.”  
  • Someone steals the Arkimunda Coagudex, a book of spells, from the library. “Supposedly the Arkimunda Coagudex was written by a powerful sorcerer hundreds of years ago. . . It is full of recipes to create things like curse potions, corrosive acids, and dangerous poisons.” The book also has “hexes, boons, enchantments, and curses.” 
  • Ingrid, uses the Arkimunda Coagudex to make a Campfire Potion. She says, “We can grind up frostfoil and mix it with melding powder and water to create a potion that wards off the cold.” 
  • Kodar, who is an exile, uses an amulet of focused “trasnsmogrification” to disguise his identity. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Brink of War

Even an accidental invasion has dire consequences . . .

After their daring escape from Atlantis, Lewis, Hanna, and their resourceful Atlantean friend, Kaya, find themselves pulled between two worlds. Trapped on the surface under the watchful eyes of government officials, the three adventurers receive an urgent call to return their stolen warship to Atlantis—or risk starting an all-out war. Will they find Lewis’s injured father and return the warship in time?

Aided by a billionaire with unclear intentions, the trio embark on an all-new journey through Atlantis, from the sunken underwater world of Evenor to the tunnels below Ridge City. As shadowy agents known as Erasers work to stop them, Lewis and Kaya begin to question whether they’re really on the same side of the potentially devastating fight. 

The second installment of the Atlantis Series mostly focuses on Lewis’s point of view, while Kaya’s voice is heard far less. Using Lewis as the main narrator shifts the story’s tone to one that is rambling and less serious. At the beginning of the book, Kaya thinks Lewis is annoying. This is a sentiment that many readers will agree with.  

Despite being chased by the Erasers, who want to imprison Lewis and his friends, Lewis doesn’t act with a sense of urgency. For example, while being chased by the Erasers, Lewis sneaks into a large meeting room where a woman is giving a presentation. When the Atlanteans notice Lewis, he gets up and dances for the crowd, drawing all eyes toward him. Luckily, the people in the meeting room stop the Erasers long enough for Lewis to escape. Another flaw is that many of Lewis’s inner thoughts are childish and ridiculous. Plus, his inner monologue slows down the action and suspense that made the first book in the series so enjoyable.  

One positive aspect of the story is the interesting futuristic technology that both the humans and Atlanteans use. This technology can be used for good or for evil—depending on the person using it. The story also gives readers insight into how technology can be used to invade a person’s privacy. Both the Atlantean’s and Sun People’s cool tech will leave readers dreaming about creative ways to use technology. 

The Brink of War highlights the danger of misunderstandings; both the Atlanteans and the Sun People mistake each other’s intentions which almost leads to war. Unfortunately, instead of the three kids working together, they have a more antagonistic relationship in this book. So while they end up stopping the war between their two worlds, the conclusion is far less celebratory. In the end, readers will wonder if the two worlds can come together and have lasting peace.  

Readers who want to read another interesting story based on Atlantis should also read Atlantia by Ally Condie. 

  Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Lewis meets three siblings who help him fly a warship. At one point, the siblings argue and one of the brothers “reached into one of the crates, pulled out a codfish the size of Lewis’s thigh, and began slapping Rass in the head with the silvery swimmer.” 
  • While trying to get away from the Erasers, Lewis is shot with a sonic blaster, a non-lethal weapon. Lewis’s “left foot tingled and turned numb.” 
  • In a long chase scene, the Atlanteans use sonic blasters. After being captured, Lewis begins to talk and “one of the Erasers pressed a sonic pistol against his ribs.”  
  • Kaya and her friend, Rian, are trying to get to an important meeting, while the Erasers are trying to arrest them. Rian “was busy escaping from a pair of Erasers . . . He dropped to the ground and grabbed one of the men by the back of his knees. He pulled both the man’s legs forward, toppling him.” 
  • An Atlantean, Demos, wants to take over the Atlantean government. To keep Atlantis’s council members from talking, Demos puts collars on them. “The collars lock their jaws and mute their voices.” 
  • A scientist named Reinhold tries to grab Lewis, who is wearing a gravity suit. “Lewis powered up the thrusters, planted his bare foot on the bald spot at the back of Reinhold’s head, and pushed off . . . Reinhold crashed into the opposite wall. . .”  
  • One of the Erasers shows up after a fight. “Her face red and newly swollen below one eye.”  
  • The book’s conclusion ends with a confrontation where Demos and his Erasers use their sonic blasters to control others. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Lewis thinks a group of adults are jerks. 
  • An adult calls Lewis a little rat. 
  • Demos appoints himself emperor over Atlantis. When someone questions his ability to pull off his scheme, Demos says the people of Atlantis are “brainless fish. They’re mindless urchins, all of them!” 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • Before Kaya jumped off a cliff into a river, she “prayed that she’d read it right, that the water was safe and clear.” 
  • Rian’s parents had “joined some weird new religion” that believes crystals are important. Rian wonders, “Couldn’t they just worship whale spirits like normal Atlanteans?” 
  • Before Rian’s parents leave for a vacation, Rian’s mom gives him a crystal. “Both his parents held their hands out and whispered another one of their prayers: ‘May the Earth spirit and rockglow lead you safely through the waters.’”

Lucy Maud Montgomery: A Writer’s Life

Lucy Maud Montgomery believed that one day she would be taken seriously as a writer. Despite facing many obstacles, Montgomery not only earned a good living as a writer but also became famous after creating Anne of Green Gables—one of the most popular books ever written that has been translated into over 20 languages and earned Montgomery worldwide recognition and appeal.  

As a girl growing up in the 1800s, Montgomery’s dream of becoming a writer was unthinkable—at this time, only men were authors. However, when Montgomery was 16, she published her first poem. When she was in her 30s, Montgomery was writing “silly stories. Potboilers she called them, because they earned money to keep the pots boiling on the stove with enough food for her and her grandmother.” However, many people believed “she was odd because she earned her living as a writer, so they snubbed her.” 

Getting rejections from publishers was disheartening for Montgomery. However, she was determined to write a book. The first book that Montgomery published was Anne of Green Gables, which launched Montgomery into the limelight. Despite Montgomery’s success as a writer, she still lived with her grandmother, who “wouldn’t let her make any changes to their house to make it more uncomfortable.” In addition, her grandmother still gave her a bedtime and only allowed Montgomery to take a bath once a week.  

Lucy Maud Montgomery is only 32 pages, but it’s packed full of information about Montgomery’s life. Each two-page spread weaves the real events of her life into the fabric of her fiction using photographs, excerpts from newspapers, and actual journal pages. This biography explores Montgomery’s struggle and determination to realize her dreams. Despite difficulties in her private life, Montgomery continued to find success as a writer and became famous in Canada and Europe. 

Lucy Maud Montgomery: A Writer’s Life is part of the Snapshots: Images of People and Places in History Series and includes a concise timeline and a listing of pertinent websites. Anyone who has ever dreamed of being a writer or who has read Anne of Green Gables will be fascinated by Montgomery’s life. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

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Drugs and Alcohol  

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Language  

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content  

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The Story of Neil Armstrong: A Biography Book for New Readers

Neil Armstrong is one of the most famous astronauts in history. He became the first person to walk on the moon because of his hard work, admirable fortitude, and determined attitude. His experience with NASA changed the course of space exploration forever and he cemented a legacy that continues to be recognized and praised to this day. However, Armstrong’s journey to this life-changing moment wasn’t easy, and his life was full of ups and downs.  

Born on August 5th, 1930, Armstrong grew up in the small town of Wapakoneta, Ohio, during the Great Depression. Despite the challenging economic times, Armstrong loved airplanes, and his dedication to studying and flying them led to his eventual enrollment in college and the Navy. Armstrong’s life took a turn when he applied to become an astronaut for NASA. He was dedicated to NASA’s big mission: to land a man on the moon. But NASA’s training proved difficult for Armstrong, and he struggled to balance his economic issues, familial matters, and astronaut training. How did Armstrong handle the pressure to become the first person to reach the moon? 

The Story of Neil Armstrong is a biographical story about Neil Armstrong’s journey as an astronaut. Told from the perspective of an outside narrator, the book follows Armstrong’s life, starting with his early childhood and ending with his retirement from NASA. While other characters appear throughout the story, such as Armstrong’s wife, Janet, the story mainly focuses on Armstrong. As such, Armstrong is portrayed as an aspiring leader whose dedication to succeed will inspire and motivate readers. Although readers won’t be able to relate to Armstrong’s experience as an astronaut, they can relate to the ups and downs that accompanied him during his life. In fact, it is because of his successes and failures that his life comes across as very realistic and genuine.  

The biography displays a positive outlook on the themes of exploration, fortitude, and perseverance. Although Armstrong encountered difficult situations, his calming attitude and unbreakable courage highlight the book’s message about pursuing one’s dream and never giving up. The Story of Neil Armstrong challenges readers to chase after their passions and not shy away from trying new things. After all, Neil Armstrong is known “as the man who led the way.” 

The Story of Neil Armstrong is part of a series called Story Of: A Biography for New Readers. As such, the book is educationally oriented and includes additional supplementary material like fun facts, discussion questions, a reading quiz, and a glossary. Hand-drawn illustrations are sprinkled in every one to three pages, and the back of the book contains real-life photographs that highlight the important aspects of Armstrong’s life. While some of the text may be challenging for younger readers, The Story of Neil Armstrong presents an exciting tale about one of history’s most famous astronauts. It’s an engaging story that will hook readers, young and old, from page one and challenge them to shoot for the stars. 

To learn more about space exploration and Neil Armstrong, read Apollo 13 by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld and The Race to Space Countdown to Liftoff by Erik Slader & Ben Thompson. 

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

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Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

The Story of Stan Lee: An Inspiring Biography for Young Readers

Stan Lee is one of the most famous comic book icons in history. His life revitalized the graphic novel industry and showed people that comic books could encourage kids to read and write more. He completely changed how people reacted and received comic books, and his legacy continues to be seen today in society’s biggest media stars, like Spiderman and Iron Man. However, Lee’s journey to stardom didn’t happen in a day, and his rise to fame required hard work and perseverance.  

Born on December 28, 1922, Lee grew up in Manhattan, New York, during the Great Depression. As a kid, Lee was an avid reader, and his love for reading soon inspired him “to create marvelous tales of his own.” Before long, Lee began working at a publishing company called Timely Comics, where he quickly became a renowned and respected writer. However, when Lee becomes the new publisher for the recently renamed Marvel Comics, he discovers that his future success would depend on the strength of his stories.  

The Story of Stan Lee tells the biographical story about Stan Lee’s journey as a renowned graphic novel writer. Told from the perspective of an outside narrator, the book follows Lee’s life, beginning with his childhood love for reading and ending with his lasting impact on the world of comic books, television, and movies. While other people briefly appear in the story, the story primarily focuses on Lee. As a result, Lee is portrayed as an inspirational figure whose dedication to his love for storytelling can be admirable and influential for readers. Many readers can relate to Lee’s love for his hobbies and his desire to change the world through his work. Even though Lee’s rise to stardom was messy, his story comes across as authentic and genuine for readers. 

The biography displays a positive outlook on the themes of hard work and dedication. Although Lee experienced difficulties at Marvel Comics, his passion for delivering exciting stories highlights the book’s message about using one’s skills to better the world. It challenges readers to identify their own ambitions and how they can change the world through their talents. After all, Lee’s life exemplifies this message and has “inspired generations of writers, artists, and others with his amazing adventures.” 

The Story of Stan Lee is part of the Story Of: A Biography for New Readers Series. As a result, the book is educationally oriented and includes additional supplementary material, like fun facts, discussion questions, a reading quiz, and a glossary. Simple, hand-drawn illustrations are found every one to three pages, and the back of the book contains a small section for reflection, where the author asks questions for readers to dwell on, like “How can you embrace diversity?” or “What can you do to inspire others?” While some of the text can be challenging for younger readers, The Story of Stan Lee delivers an engaging tale about one of history’s most influential comic book creators.  

The Story of Stan Lee’s short chapters will engage independent readers and encourage critical thinking skills as they learn new words. The captivating story will interest readers who love the Marvel Universe, comic books, and television.  

Sexual Content 

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Violence 

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content 

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Pets to the Rescue: Dolores and the Big Fire

Dolores is a very timid cat. Her owner, Kyle, keeps a light on all night so she won’t be scared. One night Dolores pokes at Kyle’s face while he is sleeping. The house is on fire! Can Dolores wake Kyle up in time? 

Readers will be in suspense as Dolores leads Kyle through the smoke of the burning house. When Kyle gets to the door, the doorknob comes off and he falls to the floor. But again, “Dolores scratched Kyle. And again, Kyle slowly woke up.” Thanks to Dolores, Kyle makes it safely out of the house.  

Unfortunately, Dolores isn’t so lucky. “She had been burned, but she was still alive.” Kyle takes care of Dolores and after she heals, “Dolores was not so fearful. She even liked to sit on Kyle’s lap and let him pet her.” After the fire, Kyle is glad that he didn’t “lose the most important things—my own life and the life of my cat, Dolores.”  

As part of the Ready-To-Read Level 2 Series, Dolores and the Big Fire is intended for children who can read independently. The story is told using short chapters. Each page has two to four sentences of various lengths; however, most sentences are short. The story has a simple plot that follows Dolores and Kyle’s relationship. Each page has a full-colored illustration that will help readers visualize the story’s events. While Dolores is shown after the fire, her wounds are not illustrated. However, her fur is matted, and she is curled up. 

Animal-loving readers will enjoy the true story of how Dolores saves Kyle’s life. The happy ending shows Dolores getting an award for saving Kyle’s life. However, the most heartwarming part of the conclusion is that Dolores no longer fears Kyle. For another story about a heroic animal, read Pigeon Hero by Shirley Raye Redmond, which tells the story of how a pigeon saved a town during World War II. Readers who are ready for more advanced books can read more true stories about heroic animals by reading Dog Heroes by Mary Pope Osborne & Natalie Pope Boyce. 

Sexual Content  

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Violence  

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Drugs and Alcohol  

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Language  

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content  

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Sisters Save the Day!

In this Step into Reading leveled reader, Wonder Woman™ and Nubia unite for an epic Amazon adventure!

When Queen Hippolyta sends her daughters, Wonder Woman, and Nubia, to Atlantis to represent the Amazons, they must team up to save the underwater kingdom from a dangerous foe. DC superhero fans ages four to six will enjoy this Step into Reading Step 2 leveled reader, which stars Wonder Woman and Nubia, her Amazon sister.

Anyone who has a sister will relate to the conflict of Siren and Mera, two sisters who “do not get along.” However, with Wonder Woman and Nubia’s help, the sisters learn that they have to work together. In the end, the four sisters “use their powers to put everything back together! Sisters save the day!” 

Sisters Save the Day! is part of the Step into Reading Level Two series, which targets readers in preschool through first grade. Each page features one to three short sentences in large font, making it an easy read. It is a fun story for the superhero fans and emergent readers in your life. Step Two Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to create simple stories for children who can recognize familiar words and sound out new words with help. The text is also paired with picture clues to help children decode the story.  

Young readers will love going on an underwater adventure with Wonder Woman and Nubia. Atlantis is illustrated with bright colors and the Merpeople have different skin tones—brown, tan, and even green. Plus, various sea creatures add a magical element to Atlantis. When an octopus first arrives at Atlantis, he chases people away and looks mean and scary. But by the end of the story, the octopus is smiling as he helps fix what was destroyed. Readers will cheer when the sisters and the octopus work together to save the day! 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • During a game, an octopus “suddenly appears! It grabs one of [the contestants].” 
  • Wonder Woman and Nubia see Siren “riding on the octopus. She is angry.” The illustration shows people running away from the octopus.  
  • Wonder Woman and Nubia “take the children to safety.” Then, they “swim around and around the octopus, forming a whirlpool. They stop the octopus.” The illustration shows the confused octopus in a whirlpool.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

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Language  

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content  

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Disney Moana: Moana’s New Friend

When Moana and Pua make friends with a sea turtle named Lolo, the three have fun playing in the sun and swimming in the ocean. Lola “lays eggs in a nest. There are baby turtles inside!” But before the babies are hatched, a big storm knocks a tree on top of the turtle’s nest! Can Moana help the baby turtles? 

Moana’s New Friend is part of the Step into Reading Level Two Series, which targets preschoolers through first graders who are just learning to read independently. Each page features one to three short sentences in large font, making it an easy read. Many of the pages have full-page illustrations that show Moana’s island as an enchanting world. Readers will recognize characters from the movie, including Pua and Moana’s grandmother.  

Moana’s New Friend will draw readers to the story because of the Disney characters, and readers will quickly get caught up in Moana’s fun-filled days. When the turtle babies need help, Moana and her friends work together to save the babies. Readers will cheer when the cute baby turtles hatch and head towards the ocean. Moana and her friends continue to help the turtles by protecting them from a hungry seabird. Moana’s experiences show the wonder of the ocean as well as the importance of protecting sea life. Readers who love Moana can learn more about her world by reading Disney Moana: Pua and Heihei by Mary Tillworth. Other sea-inspired books that children will love include Camille’s Mermaid Tale by Valerie Tripp and the Purrmaids Series by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. 

Sexual Content  

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Violence  

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Drugs and Alcohol  

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Language  

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content  

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The Accidental Invasion

Kaya, raised in the undersea, high-tech world of Atlantis, has always been fascinated by the legends about life above the water. Despite the government’s insistence that they’re only stories, she can’t help but dream about the Sun People—and when a group of officials known as Erasers move to bury those legends for good, Kaya sets out to the surface to uncover the truth once and for all.

In the world above, where climate change has led to giant tsunamis that threaten Earth’s coasts, all Lewis wants is to spend more time with his scientist father. When he stows away on his dad’s top-secret research trip, he finds himself thrown headfirst into an adventure much bigger than he bargained for. 

Told from alternating perspectives, The Accidental Invasion takes readers on an action-packed adventure under the sea. Kaya introduces readers to her world—Atlantis—where people have evolved and thrived. Despite Atlantis’s advanced technology, the large population is threatened by the pollution caused by the People of the Sun. However, only a select few know that the People of the Sun aren’t just fables. When Kaya meets real Sun People—Hanna, Lewis, and his father—she is determined to keep them safe. Kaya’s determination, courage, and curiosity make her a likable character whom readers will root for.  

When Lewis narrates the story, his voice is unique and readers will have no difficulty distinguishing his narration from Kaya’s. Lewis’s voice adds humor to an otherwise serious book. For example, when Lewis sees Kaya and Naxos for the first time, he wonders, “Should he run? Call for help? Hide under the fold-down kitchen table? Do the Chicken dance? No. Too much pressure. Instead, he shrugged and waved.” While Lewis makes light of many situations, readers will understand his desire to return to his family above the ocean surface. 

The Accidental Invasion gives clear examples of the harm that people have caused the oceans. “You Sun People are poisoning the oceans with your plastics and chemicals. Soon, the oceans will be so ruined that [Atlanteans] won’t be able to feed ourselves. . . We fear the oceans may need decades to recover.” This idea is reinforced when Kaya, Lewis, and Hanna fly over the surface of the ocean. “The ship flew over huge islands of garbage and plastic that stretched for miles.” It is then that Lewis and Hanna realize that the People of the Sun “really were poisoning the seas.”

While the story explains many of the technological advancements of Atlantis, the end of the book also describes the science behind the book as well as the effects of using plastics. In addition, the author encourages kids to take action: “Don’t wait for your parents to make a difference. . . There’s nothing stopping you from putting down TikTok or Instagram, becoming informed, and turning yourself into an ocean ambassador.”  

The Accidental Invasion has interesting and well-developed characters, but it also has wonderful descriptions of Atlantis. The world-building is detailed and inventive while also showing that even in Atlantis, nothing is perfect. The storyline is action-packed and suspenseful while also teaching readers about human’s destructive ocean pollution. The Accidental Invasion is an entreating and thought-provoking book that will have readers eager to read the second book in the series, The Brink of War. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Kaya travels to Edgeland, which is known as “a magnet for criminals.” While there, a man wants to steal Kaya’s gravity suit. “A thick-lipped man had both hands clamped around her ankle now. Whistling, Kaya dialed up the power in the drive and kicked at his hairy knuckles. . . Desperately, Kaya stomped on the man’s face. He grabbed his eye and loosened his grip just long enough for her to plant her foot on his head and push off. . .” Kaya soars away from the man. 
  • Lewis, his father, and Hanna find Atlantis. Once they are close, their subsphere [an underwater submarine] is blasted with a sonic sound that knocks them out. An Atlantean man carries the three unconscious people out of the subsphere. When the man realizes that the “Sun People” are not invaders, he helps them escape.   
  • The Atlanteans have created a sonic blaster, a nonlethal weapon, which is used often in the story. For example, while trying to get the Sun People to safety, Kaya has to get past two workers. “Kaya pulled out her sonic blaster. . . her hands were shaking. The two dockmasters could see she was nervous, too. They stomped forward. . . Her finger pulled the trigger, and they dropped into crumpled heaps on the stone floor.”  
  • When the Erasers find Kaya, they try to capture the Sun People. While trying to escape, “A group of men and women holding deadly trumpets and frightening flutes raced out. . . Lewis watched the muscles in his fingers tense as he aimed his trumpet at their cruiser. The Eraser squeezed the trigger. . . Then his dad fell forward, and Kaya pushed the throttle, rocketing the ship into the darkness.” Lewis’s dad is put in jail. 
  • Naxos, an Eraser who helped the Sun People escape, appears at Kaya’s apartment. It is implied that Naxos was beaten in order to get him to talk. “Naxos’s face was bruised. A cut was swelling over his left eye. . . A thin stream of blood trickled out of the cut above his eye.” When Kaya sees Naxos, she points a sonic blaster at him, but Kaya’s grandmother scolds her and says, “You do not point weapons at people!” 
  • Atlantis has been creating tsunamis because the Sun People “continue to poison and pollute the oceans.” An Atlantean man, Demos, explains that he doesn’t feel bad that “waves ruined homes, towns, entire cities” because “we’re doing it to protect the hundred million people here in Atlantis.” 
  • The Atlanteans do not want people to know they exist. Demos says, “Have you studied the history of your civilization, child? When new lands and peoples are discovered, they are conquered, slaughtered and destroyed.”  
  • Kaya, Naxos, and the kids are trying to escape from the Atlanteans who want to imprison them. “Naxos tackled Kaya to the ground, then pulled her behind a desk. . . A pulse rushed through Kaya, a vibration that rang in her bones. She was shaken but awake.” 
  • To communicate with the Sun People, Atlantis sent a group to the surface. However, the Sun People assumed the vessel was a missile. Kaya explains, “My mother was killed on a peaceful mission to the surface when her ship was destroyed by the People of the Sun.”  
  • In a multi-chapter chase, the Atlanteans give Hanna and Lewis a ship to go to the surface. However, it is a trick because the Atlanteans plan to destroy the ship. Kaya realizes this and swims to the ship. The Atlanteans shoot a missile and it “exploded, sending waves pulsing through the water in all directions. Their warship flipped upside down and then turned over on its side.” 
  • Another missile is fired. “The explosion shook the ship before Lewis could strap himself down. The whole vehicle pulsed as he flew backward. . . His ribs felt busted. The bones in his hands felt like they’d splintered. It hurt to breathe.”  
  • Kaya flies the ship near a dome that contains a massive fleet of ships. When the warships fire, “Lewis turned to try to see the scene below them. The water was roiling. . . Lewis saw three vehicles lying around the base. Or what was left of them, anyway. The ships were shattered. Even the metal hulls were busted into pieces.” 
  • During the battle, enough torpedoes hit the dome that “the weight of four miles of seawater drove the glass, the inner walls, and the thousands of ships below into the depths of what had been the actor’s lower floors. . . Waves rocked their ship; Lewis gripped his seat as they were flipped over at least three times.” Kaya, Lewis, and Hanna escape to the surface. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • While walking through Edgeland, Kaya sees two men singing and she guesses that the men are “deep into their drink.” Atlanteans make a drink from fermented kelp.  
  • In Atlantis, people are imprisoned in glass cells surrounded by deadly toxins. In order to free Lewis and Hanna, Lewis’s father “swam out of the cell to save us.” Naxos flees with Lewis’s father in the hopes of getting him to a doctor. 

Language  

  • Hanna tells Lewis that he and his father are emotional idiots.  
  • Hanna calls Lewis an imbecile once. Later, an Atlantean calls the Sun People imbeciles. 
  • Kaya explains that “Edgeland is [full of] mostly scoundrels and rogues.”  
  • An Atlantean refers to Lewis and Hanna as “things.” Lewis thinks, “No one had ever called him a thing. He’d been called a bug, a donkey, a mother-less goat. . . Someone had called him a walking wedgie once, too. . . But he’d never been referred to as a thing.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Lewis lies to the Atlanteans saying he is going to send a transmission to the surface. Afterward, Lewis prays. “Normally, Lewis didn’t pray all that much. . . But now Lewis began to pray. Not to any particular god or goddess or ancient spirit. He was begging all of them. The Big Guy, with the beard and the robes and the throne on the clouds, the Greek and Roman gods, the cool Hindu ones, including that really smart elephant—even the Aztec spirit with the hard-to-say name, the one that sort of rhymed with pretzel. He pleaded with any and all mystical beings for help.”  
  • When the Atlanteans give in to Lewis’ demands, he thinks, “The pretzel god had listened. Or the elephant, or one of the Greeks.” 

Mia Mayhem Rides the Waves

Mia goes on a super surfing family vacation, but her fun is interrupted when the tide goes out and leaves a trail of trash. Mia is afraid that the seagulls and other animals will mistake the trash for food. But this time, she can’t use her super-hero powers to solve the problem. Can Mia come up with a solution to save the beach? 

When it comes to cleaning the beach, Mia tries to get the seagulls to help pick up the trash. The seagulls add humor to the story, especially since “seagulls are not easy to talk to—at all.” In the end, Mia’s father uses his animal-talking skills to communicate with the seagulls. The seagulls pitch in and begin picking up trash which allows Mia and her family to clean the beach much faster. 

Mia is upset that her family vacation doesn’t go according to plan. However, her dad reminds Mia that “unexpected things happen all the time.” At one point, Mia gets discouraged that her animal-talking and surfing skills aren’t as good as her dad’s. However, with her mother’s help, Mia realizes that when it comes to any new skill you have to practice and fail as part of the learning process. 

In the eleventh adventure of the Mia Mayhem chapter book series, Mia reminds readers of her superpowers. For example, Mia thinks, “Ever since I got my superpowers, my five senses have sharpened. And I have to say, in times like this, super-hearing comes in handy. But it’s not so much fun in the bathroom at school, if you know what I mean. Pee-Yew!” The constant reminders of Mia’s superpowers slow the story’s action since she only uses one power—talking to the seagulls. 

Young readers will enjoy the book’s format, which has oversized text and black-and-white illustrations on every page. The large illustrations are often humorous, and they help readers follow the story’s plot. Mia Mayhem Rides the Waves has an easy-to-understand plot that is perfect for emerging readers. However, some important facts are left out of the story, which could cause confusion. For example, Mia’s father makes everyone on the beach freeze and then immediately unfreeze. Readers are left wondering what happened when the people were frozen. 

Mia Mayhem Rides the Waves will appeal to readers who have already been introduced to the series. Readers who are unfamiliar with the Mia Mayhem Series should start with book one in the series. Unfortunately, Mia Mayhem Rides the Waves has several plot points that need to be explored in more depth. Despite this, readers will appreciate Mia’s love of the ocean and her desire to help the sea animals.  

The story ends on a positive note that shows that anyone can make a positive impact. Mia reflects, “But here’s what this trip taught me: You don’t have to be an actual superhero to be a hero—sometimes being a hero is being responsible for yourself and doing the right thing. Whether that’s taking care of your beach, your neighborhood, or your school.”  

Adults who want to reinforce the importance of keeping the ocean clean should pair Mia Mayhem Rides the Waves with the picture book Rocket Says Clean Up! By Nathan Bryon. For a fiction story that is filled with fun facts, The Secret Explorers and the Lost Whales by SJ King would be another wonderful addition to your reading list. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • The seagulls start “acting out. They were knocking down castles, umbrellas, and chairs, and even scaring some of the other kids!” Mia’s father orders everyone to freeze and they literally become frozen in time.  
  • One picture shows how the trash hurts sea animals. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Mia has superhero powers such as super-hearing, super-strength, and being able to talk to animals. Mia can also fly. 
  • Mia’s father uses his animal-talking superpower to talk to the seagulls.  

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Lost in the Mushroom Maze

Coop Cooperson lives in the Land of Eem, a fantastical realm where many different species live together, and there is always more magic to be discovered by those up to the task. The Dungeoneer Academy trains future explorers with classes like Dungeons and Mazes, Creatures and Critters, and Swords and Sorcery.

Coop believes in the academy’s mission and the Dungeoneer’s Code, but being the only human student can make it difficult to fit in. Lucky for Coop, his best friend Oggie the bugbear has his back. Oggie and the two other members of their exploring team—Daz the boggart and Mindy the imp—will have to rely on each other more than ever as the test for their Junior Dungeoneer Badges looms closer. If Coop and his friends fail to run the final gauntlet in the fungal jungle, they will have to leave the academy.  

As future dungeoneers, Coop and his team know to expect the unexpected, but nothing could prepare them for the adventure that lies in store. Coop and the Green Team must defeat the Zarakna’rawr (a dangerous spider monster), or the mushrums (a group of mushroom-like people) will turn the friends into soup!  

Lost in the Mushroom Maze takes readers on an epic adventure deep underground. Right from the start, readers will connect to the Green Team—Coop, Daz, Oggie, and Mindy—a group of misfits who struggle with typical middle-grade conflicts. Coop wants to break free from the mold that society has cast for him. Daz’s absent parents make her feel lonely and unwanted. Oggie wants to be an artist, but his father wants Oggie to be a great warrior. And Mindy works too hard, which doesn’t allow her to have any fun.  

Adventure-loving readers will be introduced to a wide array of characters, frightening monsters, and an unexplored mushroom civilization. Large, black-and-white illustrations appear on almost every page, which helps readers visualize the imaginative world of Eem as well as heightens the suspense. The fast-paced story includes heart-stopping action scenes, humor, and mystery. And the book’s rich language adds to the story’s fun tone. 

The book is wonderful to read aloud because it’s filled with alliteration, onomatopoeias, silly names, and made-up words. However, some readers will struggle with the liberal use of idioms such as on thin ice, a piece of cake, etc. In addition, the story uses difficult vocabulary such as grudgingly, calamitous, pulverized, mycelium, and juggernaut. Another thing that may cause confusion is that Tymbo, a mushrum, speaks his own dialect of English. For example, when encountering a monster, Tymbo says, “The Oo’graw’nok is the creature we are seeing. The almighty Zarakna’rawr is a creature we are not seeing.” Despite this, readers will be so caught up in the story that any language difficulties will not prevent them from reading the entire book.  

Through it all, the Green Team succeeds by working together and using their unique talents. Readers will connect with the Green Team’s conflicts and root for them as they face a bully, an exiled rebel, and a multitude of monsters. Through the Green Team’s experiences, the story encourages readers to embrace their unique differences. 

Fans of The Last Kids on Earth and The Treehouse Series will also enjoy reading Lost in the Mushroom Maze. Not only is the book exceptionally entertaining, but the Dungeoneer’s Code, which is referred to often, also teaches important lessons such as working together and “always do what is right, even if other options are easier.” Lost in the Mushroom Maze is the perfect book for any reader who enjoys humor and adventure.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • The Green Team is on a practice mission when Coop accidentally steps on a pressure plate and “something sharp and pointy whizzes by my head. . . Gouts of flame blast from jets in the floor and ceiling . . . All of a sudden, a pendulum blade swings toward us from the darkness above.” No one is injured. The scene is described over six pages.  
  • While in the cafeteria, the school bully, Zeek, throws food at Coop. “Something wet and slimy hits me hard in the side of the face. A blob of mystery casserole.” Coop wants to retaliate, but his friends stop him.   
  • Zeek corners Coop. “Zeek wrenches my neck into a headlock, stuffing my face into the crook of his sweaty armpit. It stinks like fish butts and cabbage. . .” Oggie steps in, but Zeek’s minion, Axel, “lifts him off the ground. . . Axel hisses as he slams Oggie into a locker.” 
  • Coop gets angry and finally begins fighting back. “With a swift tug and a nimble roll, I break free of Zeek’s grip and sprint to my feet. Digging in my heels, I draw my finger like a sword and poke Zeek in the chest. . . Zeek pushes me so hard, I trip and land on my tailbone with a thud. Sprawled on the ground, I watch Zeek and Axel laugh.” Coop’s friend appears and Zeek takes off. The scene is described over five pages. 
  • Headmaster Munchowzen and his friend, Lazlar Rake, founded The Dungeoneer Academy. But Lazlar “was banished after three students were killed while under his negligent leadership during an unauthorized exploration mission.” No other information is given.    
  • While on a sputter-train, Zeek takes Coop’s journal and reads it aloud. Oggie gets up to help, “but Axel kicks him, and Oggie stumbles back into his seat.” Then the sputter-train crashes and “things go topsy-turvy.” 
  • While in the Mushroom Maze, the Green Team, Zeek, and Axel hear a “roooooarrrrrr!” They run and hide, but the monster follows. “Somewhere above, we hear skittery clicking sounds. . . one of those crablike insects I saw before, red and shiny, crawls down from above us. We stare at it. It stares back with black, unwinking eyes. . . Suddenly it leaps onto Zeek’s leg. . . Zeek smacks it and the bug goes flying. . .”  
  • After Zeek hits the bug, “there’s a thunderous thump as a toadstool tree topples over, and hundreds of these hidden red insects skitter in random directions along the jungle floor.” Then a beast appears. “The monstrous creature [called a gwarglebeast] opens its powerful jaws wide enough to scoop up two more crab-bugs and then bellows. . .” The Green Team befriends the gwarglebeast. 
  • Zeek mocks Coop and calls him names. Then, Coop describes how Zeek’s fist “connects squarely with my nose. Crunch! I feel the rush of blood spurt out, and I fall to my knees.” Afterward, Zeek takes off. 
  • While lost in the Mushroom Maze, the Green Team runs into a group of mushroom-like people called mushrums. The team begins to back away, but “before we can leave, an array of crystal weapons juts out from the bushes surrounding us.” 
  • The mushrums take the friends to their leader, who plans to eat them. “The mushrum guards grab us by the arm and march us toward a boiling cauldron. Steam blasts our faces, so hot that we have to turn away.” Coop bargains with the leader: if they let them go, they will kill the Zarakna’rawr—a dangerous monster. 
  • While underground, the Green Team falls into brackish water. “Suddenly tentacles slither from the water and coil around Tymbo with ferocious speed!” The Green Team grabs Tymbo, “when suddenly countless more glowing yellow eyes peer at us from below.” The kids fight the terrible beast for seven pages. Everyone makes it out of the water alive, except for Tymbo. The beast cuts Tymbo in half, but thankfully, “Mushrum folk can reconstitute themselves after dismemberment.”  
  • While trying to find a way out of an underground tunnel, the Green Team sees a mysterious boy, who turns out to be an exiled student. The boy blows up the tunnel entrance. The explosion is not described. 
  • Chromadytes, large crystal beasts, attack the Green Team and Tymbo. “One of the chromadytes swipes at Tymbo with its jagged crystal-covered arm, but the mushrum trackers deftly dodge in opposite directions. . .” Daz uses a shield as a battering ram. “The force of her charge knocks the chromadytes aside, buying us enough time to duck past them down the tunnel.” The group runs safely away.  
  • In a multi-chapter battle, the Green Team must defeat a Zarakna’rawr, “a titanic mushrum spider monster.” The monster tries to stomp on Coop, but “Oggie tackles me just in time. Our bodies thud to the ground, and we roll clear of the spider’s massive stomp.” 
  • Daz jumps in to help Oggie. “Daz tosses one of her gemmed daggers into the air and catches it by the point between her fingers. With a swift spin, she hurls the dagger into the spider’s leg. The Zarakna’rawr lets out a bloodcurdling roar. . .” 
  • The Green Team learns that Dorian Ryder, an exiled student, has a scepter that allows him to control the Zarakna’rawr. Dorian commands the Zarakna’rawr to attack. “The monster roars, its sound so loud. . . and we all reel back in horror. With reckless abandon we sprint away as the spider creature pursues us, its tremendous bulk crashing through the Fungal Jungle. . . with its enormous, scorpion-like tail it plucks toadstool trees from the ground and hurls them after us.”  
  • As the battle continues, the spider creature “sprays us with ropes of spittle and slime.” Most of the Green Team’s fighting does little to stop the Zarakna’rawr. Coop raises his sword to strike, but “the creature’s powerful forelimbs strike so hard that the wind is knocked out of me. I slide across the floor wheezing. . . my ribs ache. My back throbs. The metallic taste of blood is in my mouth.”  
  • When defeat seems imminent and all of Coop’s friends are down, Coop yells at the beast. “The spidery horror turns its creaking, chittering head toward me. Its mandibles jitter wetly as saliva drools to the ground. . .” With his sword raised, Coop runs towards the spider. He cries “out defiantly as I fall toward my enemy and strike!” The illustration shows the monster’s brain being sliced off.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Often, the students call each other names; however, the school bully does most of the name-calling. The name-calling includes jerk, loser, twerp, nerd, and hairbrain. 
  • Zeek calls Coop, “Pooperson.” Later, Zeek mocks him, saying Coop is a “no-good, river-rat human” and that he doesn’t belong in the academy.  
  • Heck and dang are both used a few times. 

Supernatural 

  • This fantasy world has imps, bugbears, shrym, and other types of characters.  

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Like Lava In My Veins

Bobby Beacon has fire flowing through his veins, and he’s psyched to attend a new school that’ll help him get a better grip on his powers! But right off the bat, his new teacher is not too welcoming. That causes Bobby’s hot temper to land him in the principal’s office. It isn’t easy to stay calm when people don’t seem to understand you and are always pushing you to the edge. Good thing Bobby gets moved to a class with an understanding teacher who teaches him ways to calm himself. Bobby’s new teacher also shows him that caring for others is its own kind of superpower. With her help—and some cool new friends—Bobby just might be on his way to becoming the best version of himself. 

Bobby learns that “as long as you have someone who believes in you and appreciates everything from your toes to the tiny flames on the tip of your hair, you can become anything in this great big world. And most of all, you are needed, you are loved.” 

Anyone who has ever felt invisible will connect with Bobby, who struggles with keeping his temper under control. Bobby tries to stay out of trouble but his teacher gets angry when he fidgets. When Bobby switches to a different classroom, he connects to his new teacher, who is kind and encouraging. When Bobby starts to get angry, his teacher guides him through breathing exercises. Finally, Bobby’s heroic characteristics come out during an assembly when a supervillain breaks into the school and Bobby has to use his superhero powers to save the school. 

Like Lava in My Veins contrasts two classrooms—one with a critical teacher and the other with an encouraging teacher. With the help of the encouraging teacher, Bobby gains self-confidence. In the end, Bobby’s experiences highlight the importance of giving someone a second chance. The book also shows how easy it is for a student to be sent to the Institute for Supervillains. While Bobby’s story ends on a happy note, Like Lava in My Veins shines a light on society’s tendency to punish Black children harshly.  

Using a graphic novel format, Like Lava in My Veins has the feel of a superhero comic with bright colors, large quote bubbles, and expressive faces. Each page has one to seven sentences printed in large font. The short sentences use easy-to-read vocabulary that makes the book accessible to struggling readers. Even though the recommended reading age for the book is 5 – 8 years old, Bobby is in the fifth grade which gives the book a more mature tone.  

Superhero fans will enjoy Like Lava in My Veins because of the relatable protagonist and the fast-paced action sequences. Readers will cheer when Bobby defeats a supervillain. While the story shows the importance of having an encouraging teacher, it doesn’t give readers advice on what to do if they have a teacher who is critical of them. Despite this, readers will enjoy seeing Bobby gain confidence and use his powers for good.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When the bus driver doesn’t stop to pick up Bobby, Bobby “placed my palms on the ground. The road ripped open, and a tidal wave of molten lava formed a wall in front of the bus. . . Guess what? The driver slammed his boot on the brakes and then let me in, like he should’ve done in the first place.” No one is injured.  
  • Pause, a black student “got expelled for turning a teacher into a statue. . . All she did was sing. Just floated a couple of sweet notes in the air that landed softly in the ear of a fifth-grade teacher named Mr. Remington—he was frozen solid.” 
  • In class, Bobby gets upset that his teacher won’t call on him to answer questions. Bobby “started to feel invisible, like I wasn’t even there. . . I had accidentally melted my chair down to the floor like candle wax.” Bobby is sent to the principal’s office. 
  • During an assembly, the headmaster from The Institute for Supervillains “blasted a hole in the wall with his enormous stone fists. With him was his new star pupil—Pause.” Pause freeze the audience. “Their bodies were motionless, but their eyes reached back and forth in their heads like they were watching a tennis match. It was creepy.” 
  • The headmaster and Pause try to convince Bobby to join their team. When he refuses, “Pause cupped her hands around her mouth and tried shooting more of those hypnotic notes at me. . .” Bobby uses a “shield made of hardened lava which bounced the sound right back to her. . .She instantly froze.” 
  • To defeat the headmaster, Bobby aimed “an enormous beam of golden lava shot at his stone fist and welded them together. He couldn’t do anything but to drop to the cold, hard floor.” The full battle with the headmaster and Pause is illustrated over eight pages.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Bobby goes to school with others who have special powers. For example, one student can make others tell the truth. “All he has to do is touch you, and the truth just comes pouring out of your mouth like Niagara Falls.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Door at the End of the World

Lucy Eberslee is a thirteen-year-old girl working as the Gatekeeper’s deputy, a job which she takes very seriously. As the gatekeeper’s deputy, Lucy stamps passports and files travel forms for travelers as they pass through the doorway to another world; her world, Southeast, is one of eight worlds visitors can travel to. One seemingly normal Thursday turns into a chaotic journey when Lucy’s boss disappears.

On top of this, a boy from the Eastern world, Arthur, accidentally leaves his world and enters Lucy’s. Upon trying to open the door to Arthur’s world, Lucy realizes that the door is stuck and that something bigger is going wrong. Lucy and Arthur decide they need to get professionals involved, and so they begin their journey to the Interworld Travel Center to talk to its chief, Mrs. Bracknell.  

Lucy is a sympathetic character who struggles with being overshadowed by the rest of her family. Lucy reveals that her parents work in high positions in The House of Governors, and her older brother, Thomas, “is a member of the Interworld Travel Commission.” Lucy’s job as the Deputy gatekeeper makes her feel less invisible, as she explains, “I’d done well enough in school, but I’d never really stood out. Even my teachers had a habit of not quite remembering I was there unless they read about [my brother] in the news or needed a favor or advice from my father.” By the end of the novel, Lucy’s older brother, Thomas, tells Lucy that she has proven herself to be very brave and inspired him to speak out when something seems wrong.  

Arthur is an equally sympathetic character because of his willingness to help Lucy, even though he has just met her. Arthur and Lucy bond over their feelings of being invisible. When Lucy asks him if his family will notice he is missing, Arthur says, “After a month or so it might occur to my father that I haven’t come downstairs for dinner in a while. He’s got eight sons, though, so he won’t mind misplacing one.” Arthur’s perspective allows the reader to feel that they are learning about all the worlds right alongside him and they will enjoy Arthur’s excitement when experiencing new things as he explores all eight of the worlds. 

As Lucy and Arthur investigate who is really behind the closing of the worldgates, they realize they need respected adults to help. The conclusion involves an extremely chaotic, but entertaining, scene in which the villain is revealed. Because of her adventure, Lucy demonstrates personal growth, especially when it comes to speaking her mind and standing up for herself. In the exciting conclusion, Lucy is put in charge of “the team that’s opening up all of the worldgates again.” Lucy begins to recognize her own talents and abilities, as she says, “It’s going to be total chaos to organize . . . but I think I’ll be good at it.”  

Readers who enjoy fantasy, magical creatures, and reading about different universes will love The Door at the End of the World. Overall, the story highlights important messages like having confidence in yourself, appreciating what makes you special, and speaking up when something is wrong. Readers looking for more magical adventures should also read the Explorer Academy Series by Trudi Trueit and the Wizard for Hire Series by Obert Skye. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Lucy’s boss, the Gatekeeper, does not enjoy spending time with another gatekeeper called Bernard. The Gatekeeper explains, “I’d rather have my ears nibbled off by a thistle-backed thrunt [a spiky, destructive, dangerous creature that tears everything it encounters to shreds] than have to spend the day with Bernard.” 
  • When a man, Mr. Silos, finds out that Lucy is affiliated with Interworld Travel, he feels that he is being threatened for his illegal interworld smuggling deals. Lucy notices, “Mr. Silos turned back to look at me and Arthur, studying us . . . His right hand crept towards his gun.” He does not actually shoot at them.  
  • The thrunt “munched the floorboards” in front of Lucy and Arthur. Lucy says, “There was no point in trying to escape; I couldn’t sprint half as fast as the thrunt could move. What would it feel like, I thought in a panic, to be eaten from the toes up?” Luckily, Arthur and Lucy are rescued.  
  • Rosemary, a girl who at first pretends to be another deputy gatekeeper like Lucy, but later admits she is a smuggler of interworld goods, kills the thrunt; “a beam of golden light shot out from the doorway, there was a loud sizzling noise, and the thistle-backed thrunt split neatly in two.” 
  • Rosemary offers Arthur and Lucy her “InterCom cards” to use as communication. Rosemary threatens them about losing the devices, saying, “You’d better not lose them, or Pa will sell your ears on the black market to make up for it.” Rosemary later admits that she’s joking.  
  • Lucy and Arthur are horrified to discover that when they left their room at Interworld Travel, someone poisoned their magical bees. “[Lucy] heard a thin, frantic hum. The floor of the closet was carpeted in bees. They were moving, but barely; some crawled listlessly toward my feet . . . I wasn’t any sort of an expert when it came to bees, but even I could tell something was badly wrong.” 
  • The bees spell out “FLOWERS,” indicating that someone brought poisonous flowers into their room to kill them. Sadly, some have died. “The [bees] who died must have come closest to the flowers; the rest were still doing poorly, but when I placed a little saucer of sugar water on the floor, they perked up enough to shuffle over and taste it.” Rosemary tells Lucy she thinks someone poisoned the bees as “a warning.” 
  • Lucy worries that the head of Interworld Travel, Mrs. Bracknell, has killed all the gatekeepers. Lucy explains, “If Mrs. Bracknell had harmed my own frizzy-haired, heavy-footed Gatekeeper, I didn’t want to think about it.” 
  • Mrs. Bracknell tries to flee, but the kids discover her plan. Rosemary explains, “[Mrs. Bracknell] cut that awful hole in the ground and said that if I tried to warn [Lucy and Arthur] to stay away, she’d push me through it.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Characters occasionally exclaim, “Oh, worlds!” 

Supernatural 

  • A swarm of bees follows Lucy. The bees can spell out words. Lucy explains to the bees that she thinks the Gatekeeper has gone missing. “The bees huddled together over my head, humming to each other. After a minute or so, they spread out to form foot-high letters against the backdrop of the sky. SPARE KEY?” 
  • While researching the magical gatecutters that are able to cut open entrances to other worlds, Lucy and Arthur are attacked by a “thistle backed thrunt.” The “thrunt” “can chew through almost any substance and travel as fast as an automobile. It has four rows of teeth, a powerful jaw, and an insatiable appetite. If an unprepared traveler stumbled across a thrunt, however, he will surely be devoured.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs

Solimar, a soon-to-be princess of the kingdom of San Gregorio, is about to celebrate her fifteenth birthday. “After the quinceañera, she would be considered a princess of the world. And she would also officially be crowned Princess Solimar Socorro Reyes Guadalupe of San Gregorio.” 

Solimar’s home is known for its oyamel forest, a sacred place for the monarch butterflies that migrate each year. Solimar decides to watch the new generation of monarchs arrive in the oyamel forest. When Solimar goes to oyamel, she is surrounded by butterflies, who completely cover her arms and her rebozo, or shawl. Afterwards, Solimar notices that her rebozo looks as if it has “butterfly wings embedded in the fabric . . . and they’re shimmering.” The encounter with the monarchs gives Solimar the ability to predict the near future while she is wearing the rebozo and standing in sunlight. 

But then, on the eve of the kingdom’s annual supply trip, Solimar’s brother tells her, “He’s running away from home to join a ship because he doesn’t want to be king anytime soon, or possibly ever.” On top of this, when her father and brother set off on the trip, a neighboring king and his guards invade Solimar’s kingdom and take her mother and abuela hostage. The invading king plans to use Solimar’s mother and the rest of their family as a bargaining tool to force Solimar’s father to give him a thousand acres of their oyamel forest. Solimar hides just in time to escape the notice of the invaders and realizes it is up to her to find a way to warn her father of the invaders and their plans. Solimar, her bird Lázaro, and an enchanted talking doll set off on their quest down the river, in an attempt to “warn her father in time and change the destiny of her kingdom.”

Solimar is a sympathetic and strong female character that readers will connect with due to her determination and willingness to go against the mold. Though she is a soon-to-be princess, Solimar does not believe she needs to look a specific way to be considered royal. She explains that she prefers her hair short, and says, “Where does it say what a princess must look like?” She even argues with her brother and father for reform within the kingdom. She explains, “I wanted to change things in my kingdom. I have ideas about forming a council of men and women who advise the king and allowing everyone in the kingdom to vote,” instead of just men. 

Readers who enjoy fantasy and heroic journeys will love Solimar’s adventure to rescue her kingdom. This book occasionally showcases Spanish words, which can expand readers’ exposure to new vocabulary. The first time the Spanish words are used, they are typically explained in English, but readers will also be able to use context clues to identify the meanings. There is also a map of all the different locations Solimar visits as she journeys through the kingdom of San Gregorio at the front of the novel. 

Readers will sympathize with Solimar as she learns to appreciate her responsibilities to the kingdom. Solimar’s family also shows growth, as they ultimately decide to let their son, the prince, pursue the life of a sailor and “creat[e] a transport fleet for [their kingdom].” Another example of growth is when Solimar is hesitant to put on a crown, fancy shoes, and a gown for her quinceañera. Her dislike of these formalities symbolizes that she is afraid that in becoming a princess she will still not have a voice in making decisions that impact the kingdom. However, by the end of the novel, Solimar grows to appreciate her family, who trust her input and ideas and even appreciate the quinceañera’s formal ceremony. Overall, this book showcases the importance of family, friendship, and finding trustworthy people in tough situations. Readers eager to explore more books about friendship should also read A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi and A Hundred Horses by Sarah Lean.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Abuela’s friend who practices enchantments, Doña Flor, tells Solimar what will happen if someone tries to steal the magical rebozo from her. Doña Flor says, “Anyone who tries to break the bond would suffer the wrath of the ancestral spirits,” which means, “Rage, madness, impending doom.”
  • A leader of a rival kingdom breaks into Solimar’s family home. “Mothers called for their daughters. Girls cried. Footsteps scuffled. Chairs tipped over. A man’s booming voice ordered, ‘Be quiet!’” Solimar’s mother, grandmother, and friends are trapped and kept as hostages. “Abuela glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Solimar. Her eyes filled with alarm, and almost imperceptibly . . .Abuela waved for Solimar to go away.” Solimar stays hidden and escapes.
  • The guards from the rival kingdom surround Solimar’s mother, abuela, and their advisors. “One stepped forward and announced, ‘By order of King Aveno, you all are under house arrest and may not leave the castle.’” When King Aveno enters, he reveals he is holding hostages to “gain the advantage I needed to negotiate for the land I wish to buy” from Solimar’s father, King Sebastián. 
  • Solimar’s friend, Berto, talks about his father who “died five years ago.” Berto does not describe the event in detail. 
  • King Aveno snatches the rebozo from Solimar and suddenly “the sky darkened, and a wind stirred and steadily grew . . . From the forest, a dark, tornado-like cloud raced toward the stage. [The king’s spy] and King Aveno held on to each other in an attempt to withstand the fierce gale. The wind roared.” The tornado “lifted away, growing smaller and smaller until it vanished. When the wind and world quieted, King Aveno and [his spy] were nowhere to be seen. All that remained were their boots and Solimar’s crumpled rebozo.”

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • Occasionally, Solimar’s Abuela proclaims “for heaven’s sake.”

Supernatural

  • When Solimar goes to watch the migration of the monarch butterflies, she suddenly is surrounded by them: “A swarm of monarchs descended and swirled around her—a blur of black, orange, and coral—creating an iridescent mist as if she was swaddled in the softest and nicest blanket.” She starts to hear “a rhythmic humming” and is not sure where it is coming from as, “The song persisted, though, and grew louder and louder until it reached a crescendo of haunting voices.”
  • After her encounter with the monarchs, Solimar notices a mystical substance around her. “Glittery specks lingered in the air like suspended jewels” and her shawl, or rebozo, is covered in the magical substance. “One side looks as if the butterfly wings are embedded in the fabric . . . and they’re shimmering.”
  • After Solimar’s encounter with the butterflies, she can predict things, such as when her abuela is about to fall down a hill while searching for a specific herb. Solimar explains, “I’ve never seen that herb before. I just knew where it was and that she would fall. But I don’t know how I knew.”
  • Solimar’s friend Josefina tells Solimar, “[My boyfriend] asked to meet me tonight, but he was so serious and standoffish that I am worried his feelings for me have changed. What will he tell me?” Solimar instantly begins to predict a proposal, “Only that he loves you…” And sure enough, this prediction does come true. 
  • To see if her predictions are only lucky guesses, Solimar asks her friend Maria to, “Ask me something else. Maybe about the expedition. Something I couldn’t already know.” Maria says, “When I talked to [the stable hand] only an hour ago, he mentioned your father had just decided on the horse he would ride in the lead tomorrow. Which stallion will have the honor of wearing the king’s colors?” Solimar answers correctly, confirming she can make predictions while wearing the magical shawl. 
  • Abuela takes Solimar to see a folk healer, “where few dared to travel unless they needed to be rid of a curse or cleansed of evil spirits.”
  • The folk healer, Doña Flor, taught Solimar’s grandma how to use herbs to help heal ailments. Abuela says, “Her enchantment is for good . . . some things at Doña Flor’s house are charmed. Just . . . be accepting. That’s all I ask. Embrace the mystery and the peculiarities.”
  • Doña Flor tells Solimar, “Your rebozo is the swaddle for the butterflies. You are now their protector and inseparably connected to them.” Because of this, Doña Flor reveals that the magic of the butterflies in the shawl “are safely embedded. It’s part of the magic, as is the ability for [Solimar] alone to bear their intuition about the near future and what lies ahead.”
  • Though Solimar is now able to access the magical intuition of the monarchs, she knows “each day that it is sunny, [Solimar] must open the rebozo to warm and strengthen those you carry. Otherwise [the monarchs] will never have the stamina to take leave and cluster in the trees.” In addition, Solimar must avoid people asking her questions in the sun because, “For every question you answer, it drains a little of [the butterflies’] strength. If they lose too much they will surely die.”
  • Doña Flor has enchanted dolls that “begin to chatter.” Doña Flor tells Solimar that “their enchantment is strong, yet they are generous souls and very helpful.”
  • Abuela has tried to use spells. She says, “I tried to make a love potion on [my cat] and the stable cat, hoping to make them compatible. But I wasn’t exactly successful . . . But instead of falling in love with each other, they fell in love with the first inanimate object they touched. In [her cat’s] case, it happened to be that green woolen sock she carries everywhere.”
  • Solimar uses magic to figure out which way to go in the dangerous devil’s river. Solimar “heard the chorus again — mystical and ancient and with such harmony that her arms prickled and tears filled her eyes. A clutch of monarchs lifted from the rebozo, their wings beating in time to the rhythmic song, and trailed after the swarm toward the waterway on the right.”
  • The magic of the monarchs can move a canoe without Solimar paddling it at all. “The canoe glided to the right, following the monarchs’ path.”
  • Solimar uses her predictive abilities to help navigate a perilous labyrinth of caves. She reveals, “The tunnel on the right is navigable, but there is no through passage. The water is stagnant, and the air is foul-smelling. The one in the middle has a rock ceiling that eventually becomes so low that the only way to pass is by swimming beneath it, underwater. The tunnel on the left leads to a long corridor and a bat-filled chamber.” She makes it safely out of the caves. 
  • Solimar and her abuela plan to distract the invading guards with an enchantment. As the invaders sit in the middle of the room waiting for the greedy king’s decision about his hostages, “The awnings above the audience collapsed, spilling all manner of household items into the audience: feather dusters, wooden spoons, tea towels. . . Everyone who had been forewarned about the pastries and had not eaten them laughed as each guard picked up an inanimate object — and immediately fell hopelessly in love with it. At least for a few weeks, they would be as lovestruck and preoccupied as [Abuela’s cat], whose sweetheart was a green woolen sock.”
  • Solimar carries the rebozo and protects the monarchs that are magically embedded inside until they are strong enough to leave. At that point, “A wave of butterflies erupted from the oyamel forest. They dove and swooped around Solimar. . . The ancient song began, beautiful and melodic. The butterflies lifted the fabric, turning it around and around in the sun, and waving it so that it rippled until the creases fell away.” The last butterfly “emerged . . . the last one she protected landed on [Solimar’s] finger, then flew away to join the others in the oyamel forest.”      

Spiritual Content 

  • Solimar’s kingdom is home to “the oyamel forest,” a forest that draws in monarch butterflies. She explains, “Like everyone in the kingdom, Solimar believed that the ancestors of the monarch butterflies inhabited the oyamel forest, and that year after year, their spirits lured a new generation of butterflies to this spot during their migrations.”
  • In Solimar’s kingdom of San Gregorio, “the forest and the monarchs were revered and protected,” and the forest is often referred to as “the sacred place.”
  • Solimar ponders what draws the butterflies to the forest each year. “Isn’t it amazing that the butterflies, that have never been here before, arrive season after season at the same spot as their ancestors? Is it the magnetic pull of the earth or the position of the sun as the scientists suggest? Or do the spirits of their fathers and mothers whisper directions to them in a dream? Is it some magical intuition that allows them to know what lies ahead? . . . it’s a miracle.”
  • The dangerous river that prevents Solimar’s kingdom from trading goods is referred to as “Río Diablo,” or the devil’s river. 
  • When Solimar and her abuela visit Doña Flor for advice on Solimar’s ability to predict things, Doña Flor uses scents and vapors to help her. Doña Flor “stopped and picked a few leaves from one of the dried bouquets hanging from the ceiling and tossed them on the fire. A crisp fragrance, like a muddle of pine and mint, filled the room. Doña Flor waved the vapors toward her and inhaled deeply.” Abuela explains, “The strong scent of eucalyptus helps with remembering.”
  • Doña Flor explains that when any of the monarchs of the oyamel forest are weak, “on those occasions, the ancestral sprits of the monarchs choose a benevolent courier to protect the stragglers until they are strong enough to join the others” on their migration.

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

The Missing Prince

Will Treaty and his apprentice, Maddie, have been urgently summoned to Castle Araluen. When they arrive, they learn a shocking truth: the Prince of Gallica is missing—and the King of Gallica has asked for help. All reports suggest that the young prince has been taken prisoner by the dangerous and powerful Baron Joubert de Lassigny. King Duncan knows that sending troops to Gallica to rescue the prince could start a war, as could openly helping Gallica resolve internal conflict. But there’s another way to save the prince: the Ranger Corps.

Soon, Will and Maddie are on the road to rescue the missing prince, disguised as father and daughter jongleurs. Maddie will have to use her knife-throwing skills to keep up her disguise, and her ranger’s apprentice training to complete the mission. But going undercover is dangerous—and the road presents its own hazards. Can she and Will use all of their talents to save the prince, or will the arrogant Baron uncover their plans and put their lives– and their kingdom– at risk?

Unlike the other books in the Ranger’s Apprentice Series, The Missing Prince is missing action. For most of the story, Will and Maddie are traveling to the castle where the Prince of Gallica is being held captive. Along the way, Will and Maddie face bandits which adds excitement to the story. However, their trip drags and when the two finally reach their destination, the book suddenly ends leaving the reader wondering what will happen in the next book, Escape from Falaise.

Will and Maddie are admirable characters who willingly face danger in an attempt to free the missing prince. However, the book’s slow start focuses more on the political reasons to help the Gallican prince. In addition, Maddie’s mother is reluctant to let Maddie go on a ranger mission. Readers may quickly become bored with the political and parental aspects of the story. Despite this, fans of the Ranger’s Apprentice Series will be happy that Will Treaty plays a major role in The Missing Prince.

Some of the story’s plot feels redundant because Will again disguises himself as a jongleur. Despite this, fans of the Ranger’s Apprentice Series will enjoy Will and Maddie’s relationship and the two working together. Plus, the conclusion has several surprises and leaves readers with several unanswered questions. Even though The Missing Prince lacks the action of other books, the cliffhanger will have readers reaching for Escape from Falaise.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • To stop a band of thieves, Will dresses like an old farmer. When the thieves see Will, they try to stop him. Will shoots an arrow and “Jem was down, rolling in agony on the ground and clutching an arrow that had transfixed his left calf.”
  • One of the bandits, Barton, tries to hit Will, who lifts the man and throws him. “Barton landed with a heavy thud, flat on his back. . . When he recovered, he found himself looking along the blade of a very sharp saxe knife, which pricked the soft skin of his throat.” Will and Maddie take the men to the local law.
  • While Will and Maddie are entertaining, thieves appear and demand everyone’s money. A young man tries to intervene, but “the bandit leader stepped in close to him and swung the butt of the crossbow so that it slammed into Simon’s forehead.” The man is injured.
  • As the thieves are celebrating their newfound wealth, the leader “held his bottle up prior to drinking from it. Will’s arrow smashed through it, showering the drunken bandit chief with wine and shattered fragments of glass, before thudding, quivering into a log lying ready by the fire.” To take down the bandit leader, Maddie “whipped the sling up and over and the lead shot hissed through the air across the clearing, striking Vincent’s skull behind the ear with an ugly thud. The bandit’s eyes glazed, and he let out a sickly little moan. . . he crashed to the forest floor, stunned.” The scene is described over four pages.
  • While Will and Maddie are restraining the bandits, “a man rose onto one knee and leveled the crossbow.” Will sees the movement and “he drew his throwing knife and sent it spinning across the clearing. . .the knife hit him in the center of his chest.”
  • While searching the castle tower for the missing prince, “a burly figure” sees Maddie. When the man grabs her, “she suddenly stepped toward him. . .she grabbed a handful of tunic, bent her legs and shoved her backside into his body.” She then knees him in the groin and runs.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • Will and Maddie pose as jongleurs and perform in local taverns. The customers often drink wine and ale. When they eat at the castle, ale and wine are also served.
  • A man who has been following Will and Maddie goes into a tavern and is “nursing a tankard of ale.”
  • After the thieves rob the townspeople, they hide in the forest. The eight men were “sprawled around the camp. They stole some wine from the tavern last night and they’re all drinking.” The men turn into a “nosy, drunken group.”
  • Will and Maddie see a peddler who had “casks of ale and wine.”

Language

  • A man thinks that the Gallic king is a “pompous prat.”
  • Damn is used once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

The New Olympians

There is a horse named Tornado Warning that’s winning every race he enters—and faster than ever before seen—and Emily thinks the animal looks a lot like Pegasus. Afraid of what this might mean and of what Jupiter might do if he finds out, Emily, Joel, Paelen, Pegasus, and the sphinx Alexis decide to go to Earth to investigate. There they discover a plot to replicate Olympians and Nirads. The CRU has already created dozens of clones. Now they want to create their own Emily clone—and it doesn’t matter to them if the original Emily dies in the process. 

Can Emily and her friends put a stop to the CRU’s plans before Jupiter finds out and follows through on his threat to destroy the Earth? 

The New Olympians’ plot revolves around the CRU’s ability to make clones of the Olympians. The Olympians believe making clones is unnatural and that the humans must be stopped. Emily’s thoughts, the descriptions of the clones, and the Olympian’s views all reinforce the idea that making clones is immoral. To make matters worse, the CRU hopes to use the clones to dominate the world. An agent explains, “One world order isn’t a bad thing, Emily. There will be no more borders, no more wars . . . One language, one people and one country. . . The CRU is going to create Olympus on Earth.” In order to achieve this, the CRU will murder anyone who opposes them. While Emily has no desire to hurt anyone, she has no choice but to destroy the CRU facility and anyone who tries to stop her.  

The New Olympians has a more serious tone and ramps up the violence. Sensitive readers may be upset by the treatment of the clones, some of which have deformities and are kept in cages. While none of the actual deaths are described, the number of people who are injured, killed, and punished may be upsetting.  

One negative aspect of the story is inconsistencies in the characters’ actions. For example, even though the CRU can identify Paelen, he still puts himself and others in danger when he goes to the Las Vegas strip to see the sights. In the first two books, Paelen tries desperately to prove that he is no longer a thief. However, in The New Olympians, he steals several times and acts as if he enjoys the thrill of thievery. In another instance, Emily and her friends’ original goal was to verify that the CRU had indeed made clones. However, instead of reporting back to Jupiter once they’ve confirmed the existence of clones, the group decides to confront the CRU. Despite their knowledge of the CRU’s cruel tactics, the group makes several unrealistic decisions. For example, Agent T, who used to work for CRU, leads the group to a small town close to Area 51. Even though he knows the area is crawling with agents, Agent T thinks the group will go unnoticed. However, Agent T is quickly dispatched. Agent T’s presence doesn’t shed light on any new information which makes that section of the story feel unimportant and a waste of pages. 

Readers who have read the first two books in the series will find The New Olympians frustrating because of the story’s inconsistencies, Emily’s lack of character growth, and events that do not advance the plot. However, readers may enjoy the reappearance of several characters from the previous books. The New Olympians wraps up the main conflict with the CRU’s clone-making abilities, which allows the next book in the series, Pegasus and the Origins of Olympus, to take Emily back in time to the origins of Olympus and to the deadly battle between the Olympians and the Titans. Readers who love traveling to other worlds where pegasi live should also read the Riders of the Realm Series by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez. 

Sexual Content  

  • After Joel scores a winning goal, the sphinx Alexis “brushed back the hair from Joel’s eyes, leaned forward, and kissed him full and long on the lips.” The kiss makes Emily jealous. 
  • The newspaper prints a picture of Tornado Warning, who looks like Pegasus’ twin. One of the Olympians asks Pegasus, “Did you get up to some mischief while you were in Emily’s world?” 

Violence  

  • Emily and her friends break into a house that belongs to Agent T and Earl. When Agent T comes down the stairs, he screams. “Alexis knocked to the floor a long-haired man wearing a brown bathrobe. Emily received her first look at Alexis’s eating teeth as the Sphinx stood on the man’s chest and prepared to kill him. . . Huge, sharp canines filled her mouth as her jaw unhinged to allow her to open her mouth wider than Emily had thought possible.” Joel calms the sphinx down before anything worse happens.  
  • A newspaper article describes a robbery, saying “there was only one survivor of the massacre.” 
  • Another newspaper article describes a boy who broke into a chocolate store. “One witness said he was super strong and tossed everyone around like they weighed nothing.”  
  • When Pegasus sees Tornado Warning, Pegasus attacks him. “Tornado Warning charged out of his stable. Rearing up, the two glowing stallions attacked each other with all the fury they possessed. Pegasus’s wings opened and smashed at Tornado’s head, knocking him into the large open training ring.”  
  • Pegasus’s brother tries to stop the fight, but “all his presence did was to infuriate Tornado Warning further. The gray stallion rose high in the air and came crashing down on Chrysaor with his powerful front hooves. Driven to the ground, the winged boar squealed in pain.” Chrysaor is injured.  
  • Ranch hands hear the horses fighting and go to investigate. “A blast from a shotgun fired at Pegasus alerting the group. . . [Emily] raised her hands in the air. No flame emerged, but the man was lifted over the heads of the fighting stallions and thrown to the opposite side of the stable.” Agent T holds the ranch hands at gunpoint.  
  • The stallions continue to fight. “Pegasus was steadily gaining over Tornado. Despite the racing stallion’s strength, he was no match for the enraged Olympian . . . Tornado Warning was covered in blood from the deep cuts caused by Pegasus’s hooves. His eyes were closed, and he wasn’t breathing.” The fight is described over six pages. 
  • Agent T needs information about Tornado Warning. A ranch hand named Rip refuses to talk, so Agent T “slapped Rip across the face.” Rip is still defiant and Alexis attacks. “Moments later Rip Russell was on the ground, crying in pain and grasping his lower legs. His jeans were torn from Alexis’s claws, and blood was rising to the surface.”  
  • When Rip and some other ranch hands try to grab Emily, Alexis attacks them. Emily closes her eyes, so she doesn’t see the attack, but Agent T tells her, “Keep your eyes shut; you don’t want to see this.” Alexis kills the men who were “going after Emily.” Later, Emily sees blood on her clothes.  
  • When Agent T tries to talk to the CRU, they attack him and Alexis. Alexis’ wings are dislocated. Alexis thinks Agent T is dead, so she runs to warn the others. 
  • The CRU soldiers try to capture Emily and her friends. When the soldiers arrive, “Popping sounds filled the air as they fired. [Emily] felt the stings on her arms and back and realized they were using tranquilizer darts. . . She held up her hand and released the laserlike flame at the nearest military vehicle. It exploded in a brilliant blast.” This causes a chain reaction that blows up the other vehicles.  
  • The CRU also try to capture Tornado Warning. The horse “stopped, spun around, and charged the soldiers who were trying to capture him. . . He instinctively used his wings as weapons. He flapped them and struck the men who were trying to catch him. Others were kicked by his lethal hooves. . . the winged racehorse [was] finally brought down by the countless tranquilizer darts being shot into him.” 
  • During the attack, Joel is shot. In anger, Emily goes after the military helicopters. “Emily focused her eyes on the closest helicopter. . . Emily raised her hands and unleashed the flame.” The story implies that Emily destroys all the helicopters. The attack is described over five pages. 
  • While walking down a Las Vegas street, two men “pulled out weapons and shoved them into Paelen’s and Joel’s backs.” They take Paelen, Joel, and Frankie to their mob boss. After the mob boss threatens to kill them, Joel and Paelen attack the men. “A shot went off and hit Joel’s arm, but the bullet ricocheted off the silver and hit one of the men.” Paelen is shot in the head. “The bullet knocked Paelen backwards. He felt a searing pain in the center of his forehead. . . Joel charged the shooter. . . The tattooed man cried out as the bones in his arm shattered under the impact of Joel’s silver arm.” The scene is described over seven pages. 
  • After subduing the mob boss’ men, Joel tries to get the mob boss to talk. When he refuses, Joel “put his silver hand around the man’s throat and hoisted him up in the air. As the tattooed man squirmed and tried to break free, Joel slammed him hard against the wall.” The man eventually talks. Joel and Paelen then tie up the man and leave. 
  • When Paelen’s clone sees him, the clone attacks. The clone “smashed through the diner door and turned on Paelen. It screeched and roared and charged at him with murderous fury in his eyes. . . The clone lifted Paelen in the air and threw him through the plate-glass window of the diner. . . The clone struck out at Joel with a brutal blow that threw him several meters in the air. Joel landed on the roof of a seller’s pushcart and slipped down to the ground, badly winded.” 
  • As the fight continues, Paelen “tore up a streetlight from the pavement and used the pole like a bat, smashing the clone into a tall, brightly lit casino sign. Lightbulbs burst and sparked as debris poured down into the street.” As Paelen and the clone throw each other around, they start a fire. 
  • Ignoring the fire, Paelen “hurled the clone at the biggest, heaviest thing he could find—a lighted wall of a casino. The casino’s sign exploded with the impact, and the wall crumbled. As the clone fell to the ground, part of the lighted sign collapsed and fell on top of it.”  
  • A police officer raises his weapon at an injured Paelen. When Paelen refuses to stop, the officer shoots a taser. “Electrical current tore through him. He lost control of his muscles and collapsed to the ground, convulsing. The pain was intense, and he couldn’t move.” Paelen passes out and wakes up in jail. The fight scene is described over five pages. 
  • Paelen breaks out of jail, and returns to his hiding place, but the clone is still able to find him. “The clone, caught hold of him and, screaming in rage, lifted him high above its head. Snarling with uncontrolled hatred, it hurled Paelen at the painted window. . .” Paelen falls off the building and is presumed dead.  
  • In order to keep her friends safe, Emily shoots at the military helicopters that are shooting at them. “One by one, the helicopters exploded in the air and rained fire down on the dark desert floor. Soon they were alone.” 
  • In an epic, multi-chapter conclusion, the Olympians, led by Emily, fight the CRU. Emily tries to talk to the CRU soldiers, who shoot her. Emily “felt her body exploding in pain as several bullets found their mark. Thrown backwards, she hit her head on the ground with an explosive impact.” In a panic, Emily accidentally makes Alexis and Pegasus disappear and Emily assumes she has killed them. 
  • When Jupiter finds out what is happening on Earth, he takes his two brothers—Pluto and Neptune—to Earth. To help Joel, the three go to the police station. The police “opened fire on the chariots. Unaffected by their bullets, Jupiter returned fire with his lightning bolts. Suddenly the ground beneath the police exploded as Neptune commanded water to come forth.” 
  • When another police officer shoots at Pluto, “he swept his hand in the air. An instant later, the officer collapsed dead to the ground.” As they talk to the police, helicopters appear. “A second rocket was fired at the Olympians. Jupiter raised his arm, and the rocket shot away from the chariots and tore into the police station. The rocket exploded on impact. . .” Jupiter “fired powerful lightning bolts at [the helicopters]. They burst into flame and crashed down to the street in a heap of burning metal.” 
  • The military continues to shoot weapons at the Olympians, who remain unharmed. The weapons “were defeated by the Olympians’ powers and crashed into a big black pyramid-shaped building. The light at its top went out, the windows exploded, and the building burst into flame.”  
  • The CRU captures the Nirad prince, Toban. They secure him to a table with gold and the gold burns his skin. The gold “scalded him until his skin smoldered, opened, and bled. [Emily] watched scientists extracting fresh black blood and skin samples from the suffering young prince. . . The prince’s eyes were shut as he writhed and howled in pain. The tight gold bands were cutting deep into his smoking, open flesh.” 
  • To destroy the CRU’s ability to make clones, Emily destroys Area 51. “Emily unleashes her power. Laserlike flames rushed from her hands and burned their way into the buildings. . . The sounds of the groaning and crumbling facility filled the air and grew in intensity until they become almost unbearable . . . The dust settled, and where once stood the CRU facility was nothing but an impossibly large crater.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • When Emily meets Tornado Warning, one of the workers tells her, “Tornado Warning is loco. He has killed two riders. No one can touch him unless he is drugged.” In order to control Tornado Warning, the horse is given sedatives.  
  • In order to keep Tornado Warning from fighting with Pegasus, the horse is given “heavy tranquilizers” that make him sleep.  
  • Paelen meets a homeless boy named Frankie. Frankie’s mother abandoned him, and the boy is being cared for by a man who is drunk often. 
  • In order to steal money, Paelen targets a drunk gambler. 

Language    

  • The adults use profanity infrequently. Profanity includes darn, heck, damn, and hell. For example, Agent T asks Emily, “what the hell are you doing back here?” 
  • Oh God and Lord are used as exclamations several times.  

Supernatural 

  • The story includes many Greek Gods, who have supernatural powers, such as the sphinx Alexis who can “read a human’s intentions.” 
  • The sphinx Alexis is given Pluto’s helmet of invisibility so she can travel around Earth without being seen. 
  • Emily can heal others. She also has new, unpredictable powers. She explains, “Sometimes I can move things. Sometimes items disappear and I can never find them again. And sometimes they explode.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • When Emily plans to go to Earth without permission, she “prayed she would be returning to him in Olympus soon with good news.” 
  • When Earl finds out about Tornado Warning, he says, “pray to God he’s just a horse and not an Olympian clone.” 
  • When Emily leads the military away from her friends, Paelen prayed, “Be safe, Emily.” 
  • At Agent T’s request, Jupiter turns him into a willow tree. Jupiter explains that Agent T is a “very happy” tree. “Agent T will never feel pain but can still experience joy. He can think, speak, and live a long and happy life with Alexis.” 
  • In order to punish the CRU staff, Pluto changes them into Prometheus Oak trees. “Being turned into a Prometheus Oak is living torture. He will remain fully conscious and aware of his previous life. He will feel everything. . . His bark is like breaking bones, and when the wind blow through his leaves, you will hear him screaming.” 

Mia Mayhem Gets X-Ray Specs

Mia Mayhem is learning to control her x-ray vision! She can’t wait to see through walls and crack secret codes. There’s only one problem: her glasses are way too big, clunky, and totally not cool! But she knows that if she wants to keep up with her classmates, she’ll have to adjust quickly. Will Mia be able to look past her obstacles and see things through?

A large part of the storyline follows Mia and her classmates as they try their supervision. Mia doesn’t want to admit that she doesn’t have x-ray vision. Instead of being truthful, she lies and says she sees “an elephant with a hot dog.” In the end, Mia learns that she “should have never guessed during the eye exam and pretended to know something when [she] didn’t.”

Mia Mayhem Gets X-Ray Specs has a diverse cast of characters which includes a girl who wears prosthetics. In addition, Ben and his seeing-eye dog, Seeker, make an appearance, which gives an added dose of interest. Readers will note how Seeker assists Ben. The story also shows how Ben’s blindness helps him hone his other senses, which in turn helps him with this supervision.

Young readers will enjoy the book’s format which has oversized text and black and white illustrations on every page. The large illustrations are often humorous, and they also help readers follow the story’s plot. Mia Mayhem Gets X-Ray Specs has an easy-to-understand plot that is perfect for emerging readers. However, some readers will need help with some of the advanced languages, with words such as connection, recognize, squinting, and officially.

Readers who are ready for chapter books will enjoy the silly storyline in Mia Mayhem Gets X-Ray Specs. Mia’s enthusiasm and friendliness make her a fun and likable protagonist. Even though Mia Mayhem Gets X-Ray Specs is part of a series, the books do not need to be read in order. While the story doesn’t have any life lessons, the Mia Mayhem Series will make emerging readers excited to see what type of mischief Mia gets into next, and with 12+ books in the series, readers will have plenty of adventure to look forward to.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • A boy yells at Mia, “Nice job using your loser vision.”

Supernatural

  • Mia finds out that “super-sight usually kicks in at age eight. . . You’ll soon be able to do awesome things like x-ray through walls and see in absolute darkness.” Later, she stares at a wall and then “a blast of heat lasers came out of my eyes! In just one shot, I burned through five walls. . .”
  • Because Ben is blind, he uses his other super senses such as being able to feel vibrations that lead him to his seeing-eye dog. Ben says, “I may not have regular vision like you, but I’m sensitive to echoes.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Daughter of the Pirate King #1

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain, Alosa, deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the daughter of the Pirate King.

Alosa is an interesting protagonist who wants others to think that she has no morals; however, she isn’t a completely vicious pirate. Even though she talks about the countless men she has killed, when she takes the crew of the Night Farer captive, she only kills those who are cruel and depraved. She lets the young pirates go and takes several of the pirates on as crew members. Plus, she doesn’t allow anyone to kill Riden’s brother, Draxen, because she doesn’t want to cause Riden pain.

Alosa’s only weakness is her loyalty to her father, who is cruel beyond measure. She wants to make the Pirate King proud, but her main motivation is her fear of being punished. Alosa’s desire to please her father is implausible especially because his “training” was torturous and cruel. Even though the Pirate King does not appear in Daughter of the Pirate King, his influence continues to guide Alosa’s actions.

Daughter of the Pirate King is a fast-paced story that gives the reader a window into the pirate world. Despite this, none of the pirates are typical. Instead, the cast of characters is unique and shows that even in the pirate world some are despicable, and some are honorable. While Alosa’s female crewmembers do not appear often, they demonstrate the value of honesty, loyalty, and friendship. Plus, Riden adds a dash of romance, and the banter between Alosa and Riden is a lot of fun.

Full of twists, turns, and betrayals, Daughter of the Pirate King will keep readers interested until the very end. However, the pirate’s life is full of violence and the book does not shy away from graphic descriptions of bloody fights. If you’re a swashbuckler ready for adventure, you will have a hard time putting Daughter of the Pirate King down. However, if you’re looking for an excellent pirate book with a little less violence, Piratica by Tanith Lee would be an excellent choice.

Sexual Content

  • When Draxen takes Alosa as a prisoner, he warns her, “‘You will be the only woman on a ship full of cutthroat thieves, and blackhearts who haven’t made port in a good long while. You know what that means?’ Alosa responds, ‘It means your men haven’t been to a whorehouse recently.’”
  • Alosa’s father “bedded” a siren.
  • Alosa goes into a town that has “a tavern on one side of the street, a whorehouse on the other.”
  • Alosa and Riden struggle and Riden throws her on the bed. Alosa “is about to tell him to shove off, but then I feel his lips at my cheek. He’s not kissing me exactly, just touching my cheek with his lips. . .When he does finally kiss me, it’s right below my ear in that sensitive spot. Then he moves lower, trailing his lips down my neck at the side, then back up in the middle. . . I move my lips to his ear. My teeth grave his ear lobe, and his hands tighten in a different way.” The kissing scene is described over two pages.
  • Riden kisses Alosa. She thinks she should stop him but, “Riden’s lips taste even better than I’d imagined. Or because his hands make my skin tingle where they hold the sides of my face. . . When Riden’s lips move down to my neck, I forget all about my father. There’s nothing except heat and chills all at once. . .” Finally, Alosa pushes Riden away.
  • In order to search Draxen, Alosa tries to seduce him. “When I lift my head up to his, he greedily meets me for a kiss. . .But I get no enjoyment out of this. . . I shove Draxen down on the bed and climb on top of him. . . I can feel the lust burning in him. It’s disgusting and wretched, and I want to stamp it out.” Alosa eventually knocks him out. Then she searches his clothes for a map.
  • In order to search Riden, Alosa tries to seduce Riden. “I trace his upper lip with the tip of my tongue. . . Before I know it, he’s got his hand at the back of my head, the other on the side of my thigh. . . Riden knows where to stroke my skin to make me feel more alive. He has me practically panting under the pressure of his lips.” Alosa almost loses herself in Riden’s arms but uses her siren’s ability to put him to sleep. The scene is described over three pages.
  • One of the pirates likes “the company of other men.”

Violence

  • There is an overabundance of violence in the book and not all scenes are described below.
  • Alosa often thinks about her father’s training. “It doesn’t matter that he shot me once to show me the pain of a gunshot wound, to have me practice fighting while injured. . .It doesn’t matter that he would starve me and weaken me, then give me tasks to complete. . .”
  • Alosa intentionally gets “caught” by Draxen, the captain of the Night Farer. Kearan, a pirate, grabs Alosa. She thinks, “I’m done kneeling on the floor like some servant. Bracing my hands against the wooden deck, I extend my legs backward, hooking my feet behind the heels of the ugly pirate standing there. With one yank forward, Kearan topples backward. . . I hear scuffling as Kearan finds his feet. I jerk my elbow backward, connecting with his enormous gut. There’s a large splat as he collapses on the ground again.”
  • When Alosa begins struggling to get free, Draxen “removes his right hand from his belt and reaches down for one of his pistols. As soon as he has it, he points it at the first of my men in line and fires. . .the body of my crewman falls backwards.” Alosa and Draxen continue killing each other’s crew until Riden stops them. Alosa is taken prisoner but the crew is set free. The scene is described over four pages.
  • When Riden gets too close to Alosa, she knees him “right between the legs.” Alosa then locks Riden in a cell.
  • The Night Farer finds a ship that looks abandoned. Riden and Alosa go to check it out and are surprised by three men, who were in a hidden room. Alosa slams her “heel into the foot of the sailor on my right. Then my free hand goes to the other sailor’s throat. I place one hand at the back of each man’s neck. . . it isn’t difficult to connect their heads. Hard.” Then Alosa’s “dagger flies straight and true, finding its place in the sailor’s chest.” Once the ship is safe, the other crew members board it.
  • Shack, one of the Night Farer’s crew members, tortures two prisoners. Later, he finds Alosa alone and grabs her. Alosa struggles to get away and kicks “him in the face with my free foot. His face is a bloody mess now.” Then she stabs him in the stomach. “I don’t wait more than a couple of heartbeats before dislodging the weapon and stabbing again, this time higher, towards the heart… He is dead in seconds.” The scene is described over three pages.
  • Alosa “escapes” from the ship, and Riden finds her. They have a short fight. “I cut him on his arm. Riden is going a bit easy because he doesn’t actually want to hurt me.” Finally, Riden grabs Alosa’s wrist “with his free hand, and raises my sword to my neck. Before I can blink, the hand at my wrist grabs my sword, and he’s pointing both blades at me.” The scene is described over two pages.
  • As punishment, Alosa is put into shackles and hung. “Blood starts to slide down my arms… Every once in a while, I’ll start to regain my strength enough to pull the pressure off my wrist for a brief moment.”
  • Riden explains why he killed his father. Riden’s brother, Draxen “pitched his skill with the sword against our father. . .He [his father] disarmed Draxen and was about to kill him. But I picked up my brother’s fallen sword. And I killed him.”
  • Draxen interrogates Alosa. “Draxen gets behind me and yanks my head backward by my hair. I grimace at the pain. He strikes the side of my face with a closed fist. . . Draxen hits me with his other hand. This one bites more deeply.” Riden steps in and stops Draxen.
  • Alosa and Riden are captured by a pirate named Vordan. Vordan wants to learn about Alosa’s siren abilities. In order to get her to obey, Vordan has someone hurt Riden every time she refuses. A pirate “pulls out his cutlass and rakes it across Riden’s upper arm, cutting through his shirt and sending blood streaming down.” Later, a pirate “steps forward and kicks Riden in the face. Blood trickled out of his nose, staining the sand red… Riden is now unconscious and can’t feel any pain.” During Vordan’s experiments, Riden is injured repeatedly and he is shot twice.
  • Alosa’s crew comes to her rescue. Alosa takes some of the pirates captive and orders her crew to kill the rest. Sorinda “starts stepping behind the men and slitting their throats one after the other. Killing is practically an art for her. The way she moves is magical.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • One of the pirates, Kearan, carries a flask of rum and drinks often. Someone tells Alosa, “He’s an ugly drunk because it takes away the pain. He has no desire to live, yet no desire to die, either. It’s a tough spot to be in.”
  • Riden finds a sleeping tonic hidden in Alosa’s belongings.

Language

  • Profanity is used rarely. Profanity includes arse, bastard, bloody, damn, hell, and piss.
  • Alosa thinks Riden is a “cocky bastard.”
  • Someone calls Alosa a whore.

 Supernatural

  • Alosa’s mother is a siren and Alosa is able to “use the gifts my mother gave me.” She uses her song on Riden. “He follows, captured by my spell. I know what Riden wants in life. Love and acceptance. I weave those into the song and command him to sleep and forget that he ever heard me sing.”
  • Alosa explains her parentage, “for a child who is conceived by a siren on land will be more human than not.”
  • When Alosa uses her siren abilities, “I lose myself in others if I’m focused on their feelings and desires too long. They start to become my own, and I forget who I am.”
  • Alosa can read people’s feelings, but “I can’t read minds. . . I never know the whys behind people’s intentions.”
  • Alosa makes Riden and another pirate see things that are not there. “I imagine a magical world full of new colors and sounds. Butterflies with brightly lit wings flutter around me… Riden bears a look of sheer wonder and astonishment. He reaches out in front of him as if to touch the invisible creatures I’ve placed in front of him.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

 

Thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle leaves her boarding school in England to reunite with her family in America. She leaves England a prim and proper lady with a notebook from her father to detail her travels. However, Charlotte quickly discovers that her voyage home is not going to be smooth sailing.

On board The Seahawk, Charlotte fears the majority of the ship’s male crew, including the lone black man Zachariah, who gives her a knife the first time they meet. He warns Charlotte to keep the knife for protection, as “she might need it.” This is the first hint that things aboard The Seahawk aren’t all they seem, but Charlotte’s determined to keep her ladylike composure, especially in front of Captain Jaggery. Jaggery is a refined and educated man, unlike his crew, which prompts a friendship between him and Charlotte. Yet, Charlotte wonders if something more is awry when Jaggery asks that Charlotte become his “informant” and report any talk of rebellion to him.

After her promise, Charlotte discovers that the crew intends to mutiny. When Charlotte reports the threat, Jaggery responds with violence, killing some of the sailors including Zachariah. Suddenly, Charlotte’s journey turns into one of atonement. To fill the gap left by the now dead sailors, Charlotte joins the crew. Then, during a hurricane, the first mate is found with Charlotte’s knife in his chest. After a trial by Jaggery (who now scorns Charlotte because she has sided with the crew), Charlotte is proclaimed guilty, even though she didn’t commit the crime.

In the end, it’s discovered that Zachariah lived through his beating. He helps Charlotte create a plan to rid the ship of Jaggery and prove her innocence. They discover that it was Jaggery who murdered the first mate as a ploy to get rid of Charlotte, whom he hates for being an “unnatural” girl. Charlotte is able to dispatch Jaggery and sail home as a young captain with Zachariah by her side. However, her greatest conflict is the one she faces back on American soil, when her father burns her journal and forces her to be a “lady” again. Charlotte runs away from home when she remembers the words Zachariah once told her: “A sailor chooses the wind that takes the ship from a safe port. . . but winds have a mind of their own.”

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is a thrilling and detailed story for young adults. The book is told from Charlotte’s perspective, and she is a compelling narrator. At first, she’s somewhat difficult to like because she’s stuck in her ways, but the reader will sympathize with her desire to do what is right despite the criticism she faces as a woman. While it is unlikely something like Charlotte’s story ever happened at the time, the story is realistic in the context of the era – such as the behavior of the characters, the dialogue, and the use of religion. The end of the book also includes a glossary of ship terms which the author uses for the reader to feel as if they’re on board a ship just like Charlotte is. The overarching message of this story is to follow one’s own path, even in the face of adversity, and Charlotte is a character that embodies that until the end.

Sexual Content

  • Ewing, one of the crew, kisses Charlotte on the cheeks to say goodbye.

Violence

  • Zachariah gives Charlotte a knife for protection.
  • Charlotte uses the knife to scare an animal. “I heard a sound. I looked across the cabin. A rat was sitting on my journal, nibbling at its spine. Horrified, I flung the dirk at it.” The rat runs off.
  • Zachariah describes a past incident where Captain Jaggery punished one of the crew for not tying a knot properly. “Captain Jaggery said Mr. Cranick’s laboring arm was his by rights. Miss Doyle, Mr. Cranick has but one arm now. He was that much beaten by Captain Jaggery, who, as he said himself, took the arm.”
  • Captain Jaggery shows Charlotte that he keeps guns in his cabin.
  • Charlotte describes Jaggery’s violent behavior. “If provoked sufficiently, the captain might resort to a push or a slap with his own open hand. . . I saw him strike Morgan with a belaying pin, one of the heavy wood dowels used to secure a rigging rope to the pin rail. In dismay, I averted my eyes. The fellow was tardy about reefing a sail, the captain said and went on to catalog further likely threats. Confinement in the brig. Salary docking. No meals. Lashing. Dunking in the cold sea or even keelhauling, which, as I learned, meant pulling a man from one side of the ship to the other – under water.”
  • Charlotte finds a gun in one of the crew member’s chests. Another man, Morgan, who catches her, threatens her so she won’t tell the captain. “He lifted a hand, extended a stiletto like a forefinger, and drew it across his own neck as if cutting A spasm of horror shot through me. He was – in the crudest way – warning me about what might happen to me if I took my discovery to the captain.”
  • Captain Jaggery kills a crew member, who tries to start a mutiny. “Captain Jaggery fired his musket. The roar was stupendous. The ball struck Cranick square in the chest. With a cry of pain and mortal shock he dropped his sword and stumbled backward into the crowd. They were too stunned to catch him, but instead leaped back so that Cranick fell to the deck with a sickening thud. He began to groan and thrash about in dreadful agony, blood pulsing from his chest and mouth in ghastly gushes.”
  • Captain Jaggery has Zachariah whipped for starting the unsuccessful mutiny. The first mate “turned Zachariah so that he faced into the shrouds, then climbed up into these shrouds and with a piece of rope bound his hands, pulling him so that the old man was all but hanging from his wrists, just supporting himself on the tips of his bare toes. . . I turned to look at Captain Jaggery. Only then did I see that he had a whip in his hands.”
  • Jaggery says that the first mate, Mr. Hollybrass, will give Zachariah 50 lashes. “Hollybrass lifted his arm and cocked it . . .with what appeared to be the merest flick of his wrist, the whip shot forward; its tails hissed through the air and spat against Zachariah’s back. The moment they touched the old man’s skin, four red welts appeared. . .” Hollybrass continues to whip Zachariah.
  • Charlotte begs the Captain to make it stop. When Captain Jaggery refuses, Charlotte whips him. “He took another step toward me. In a gesture of defense, I pulled up my arm, and so doing flicked the whip through the air, inflicting a cut across the captain’s face. For an instant a red welt marked him from his left cheek to his right ear. Blood began to ooze. . . When [Captain Jaggery] saw they were bloody he swore a savage oath, jumped forward and tore the whip from my hand, whirled about and began beating Zachariah with such fury as I had never seen.” Later, Charlotte sees the sailors dump a hammock overboard, which is said to contain Zachariah’s dead body.
  • After Charlotte joins the crew, Captain Jaggery punishes her. “He struck me across the face with the back of his hand, then turned and walked away.”
  • Charlotte finds Mr. Hollybrass’s body after he’s been killed. “A knife was stuck in his back, plunged so deeply only the scrimshaw handle could be seen. I recognized the design. . .This was the dirk Zachariah had given me.”
  • Charlotte is accused of murdering Mr. Hollybrass since the knife belongs to her. Captain Jaggery threatens to hang her if she can’t prove who killed him.
  • After Charlotte realizes that Captain Jaggery has killed Mr. Hollybrass, he chased her with a pistol to kill her. Jaggery chases Charlotte out to the bow, where he falls into the sea and drowns.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • One of the sailors, Morgan, has a tobacco pouch.

Language

  • Charlotte describes the sailors as “men recruited from the doormat of Hell.”
  • Captain Jaggery says that the men on the ship are unable to understand kindness. He says, “they demand a strong hand, a touch of the whip, like dumb beasts who require a little bullying.” He also calls the crew, “the dirtiest, laziest dogs” and “a poor set of curs.”
  • When Charlotte tells Jaggery that she suspects a mutiny, Jaggery says, “why the devil did you not tell me before?”
  • Captain Jaggery shouts, “damn you!” once.

Supernatural

  • Charlotte considers that Zachariah might’ve appeared to her as a ghost or an angel.

Spiritual Content

  • References to God, the Bible, and Heaven occur occasionally throughout the text. Captain Jaggery occasionally has a Bible with him, and a church service is held on the ship on Sundays, where Charlotte reads passages from the Bible to the crew. Captain Jaggery sometimes refers to himself as a Christian. “And was ever a Christian more provoked than I?”
  • Zachariah compares God to a ship’s captain. “When a ship is upon the sea, there’s but one who rules. As God is to his people, as king is to his nation, as father to his family, so is captain to his crew.”
  • After Cranick’s death, Zachariah wishes to give him a funeral, but Captain Jaggery wants him thrown overboard. Zachariah says, “Even a poor sinner such as he should have his Christian service.” Captain Jaggery replies, “I want that dog’s carcass thrown over.”
  • Charlotte feels responsible for what happened to the crew and Zachariah since she revealed their plot. She prays to God for forgiveness.
  • During Charlotte’s trial, each man swears on the Bible to tell the truth.
  • Zachariah tells Charlotte an old saying, “the Devil will tie any knot, save the hangman’s noose. That Jack does for himself.”

by Madison Shooter

Exile

Sophie is settling in nicely to her new home and her new life in the world of the lost cities. And it helps that living at Havenfield means getting to spend time with rare, precious species—including the first female Alicorn– who shows herself to Sophie and trusts only her.

Sophie is tasked with helping to train the magical creature so that the Alicorn can be revealed to the people of the lost cities as a sign of hope. Sophie wants to believe that the recent drama and anguish are gone for good.

But the secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memories remain, and before long, she’s back in incredible danger, risking everything to find the answers to questions that could save not only her life but the life of someone close to her…

From the first page, Exile jumps into action and takes the reader on an adventure through the elf’s world. The story focuses on the mystery of the Black Swan and Sophie’s unique talents—telepathy, teleportation, understanding all languages, and being able to perform a brain push. The intrigue around Sophie’s beginnings adds danger, suspense, and mystery. The moments between Sophie and her friends also give the story added depth as well as blush-worthy awkward boy scenes. As the narrator, Sophie draws the reader into her life and highlights the dangers of guilt. One councilman tells Sophie, “Guilt is a treacherous thing. It creeps in slowly, breaking you down bit by bit.”

Exile is extremely entertaining, but the complicated plot, the large cast of characters, and the political intrigue make Exile more suitable for strong, middle-school readers. Scenes between Sophie and a high-maintenance unicorn add humor and glitter to the story. Sophie’s friends—who don’t always get along with each other—give the story heart. The heartwarming conclusion leaves several questions unanswered, which will have readers reaching for the next book in the series, Everblaze. However, readers should be warned, that Sophie’s adventures will draw you into the action and leave you wanting to read every book in the series, which has 8.5 books (and counting).

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When a man sees Sophie’s family pendant, “He lunged for her. Sophie shrieked and tried to block him, but he pinned her shoulders to her chair with one arm while his other hand tore at her cape.” Sophie is scared, but not injured.
  • Fintan creates a fire. “Flashes of orange thrashed among the yellow flames, and Fintan stumbled to his feet, realizing they were the figures of his friends. . . All he could do was watch their agonized faces as the fire attacked. Then he dropped to his knees and vomited.”
  • While performing a brain push, Alden and Sophie are injured when “a wave of heat shot up Alden’s arm, burning Sophie’s hand. . .” Alden falls to the floor. “Alden lay unconscious, a large gash on his forehead streaking his face red.”
  • By using his power, Bronte inflicts pain on Sophie. “The harder Sophie tried to fight the heat, the hotter it burned. . . Sophie screamed and felt her body collapse as the searing heat raged through her mind like an inferno.” Sophie takes a serum that makes it so she “couldn’t feel, couldn’t think, just lay there and soaked up the freedom of being so light, so calm, so completely unburdened.”
  • A group of cloaked people throws a net over Sophie, Keefe, and the Alicorn. “Keefe aimed at the figure who was armed, but before he fired, one of the other figures nailed Keefe in the head with a rock. The melder slipped from his hand. . .” Keefe uses a throwing star and “the silver blades clipped the figures shoulder, tearing his cloak and making him drop his end of the net.” During the struggle, the Alicorn’s wing is broken.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Several times, Sophie is given serums called “Achey Break,” “Fade Fuel,” and another one called “Youth.” When she drinks the Achey Break, “it rushed through her like warm bubbles floating into all the places she’d felt sore.” The water had a special enzyme that helped keep everyone healthy.
  • Alden geos into an unconscious state and is given sedatives to keep him from thrashing.
  • When Sophie is upset, a healer gives her a “salty medicine.” After she takes it, “the room didn’t just become clearer—it became brighter. Lighter. Things weren’t so bad, really. How could they be when there was this cool rush racing through her, filling her with life and energy and lifting her higher. . .”
  • A dwarf gives Sophie a sedative so he can take her to a secret location.

Language

  • Other elves call Sophie a freak.
  • One of the council members calls Sophie’s adoptive parents “two of the world’s most scandalous misfits.” Later, a council member calls Sophie’s adoptive father an “insolent fool.”
  • Several times, a boy calls his brother an idiot.
  • One of Sophie’s friends asks, “Ugh, how do I apologize for being the hugest jerk ever?”

Supernatural

  • Sophie is an elf with many powers including teleportation and understanding all languages. In addition, “Sophie was the only Telepath who could track thoughts to their exact location—and the only one who could read the minds of animals.”
  • Sophie uses a “brain push” that allows her to channel “energy from her core into her legs” so she can run faster.
  • In the elf world, some elves use a crystal to “light leap” to another location. For example, Sophie “stepped into the light, letting the warmth swell under her skin like thousands of tickling feathers as the simmering rush swept her and the alicorn away.”
  • A spectral mirror has a girl in it. Sophie is told the mirror works because of “a clever bit of programming.”
  • Sophie’s adoptive mother, Edaline can “pull things out of thin air.”
  • Sophie’s adoptive father, Grady, is a Mesmer. He says, “I could make anyone do anything they needed. I could mesmerize the entire Council if I wanted to, make them sight any law into effect. I could make them all jump off a cliff if I felt like it.”
  • One of Sophie’s classmates says her special ability will “probably be a Guster like my dad. Controlling the wind—whoop-de-fricking-do.”
  • Dwarves mine a mineral called magsidian. “It has an inherent field that draws things to it, and you can change what it draws by how you carve it.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Maria and the Plague: A Black Death Survival Story

Years of bad weather and natural disasters have choked Italy’s food supply, and the people of Florence are dying of starvation. Breadlines are battlegrounds, and twelve-year-old Maria must fight for her family’s every loaf. Adding to the misery, the Black Death is rapidly spreading through the country, killing everyone in its path. Maria has already lost her mother and sister. Will she be strong enough to survive the challenges ahead of her?

Maria and the Plague educates readers about the challenges of living during the black plague. Maria mentions the death of her mother and baby sister; however, their deaths took place before the events in the story and are not described. But tragedy follows Maria’s family. When her father is infected, Maria says goodbye to him and then he goes off into the woods to die. With her father gone, Maria is not left alone for long. She soon meets up with a group of survivors and the adults willingly take Maria under their wing.

Even though the story tackles a difficult topic, the engaging tale describes the events in a kid-friendly manner. While Maria makes it clear that some of her loved ones will die, the actual deaths are not described. Although the story doesn’t go in-depth, it does include some interesting facts. For example, the song “Ring Around the Rosie” began during the plague. A “part of the song was about the rash that appeared on people’s skin. It was also about the flowers and herbs we carried near our faces to stop the smell of the sickness.”

Each chapter begins with the date and location, which makes it easy for readers to follow the events which take place between April 13, 1347 and September 10, 1348. Black and white illustrations appear every 7 to 10 pages. The book ends with a note from the author that describes some of her thoughts while writing the story. There is also a glossary, and three questions about the story.

Maria and the Plague will help readers understand the events that revolve around the black plague. Readers will connect to Maria because she is a relatable character who loves her family. Throughout Maria’s ordeal, she shows determination, bravery, and compassion for others. Maria and the Plague is a fast-paced story that will entertain as it educates. Readers who enjoy historical fiction should also check out the Imagination Station Series by Marianne Hering & Paul McCusker.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While Maria was in line for bread, “two people behind me started arguing over who got there first. Their raised voices turned into blows.”
  • After leaving the breadline, a man stops Maria and demands her food. “He wrenched my arm and grabbed for my bag. I kicked him, hard, and ran. As I sped away, I heard his heavy steps pounding after me.”
  • An old woman, who was carrying a basket, walks by Maria’s house. “Two men ran up to her. One of them grabbed her and held her tight. The other wrestled the basket from her hands. . . The men shoved her to the ground.”
  • A group of men tries to steal Maria’s bag. Her dog, Speranza, “launched herself at him. Her jaws clamped down hard on his leg. The thin man howled in pain.” A group of adults intervenes, and the men leave.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • A man calls Maria’s dog a “stupid mutt.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Maria’s father says that the plague will not kill any of their family because “The saints will protect us.” Maria’s brother disagrees saying, “The saints are in heaven, not on Earth. We mustn’t rely on them.”
  • As Maria and her Papa are leaving the city, they are “forced to step around the bodies in the road. I [Maria] tried to say a prayer for each person I saw, but I soon lost my voice.”

 

 Dog Heroes

When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #18: Dogs in the Dead of Night, they had lots of questions. How do St. Bernards help find avalanche survivors? Who are some of the most famous war dog heroes? What breeds make good service dogs? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.

The book includes information on the evolution of dogs, how dogs help search and rescue people, and famous dog heroes. Each chapter is broken into small sections that end in an infographic that explains dog families, how service dogs help humans, and other dog-related topics. Almost every page has a picture or illustration. The book includes historical pictures of the dog and the people they have helped. Black and white illustrations also show the dogs in action. Jack’s and Annie’s pictures appear next to photos along with information about the picture.

Dog Heroes is packed full of information on how dogs help humans, starting with the first human and dog relationships. The story contains many examples of how dogs have helped saved people throughout history. While many of the dog stories are inspirational, readers will have a difficult time keeping track of all of the dogs mentioned in the book. However, if readers are looking for a topic to use for research, Dog Heroes would be an excellent starting point. The end of the book lists nonfiction books about dog heroes and explains how to research.

Dog Heroes will appeal to every dog lover and teach about famous dogs in history. The book interestingly presents historical information and gives information about the dogs in Dogs in the Dead of Night, a Magic Tree House book. Dog Heroes is packed full of historical information that is fun to read. Even though the content is appropriate for younger readers, they may need help with the advanced vocabulary. Dog Heroes would be an excellent book to use for researching dogs, but it also contains inspirational stories about specific dogs in history.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Chapter 3 explains how dogs helped during 9/11. Omar was in the World Trade Center when a plane crashed into it. “Suddenly Omar heard a huge booming sound. Glass shattered, fires broke out, and the building began to crack and sway. Terrified people huddled in their offices. . . The ash-covered survivors looked like ghosts as they staggered down the sidewalk.”
  • Soldiers also need service dogs. “After Roland Paquette was injured in Afghanistan in 2004, he really needed help. He lost both legs due to an explosion.”
  • During World War II, Chip helped soldiers who were “pinned down and couldn’t move. . . Chip rushed directly to the spot where Italian gunners were firing. In an instant, Chip dragged one of the men out of his hiding place. Three other men followed with their hands up in the air.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter

Isabel Feeney is one of the few newsgirls working in 1920s Chicago during the era of guns and gangsters. Every day, while she sells copies of the Tribune, she dreams of being a journalist like her hero, the famous crime reporter Maud Collier. So when Isabel stumbles upon a murder scene on her own street corner, she’s determined to solve the case.

Who murdered mobster Charles “The Bull” Bessemer? Was it his beautiful fiancée, Miss Giddings, whose fingerprints were found on the gun? A jealous husband? Or Bessemer’s associate, Al Capone? As Isabel tracks down clues, she finds herself working alongside Maude, who is covering the case.

But as Isabel gets closer to discovering who killed a gangster, someone becomes determined to silence her, too.

Readers will quickly fall in love with Isabel, who is intelligent, observant, and determined to solve the murder mystery. As Isabel follows the clues, she meets several possible suspects and her snooping often gets her into trouble. Along the way, Isabel meets two new friends, Flora and Robert. These friendships add interest because Flora’s family are gangsters, and Robert has a physical disability due to polio.

Even though the fast-paced story takes readers into the violent world of Chicago, none of the crimes are described in gory detail. Instead, Isabel’s journey focuses on finding the true killer by meeting the people in the prime suspect’s life. Isabelle’s new friends include the dead man’s daughter, a famous female reporter, and a police detective. As Isabel searches the city, readers will get a look at Murderess’s Row—a wing of the Cook County Jail.

Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter will appeal to both mystery and history fans. Despite Isabel’s good intentions, she often speaks without thinking and gets herself into potentially dangerous situations. As Isabel follows the clues, she writes them in a notebook, which helps the reader keep track of all the clues. Even though the story is written from Isabel’s point of view, all of the characters are uniquely interesting and well-developed. The conclusion wraps up all of the story threads and will leave the reader smiling. Readers who love a mystery that revolves around a plucky heroine should add The Friday Barnes Series by R.A. Spratt to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • After a man is murdered, Isabel is the first person on the scene. The man is “stretched out on the snow, bleeding.” Isabel sees “a puddle of blood near his ear.”
  • Isabel tells a detective, “I’ve had way worse fights with the kid next door—pounded him—but it doesn’t mean I’d kill him.”
  • Isabel thinks about her dad’s death and wonders, “if my father had suffered, like from poison gas the Germans had used, or if he’d gone quickly, like from a bullet. Or if it had been really horrible, from a bayonet.”
  • A reporter tells Isabel, “I’ve trudged through the ash-covered remains of big fires. And waded into the river to get a better look when a corpse was being dredged out. And of course, I’ve stepped over bodies, sometimes several at once, because this is a violent city.”
  • A gangster is called the Nose because his nose got shot off.
  • Isabel mentions how “Mrs. Harq had bumped off her dentist husband . . .”
  • The newspaper has an article about how “Marty Durkin, who’d killed a federal agent in Chicago, had finally been caught after leading police on a wild-goose chase over America.”
  • While walking down an alley, someone hits Isabel over the head. She “stumbled on something—right before everything went black.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Al Capone is mentioned several times. “As everybody in Chicago—even kids—knew, Al Capone was a very dangerous man who’d made millions of dollars selling alcohol, which was illegal because of Prohibition.”
  • Isabel passes a speakeasy. “Secret places where men and women went to listen to jazz music and drink bootleg alcohol, away from the police—until the parties got raided.”

Language

  • Heck, darn, and jeez are used occasionally.
  • Isabel thinks that her friend is a witch.
  • A man calls Isabel a “brat” and a “lying little monster.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

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