Reviewed by Samantha Hui

A fairy tale where the true magic lies in the possibilities of the human spirit

The Girl Who Came Back to Life, by Craig Philip Staufenberg, transforms the question of what it means to live when everything is falling apart into a layered middle grade fairy tale that reads as both adventure and allegory.

Though filled with danger and loss, the book is ultimately about hope, forgiveness, and the ways grief can act as both a mask for denial and a tool for acceptance. Staufenberg leans into the myth-making tradition of fairy tales so that Sophie’s struggles resonate beyond her individual story. Readers who enjoy darker, more reflective fairytales will find themselves drawn to Sophie’s world. It’s a book that speaks not only to youth but also to older audiences who appreciate stories with moral and emotional depth.

“You must join the steady stream of mourners who pour north at all times to Send their loved ones, unwilling to let their dead wander forever through the cold.”

The novel follows Sophie, a twelve-year-old girl navigating a dangerous world after devastating loss leaves her unmoored. In this world, when someone dies, their spirit wakes in the City of the Dead, where they remain until a cherished loved one Sends them off with a heartfelt goodbye.

But when Sophie’s parents die suddenly, she refuses to let them go. Instead of Sending them, she concocts a plan to travel to the City of the Dead herself and bring them back. Left in the care of her estranged grandmother, Sophie’s complicated relationship with the old woman becomes one of the novel’s central tensions. As she ventures north, Sophie encounters mobs of mourners, desperate travelers, soldiers, and strangers who reveal both the cruelty and the kindness that emerge in times of crisis. These encounters slowly transform Sophie’s understanding of herself and of what it means to say goodbye.

“She showed her granddaughter the delusions people paint over their own eyes to avoid the devastation of loss, of all loss, of any loss, especially those small hits that wound the pride more than the purse.”

What makes the novel so powerful is Staufenberg’s style. His prose is simple yet resonant, echoing the cadences of classic fairy tales while grounding the narrative in very human emotions. At moments, his sentences are clipped and urgent, heightening the sense of danger; at others, they swell into lyrical rhythms that capture grief, longing, and fragile hope. His use of metaphor lends the story the weight of myth, making Sophie’s journey feel timeless while still accessible to middle grade readers.

“Some said the spirits of the dead killed you themselves if you met them with an insincere heart. And still others said the lost ones had chosen to leave with their loved ones, willingly leaving this world behind in favor of the next.”

If the book falters at all, it may be in its pacing. Early chapters return again and again to cycles of hunger, escape, and temporary relief, which may feel repetitive for some readers. Yet this repetition is intentional, mirroring Sophie’s own relentless struggle to survive. Likewise, some chapters are remarkably short, sometimes less than a page long, which can make the story feel fragmented. But these brief chapters also echo the rhythm of a journey broken into small steps, and for many readers, the structure will deepen rather than weaken the experience, immersing them more fully in Sophie’s world.

“When she lived, my daughter brought pain to my heart. After she died, she became a persistent wound I couldn’t heal.”

By the end, Staufenberg’s fairy tale leaves readers both weary and uplifted, as though they have walked Sophie’s long journey themselves. The Girl Who Came Back to Life immerses us in questions of love, grief, and acceptance while never losing its sense of wonder. It is a fairy tale in the truest sense: not about spells or enchantments, but about the human capacity to endure, to let go, and to find meaning in loss.

Thank you for reading Samantha Hui’s book review of The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Philip Staufenberg! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Samantha Hui

A delightful mix of historical, fantastical, and adventurous

Stories are rarely just stories. They are tradition and history and even promises. Forgotten Oath reminds readers of the power of the stories they hear and the stories they decide to make.

Dorothea Buckingham’s novel plants a seed of Hawaiian history, nourishing and watering it with her imagination and creative storytelling, and readers get to see it bloom into a fun and insightful story.

“‘Swirl your sponge gently and be respectful of the dead.’”

Fourteen-year-old Noah and his cousin Blaise are out on a class trip at a cemetery to commemorate the dead and clean off the old and forgotten headstones. Noah is mysteriously assigned a headstone for someone named Lopaka Aiona who lived during the 1800s and was stated to have either been captured or disappeared at age fourteen. 

After stealing a pouch he found near the headstone, Noah is transported to 1800s Hawaii and set on a quest to prove Lopaka’s innocence in a murder trial. Bouncing back and forth between his present day and 1800s Hawaii, Noah learns about the importance of storytelling, tradition, and family. 

“Horror movie! I’m in a horror movie: Blaise blabbing to Frank about my grandmother’s ghost stories. Check. Bad luck with a blinding gust of wind. Check. Getting banished to a creepy part of the cemetery. Check. And then there was Shaggy.”

This book is ambitious and wildly creative. I love that the story doesn’t spend too much time trying to convince the characters that it’s possible for Noah to travel back in time or and to see ghosts. We move quickly past the fantastical aspects of the story and are able to more clearly focus on the tightly turning plot. 

Noah is trying to clear the name of Lopaka by finding out who the real killer is. In the present, he acts as a historian and researcher to uncover new knowledge of past events; in the past, he acts as detective and action hero, questioning the parties involved and running away from bad guys.

“‘Back then, it took years for letters to go back and forth between Honolulu and London. Finally, after the British decided that rather than shipping Douglas’s body home, he should remain in Honolulu, they sent a headstone for his grave. But, like I said, unfortunately, no one knew where it was.’”

With so much excitement going on, the book sometimes misses out on building up the plot events and connecting the characters. The book achieves a lot in under 100 pages: Noah uses his funny internal voice, replete with memorable Hawaiian terms, to tell a story with a fantastical, adventurous plot. I enjoyed the story so much, but sometimes I did wish for more character details and histories, especially early on.

“Mom said all the ‘old way stories’ were good for just that: stories. And until that morning, I had agreed with her.”

The book at its heart is about legacy and the impact of storytelling. Without passing down family and cultural stories to the younger generations, they may not be prepared for the task at hand. Forgotten Oath is sure to captivate young audiences and prompt older audiences to consider what stories they would like to pass down. 

Thank you for reading Samantha Hui’s book review of Forgotten Oath by Dorothea N. Buckingham! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Warren Maxwell

Rich in crooked schemes and youthful hijinks, this noir-tinged sequel returns to a band of memorable depression-era street orphans as they investigate a Nazi plot.

Betrayal, malaise, and the simple exhaustion of being the underdog challenge Lewis and his band of friends as they try to reveal corruption hidden in plain sight. Humor and playful dialogue act as a fun countervailing force to this more emotional second installment of the Flash Gang series.

“It was briskly cold, a silty drizzle falling. At the corner of Bigelow and Brereton, Duck had taken up Pearl’s habit of pacing and was currently circling both her and Lewis while they hunkered down on the curb eating the Ritz crackers that had made up last night’s dinner and this morning’s breakfast.”

Beginning in a damp abandoned factory that serves as the Flash Gang’s hideout, Treasonous Tycoon finds the orphans laying low through the harsh Pittsburgh winter as they try to collect evidence to prove that one of Pittsburgh’s biggest philanthropists is also a rabid Nazi sympathizer. With their stomaches empty, the case running cold, and optimism flagging, a series of uncanny events flush new urgency into their investigation. Rumors about streeter kids going missing are in the air, an arch rival is released from jail, and old family members unexpectedly come knocking. 

“Lewis stared, dumbfounded. It really was Pearl. Pearl, wearing an odd assortment of clothing that was half newly purchased and half old streeter garb. Pearl, carrying a shopping bag that was in danger of disintegrating in the rain. 

Pearl, who’d just called him Lewis.”

This book skillfully avoids the many pitfalls possible in a second installment by setting the stage for new and returning readers alike—a good standalone novel and a satisfying addition. Fans of the first book will find reality sinking in and old friendships complicated by mixed loyalties and the strains of growing up. Those discovering the Flash Gang for the first time will be swept up in a compelling tangle of mysteries and overlapping schemes. Why is a steel baron receiving secret orders for food and building maintenance through a newspaper stand? What does this have to do with his henchmen beating up protestors in the streets? And how can four children and an assortment of their eccentric friends get to the bottom of it?

“Pearl turned her brilliant smile on Lewis and Lewis grinned back. He knew she understood. Since they’d discovered, together, that Lewis’s father was more than just missing, that he’d been murdered at the behest of Pickering, she had al- ways been very respectful of his feelings.”

Rushing between labor protests and newspaper offices, Lewis and Pearl retain the first book’s zest and comedic dialogue while pairing it with a deeper sense of history and emotional need. Downing and Waugh are adept at contrasting the lightheartedness of youth with its extreme need for care and attention. When Pearl’s father makes a sudden appearance, the clash between her duty to the case and the need for parental love threatens the Flash Gang and sends its members spiraling in different directions. Within these conflicts, Lewis’ introspection and emotional turmoil is rendered in organic prose. Stepping into his mind, the book captures a realistic portrait of a twelve-year-old boy finding his place in the world.

“Lewis was awakened by a huge raindrop splatting on the tip of his nose, which he immediately and unfortunately in- haled, and then he had to spend the next minutes alternately sneezing and blowing his nose on the corner of his blanket, as Pearl wasn’t there to produce one of her all-purpose handkerchiefs.”

Like the first in the series, this book achieves a marvelous synthesis of emotional life and riveting storytelling. Characters are alive and vital, humor splashes each page, and the truthful frustrations of being young and overlooked are palpable. 

Thank you for reading Warren Maxwell’s book review of Treasonous Tycoon (The Adventures of the Flash Gang, 2) by M.M. Downing & S.J. Waugh! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Kathy L. Brown

Laura’s new town is cursed in ways both obvious and hidden. Can she solve the mystery behind the dangers, or must she remain trapped in Deluge forever?

In Deluge: The People That Melt in the Rain, a stranger comes to town. Yet it’s the town itself that’s strange; the new girl, Laura, appears to be perfectly normal. Laura and her mom move to Deluge for a new, perhaps too-good-to-be true, job. 

But they are immediately confronted by a frog-infested rain shower, a wonderful opening scene for the graphic novel. It strikes Laura as odd that the residents regard this event as more of a bother than a remarkable occurrence.

Most Deluge people are nice enough, and Laura is quickly befriended by an elderly neighbor and Kevin, a boy about her own age. With their guidance, Laura learns the day-to-day reality of survival in this cursed town. After a disastrous company picnic, Laura shares some thoughts with her new friend. “In Seattle I used to love to stand in the rain…but here it’s all frogs and acid.” To which Kevin replies, “Just frogs and acid?”

But the “why” of it all entices Laura to sleuthing, especially when she learns that people don’t (that is, can’t) leave. This means she won’t see her father back in Seattle again unless she solves the mystery of Deluge. 

The story effectively mingles Laura’s narrative with that of a woman traveling through Deluge at another time, a parallel tale that soon intertwines with Laura’s plotline. Olmec legends and lore are introduced, specifically “The Jaguar Child,” and we suspect this information will grow in importance in future volumes of this graphic novel.

Laura is a great protagonist for middle grade readers: a bit of a loner, independent, and inquisitive. She can make friends, but won’t sacrifice her individuality just to fit in. Deluge handles the tropes of the middle grade category well: a single parent struggling with life’s practical issues, a mentoring elder who has time for a child, and a trusty sidekick. Even hints of a mysterious cat friend. Laura’s goals and needs center around her family and friends: dealing with the separation from her father, making friends, and finding her place in this new town, but the immense threat of the setting amplifies all her problems. 

Deluge’s illustrations are phenomenal. The drawings are realistic, with palettes ranging from muted to colorful, depending on the needs of the narrative. A variety of point-of-view angles and panel styles support the story events they portray. 

Deluge will appeal to readers young and old, both for its interesting story, appealing characters with real problems, supernatural and mysterious aspects, and beautiful graphics. I can’t wait to follow Laura and Kevin in their future Deluge investigations!

Thank you for reading Kathy L. Brown’s book review of Deluge by Carolyn Watson Dubisch & Mike Dubisch! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Samantha Hui

A young girl gains the voice to speak up and the courage to save her town

Broken promises sprinkled into tea. Creatures that feed on fleeting thoughts. Curse eating eels. Magic Beyond the Mark invites audiences into a world in which our feelings and fears are made tangible.

“‘Magic can be very specific, mostly because people believe what they want. Magic just pushes us along.’”

In the world of Emily Swiers’ Magic Beyond the Mark, people develop soul marks above their heads typically at the young age of three or four. These soul marks are usually nature based such as sand, clouds, or branches. Accompanying the soul marks are quirks, which are subtle supernatural abilities such as making pastries that always taste like the eater’s favorite flavor or the ability to keep plants alive for longer than other people possibly could. 5th grade is hard enough on its own, but when Dorianne remains the only 5th grader without a soul mark or a quirk, she enlists the help of the mysterious boy in her class, Silis Madden, to bring out her soul mark. 

“She had never heard of anyone having a soul mark resembling the moon. Marks were typically nature-based, like flowers, plants, rocks, and weather patterns.”

While Dorianne initially reached out to Silis with the hopes of no longer feeling like the weird kid without a mark, she quickly changes her motivations when seemingly out of nowhere she begins seeing odd creatures and objects that no one else can see. Additionally, her mother’s controlling boyfriend has become increasingly hostile. In speaking more with Silis and his parents, she learns that there exists an alternate world, Eram, that has developed a crack where creatures are sneaking or yanked over to the other side. With the help of Silis and her best friend, Celia, Dorianne is on the mission to fix the darkness that has taken over her town. 

“‘It’s easier that way.’ Easier because the Maddens didn’t need to explain the existence of another world, easier because people conjured their own stories and beliefs, what was the point in trying to explain what no one could see?”

While the story is fantastical and much time is spent worldbuilding, the magical elements are used thoughtfully to teach a younger audience about loneliness, individuality, and abuse. For example, Dorianne’s mother’s boyfriend, Benjamin seems obviously controlling and judgmental, yet Dorianne’s mother doesn’t seem to notice any of these behaviors. This can be confusing for children, but this book uses magic to explain the complex concept that sometimes people believe what they want to believe, and that it then becomes their truth.

“His sand at that moment was erratic, pulsing static beats, stabbed through the sand around his head. She had never seen someone’s mark react so unsteadily with curved eyes and a smile. The sand wasn’t happy so why did he wear a happy mask?”

Magic Beyond the Mark begins as a magical realism narrative and transitions into a fully fledged fantasy adventure story. Young audiences are sure to relate to the common problems that distress the 5th graders in this story while also enjoying the worldbuilding it has to offer. Be prepared to be charmed by a cottage core house that expands and shrinks based on the needs of the inhabitants while also frightened by the hidden intentions some people bear in this imaginative book. 

Thank you for reading Samantha Hui’s book review of Magic Beyond the Mark by Emily Swiers! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Audrey Davis

An endearing story of a brave boy willing to go to great lengths for his biggest secret

More than anything, Nick Townley, a curious, creative 11-year-old with a passion for superheroes, longs for connection after the loss of his great-grandfather. His parents pressure him to excel in school, sports, and to make more friends his own age. But Nick prefers visiting and caring for his great-grandfather’s elderly friends and writing superhero comics. 

When thieves threaten his father’s job and a cross-country move seems on the horizon, Nick decides to become his own hero/vigilante to see if he can stop the thieves, stop his family’s drastic move, and keep his secret promise to Great Gramp: looking after the $237,000 he left him.

Sandy Grubb’s debut does not disappoint. This well-paced & engaging story allows readers to become a member of the Black Butte community through Nick’s eyes and to interact with the diverse set of characters as he does. Nick’s desire to emulate the heroes he dreams of and writes about fuels his actions and ultimately teaches him that new friendships and defending his true interests can be superpowers of their own. 

“A guy’s gotta be who a guy’s gotta be.”

It’s important for children to express their interests at every age, and while athletics are a good outlet, imagination, art, and creativity outside of a classroom setting are vital as well. Nick’s parents choose extracurricular activities for him based on what they feel would work best for him, or what they personally are interested in, but oftentimes Nick finds himself feeling that “[i]t stopped being fun years ago,” and it clearly affects his thoughts and actions, as well as his relationship with his parents.

“Is it asking too much to be in charge of my own life?”

Nick’s love for drawing, art, and superheroes is very important to him, and despite his parents’ reluctance to accept these, he is unwilling to sacrifice the things he loves. As a result, he clings to them tighter; going so far as to sneak out of the house for his hero duties and to paint directly on his bedroom wall in response to his father’s removal of his hero posters, finally prompting his parents to re-evaluate their initial judgements.

I might have liked to know a little bit more about Nick’s plans for his great-grandfather’s money, such as if he plans to tell his parents about it eventually, or if he plans to use it for more hero-related “missions.” $237,000 is a substantial sum of money for one person to unexpectedly receive in cash, especially an 11-year-old. Nick seems very responsible and trustworthy however, knowing he shouldn’t use the cash for frivolous things. 

This story is full of exciting and sometimes dangerous escapades throughout, and it leaves readers with a clear, positive message. Things may not always work out as planned, and sometimes they may fail completely, but having enough bravery to try to fight for yourself goes a long way. Anybody can make their own bit of “superhero magic” to share with the friends we value, no matter how small.

“I don’t know if this is what Great Gramp had in mind, but that black hole that swallowed me when he died now has a little light at the top.”

Thank you for reading Audrey Davis’s book review of Just Like Click by Sandy Grubb! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Warren Maxwell

In this coming of age fantasy, two young brothers travel from World War Two ravaged London to a dangerous world of dragons, pirates, and family secrets.

Hidden on an island in the Atlantic, dragons, mermen, gargoyles, and witches have maintained a peaceful existence for centuries. When a malevolent force begins threatening this bucolic existence, it falls on Luke and Nick—the youngest members of an ancient, dragon-blooded family—to protect the island. The Brothers Dragon is the thrilling tale of how these young boys find themselves in the process of helping their family.

“Luke felt his shoulders hunch up to his ears as he got to his feet and yanked on the pants. He hated this feeling, the sensation that the ceiling could crumble in on them at any second.” 

With Germany’s bombardment of London picking up, and their father away at war, eleven-year-old Luke and seven-year-old Nick are sent west to stay with an uncle they’ve never met. But when they discover strange maps, references to a land called Draksmore, and a tree house built of stone in the forbidden forest they find that their Uncle Bilok’s home is not the haven they had expected. Together, they quickly break their Uncle Bilok’s rules and find themselves in a world where the fantasy’s from Nick’s favorite books are real.

“‘Sometimes being brave doesn’t mean no longer being afraid. Sometimes it means choosing to do something even when we’re terrified to do so.’”

Finding themselves in their ancestral castle under the tutelage of their father’s two brothers, Nick and Luke are forced to grow up quickly. These uncles, with their strange colored eyes, initiate the boys into centuries-old mysteries as Luke’s twelfth birthday and the castle’s quincentennial approach. Hovering in the background, rumors of stray German U-boats and pirates with spying crows weigh down the boys excitement at the magic all around them. When suspicions rise inside of the castle, they have to take matters into their own hands.

“Nick,” Luke gasped. “It’s straight out of one of your books!”

From the very beginning, an electric pace and compassionate understanding of character makes this story utterly captivating. Baker expertly leads her Luke and Nick through their journey, delicately matching their burgeoning inner growth with its outward narrative display. There are celebratory heroics but also sobering moments of defeat. As the older brother, Luke’s self-reflection on his responsibility to his brother, his embodiment of the parental role, is poignant and deeply felt. The shifting balance between childish exuberance and world-weary maturity is a marvel to watch. 

Readers of all ages will be swept up in by the captivating prose, gripping plot, and the easy way that each of Baker’s character appears fully formed and relatable from the start. Each chapter smoothly shades into the next with an almost inexorable sense of fate leading the whole book forwards. As the tension rose and the surprising conclusion approached, I was incapable of putting the book down. Thankfully, the ending suggests more are coming!

Extraordinarily fun and readable, The Brothers Dragon is a formidable new middle grade novel.

Thank you for reading Warren Maxwell’s book review of The Brothers Dragon by J.F. Baker! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Samantha Hui

Love, happiness, and reindeer games! Santa Claus: The Beginning is a fresh reimagining of children’s favorite gift giver.

“Santa is not a what. Santia is a who, and Santa is you. You’ll be known as Santa Claus. It’s a name which means to give freely and lovingly.”

Santa Claus: The Beginning is a reimagining of how the well-known, all-seeing gift giver came to be such. Terry Broxson’s story of Santa Claus takes us through the childhood of the boy who would become Santa Claus and the first two years in his role as Father Christmas. The book is about friendship, kindness, and love. We learn that normal people who have so much to offer the world can be destined for greatness. 

“I get a picture in my mind of what I want to carve. I then hold the wood in my hand, and I can feel the image in the wood. It’s as if lines are created on the wood for my knife to follow.”

In 1820 Boston, Massachusetts, a master toy maker adopts two young orphans with the goal of mentoring them to be toy makers just like himself. Rudolph Stern taught Benjamin Timmons and John Nicholas all that he knew, and made sure they were educated in math, reading, and geography as well. As John grew older, his mentor and his best friend passed away, leaving him to take care of the toy shop. Through his kindness, expertise in toy making, and leadership, John Nicholas is tasked with training elves, reigning in reindeer, and creating joy for children around the world. 

“Behold the toy shop for the world’s children. John, you’re not dreaming, but your head still might hurt with all you have to do.”

The book follows John Nicholas as he navigates the role of Santa Claus in his first two years. We see the successes and pitfalls of his first year as Santa as well as how John prepares for an even better second year. The book is firstly about the creation of Santa Claus and secondly about the budding romance between John and the North Pole castle manager, Jessica. Though the two are destined to become Mr. and Mrs. Claus, it is sweet to see how they grow fond of each other’s personalities and strengths before they get married. Part one is about preparations for Christmas, and part two is about preparations for the wedding ceremony; with a focus on both, we see how Santa Claus and marriage are symbols of hope, magic, and love.

“Prancer told me there’s a young reindeer who has a shiny nose. It sort of glows. The other reindeer make fun of him, but not Prancer.”

The Napoleonic Wars led Rudolph Stern to move to Boston and eventually mentor John Nicholas. The soon to be Mrs. Claus was once the ward of Queen Victoria’s mother. A composition by Beethoven is performed at Mr. and Mrs. Claus’s wedding. There are many times throughout this book that reality and fantasy meet. These historical moments sometimes feel out of place and pull me away from the magic of the story, but for some, it could be a good way to introduce kids to historical figures and events. Vibrant and sometimes silly illustrations intersperse the text of this short book too.

“John, there’s nothing more positive than making kids happy. There’s no happier time of year than Christmas. Your mission’s one of the most positive things to occur in many years.”

This book is a great introduction of Santa Claus, filled with historical context and just just the right amount of whimsy and fantasy to get you in the spirit as the air begins to crisp.

Thank you for reading Samantha Hui’s book review of Santa Claus: The Beginning by Terry Broxson! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Elena Bellaart

 A spunky young girl and her grumpy guardian must learn to trust their instincts and identify a demon in disguise.

Eleven-year-old Pingzi Po is no ordinary little girl. She is a demon queller, responsible for identifying demons at work throughout the kingdom of the Far East and helping those they may be possessing. Her friend and guardian, a Northlander named Benzel, is one such case. Readers quickly learn that, in a previous installment of the series, Pingzi quelled the demon that had been possessing Benzel, freeing him and beginning their friendship. The relationship between small, curious Pingzi and looming, serious Benzel is one of The Dragon Garden’s most enjoyable elements; this unlikely pair makes a fun and often sweet team. 

A member of the royal Po family, Pingzi’s work has alienated her from her mother and sisters, who see demon quelling as an inappropriate vocation for a woman. In fact, Pingzi is the first female demon queller in history, and as such is protected from the fate most girls in the kingdom fear—being captured by a man and forced into marriage. 

But her role and the privileges it affords her are threatened when a man from a distant province writes the emperor to report the behaviors of a demon in his village, claiming to be a demon queller himself. The journey to investigate these claims and quell the demon leads Pingzi and Benzel to distant reaches of the kingdom, where they encounter a new cast of characters including the Dragon Men and a healer named Tong Shenzong. While the search for the demon does not go as planned, Tong Shenzong and the Dragon Men teach Pingzi valuable lessons about mindfulness, healing, and the power of using one’s own breath. 

Pingzi is a strong protagonist, and the novel uses her as a tool for exploring the power of young girls despite social expectations. Some of the most compelling portions of the novel see Pingzi thinking seriously about what it means to wield privilege in society and how to handle that privilege responsibly. Pingzi is able to navigate most problems she encounters with ease by invoking her royal bloodline. 

In the second half of the novel, however, when a common family denies her access to their home despite her claims to nobility, things become more interesting. Pingzi’s anger flares and she experiences a momentary desire to see the family punished, a thought which quickly makes her “feel as if she were turning into a demon herself.” This moment smartly conveys the complexity of making moral judgments, especially in the context of unequal political and social power. 

While the novel’s conceptual and moral explorations are intriguing, the plot and character development sometimes flag. Much of Pingzi’s search for the demon is conveyed through summary, and conversations between characters can take place at a highly formal register, missing some opportunities for conveying deeper connections or more complex characterization. The novel’s setting in the fictional kingdom of the “Far East” seems to be inspired by historical China, and some characters and the political dynamics may be portrayed somewhat one-dimensionally.

The novel’s exploration of mindfulness and breath work is both surprising and welcome. The emphasis on Pingzi’s use of these tools in her search for the demon is a helpful theme for young readers who may suffer from anxiety and lack the resources to manage it alone. 

Overall, this is a creative and unexpected exploration of both the struggles and the possibilities girls experience as they learn to navigate the world and trust themselves. 

Thank you for reading Elena Bellaart’s book review of The Dragon Brothers by Resa Nelson! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Alexandria Ducksworth

Whatever kind of literary magic Michael Rodney Moore has composed, it’s working!

There’s something about southern mystery that brings out a childlike wonder. The Mystery Next Door becomes addictive when Moore brings out old tales of piracy and long-lost treasure. It’s the type of adventure one would recognize from movies such as The Goonies (1985) and Tom & Huck (1995). Whose inner child didn’t wish they could find secret treasure in their own backyard?

Moore’s book begins with young Zoey Morganton as she moves into a small town with her mother in North Carolina. It isn’t long until she learns about the mysterious plantation not too far from her home: Oak Harbor. The house is covered with many secrets, ranging from a crazed slaveowner to a secret pirate treasure. Zoey can’t help her growing curiosity as she finds herself exploring Oak Harbor. There’s more to the plantation and the original owner’s history than she realizes.

One of the most captivating aspects of The Mystery Next Door is its exploration of Oak Harbor’s history. Moore delves into the complex dynamics of the 19th-century South, addressing topics such as slavery and the Civil War without it being too much for younger readers. 

As Zoey Morganton delves deeper into the history of Oak Harbor, readers are treated to an alluring journey through time. Readers become engaged with the golden age of piracy and life in the South (before and after the Civil War). Although the characters in these times are fictional, it does provoke educational interest as Moore’s research shines through the pages.

When it comes to most history stories, a stark black-and-white contrast is portrayed of the good and bad guys. Slaveowners during the Civil War era are usually portrayed as absolute villains (and with good reason); most of them did not treat their slaves with much respect. But when Zoey discovers the history of Oak Harbor’s first owner, it sheds a new light. Readers will discover that there can also be a hidden motive.

The Mystery Next Door is a fun & delightful read. Middle school readers who are exploring the American South in other classes and those who relish in satisfying mysteries and adventure are going to love this story. Moore has a way of making history interesting and immediate, bringing it to life with hidden diaries and strong characterization. We tend to think of history one way, rarely thinking it could be another. Then a book like this comes along.

Thank you for reading Alexandria Ducksworth’s book review of The Mystery Next Door by Michael Rodney Moore! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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