Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For a MS book, 5 stars. Quick read. As an adult, I wish there were plot and some other things, but this is a quick read and great for kids. I could see how it would lead to wanting to read more, which is is so important. It also did make me reflect on getting in my own way and what that means and looks like.
What a lovely middle grade fantasy book this is! It packs a lot of punch into its 150 pages-magical creatures, shorter chapters, pictures sprinkled throughout, young kids coming into their own. It’s a great book for those students who are ready to jump into chapter books. I’ll be recommending it to lots of students, especially since it’s part of the 2024 Texas Bluebonnet list.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cute book. I can see why my kids like it so much.
What a unique adventure! Plum is learning what it takes to be a Guardian…if she can pass the first test! This adventure has mashup creatures, a lush setting, and friendship. I am looking forward to seeing what else Plum gets up to!
This book has a lot of fun fantasy elements that feel fresh and interesting. The main character Plum faces a lot of relatable, real life challenges and handles them with grace. I love the length here — it’s high fantasy but it’s also less than 200 pages with pictures breaking up the text. There aren’t too many shorter length books like this, making it perfect for readers that may be intimidated by longer fantasy books (the content is also light enough for younger readers!).
I understand why so many people love and enjoy Christina Soontornvat! The writing, the world building, the character development are all fun. While I did mark this as a middle grade read, it's perfect for a younger middle grade audience (ages 8-9).
The Guardian Test is the first book in Soontornvat's newest fantasy series that features a young girl by the name of Plum who get's accepted into the Guardian Academy on Lotus Island after her grandfather applies on her behalf. Plum and her friends go through an extensive training process to learn how to transform into their respective Guardian aka magical creatures who are meant to protect the natural world. While there, Plum faces various types of ups and downs while engaging in some mind blowing training activities.
What Worked: Like many reviewers have stated before me, it's nice to see a middle grade fantasy series that's gauged at the younger end of the spectrum. A lot of middle grade fantasy books are tomes and can be intimidating for younger readers who are just transitioning out of chapter books. This has all of the elements of a typical fantasy series, but with Soontornvat's writing younger readers are sure to be immersed in Plum's experience training at the academy. As an adult reader, I really appreciated the insight to class differences. While Soontornvat doesn't dive deep into the issues associated with classism, Plum does end up learning that wealth is not the equivalent to a perfect life. As guardians to protecting the natural world, there is a little bit of conflict related to land ownership which I'm interested in seeing in future installments. The magical elements, the training, and the conversations about patience and trusting the process made for a fun and engaging book. I'm honestly anticipating the release of the next book this fall.
The Guardian Test is the first book in Soontornvat's newest fantasy series that features a young girl by the name of Plum who get's accepted into the Guardian Academy on Lotus Island after her grandfather applies on her behalf. Plum and her friends go through an extensive training process to learn how to transform into their respective Guardian aka magical creatures who are meant to protect the natural world. While there, Plum faces various types of ups and downs while engaging in some mind blowing training activities.
What Worked: Like many reviewers have stated before me, it's nice to see a middle grade fantasy series that's gauged at the younger end of the spectrum. A lot of middle grade fantasy books are tomes and can be intimidating for younger readers who are just transitioning out of chapter books. This has all of the elements of a typical fantasy series, but with Soontornvat's writing younger readers are sure to be immersed in Plum's experience training at the academy. As an adult reader, I really appreciated the insight to class differences. While Soontornvat doesn't dive deep into the issues associated with classism, Plum does end up learning that wealth is not the equivalent to a perfect life. As guardians to protecting the natural world, there is a little bit of conflict related to land ownership which I'm interested in seeing in future installments. The magical elements, the training, and the conversations about patience and trusting the process made for a fun and engaging book. I'm honestly anticipating the release of the next book this fall.
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
A nice shorter and easier middle grade fantasy. I feel like some "middle grade" feels more and more like YA these days so it's nice to have options for kids not ready that.
This would be a great read-alike for fans of “Upside Down Magic” and other chapter book fantasy series. I really enjoyed this magical first book in the new series and am excited to see where the characters go from here.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A