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A review by thelilbookwitch
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
4.0
A solid start with enjoyable, if predictable, twists that play out along the way as we meet a great cast of characters. Racism and bullying play a big part of the story, and their resolution is ripe for discussion within families, book groups, and classrooms.
The introduction to Amari's world felt appropriate in terms of appeal to middle grade readers, so while I might have preferred a bit more nuance or self-analysis, her character growth through the story felt authentic in a way I think will resonate with other kids who might be experiencing similar things to her.
Things I like to pay attention to when it comes to middle grade novels is: how are the adults written? All of them felt different, with believable personalities and biases, though some definitely got more time to shine than others.
The magic system of the world is flimsy and a bit of an unacknowledged double standard that goes unchallenged thus far (for a supernatural society that hates magicians, almost all of it is powered with magic/tech magic and enchantments so...who the heck is doing all that work?), though I have hopes for the second novel if I find the time to read it.
I'd be comfortable handing this book to as young as 4th grade, but likely no higher than 7th grade just because Amari is so young and the appeal will drop once the kids are older than the protagonist. A great read-along option with a powerful present-tense voice protagonist.
The introduction to Amari's world felt appropriate in terms of appeal to middle grade readers, so while I might have preferred a bit more nuance or self-analysis, her character growth through the story felt authentic in a way I think will resonate with other kids who might be experiencing similar things to her.
Things I like to pay attention to when it comes to middle grade novels is: how are the adults written? All of them felt different, with believable personalities and biases, though some definitely got more time to shine than others.
The magic system of the world is flimsy and a bit of an unacknowledged double standard that goes unchallenged thus far (for a supernatural society that hates magicians, almost all of it is powered with magic/tech magic and enchantments so...who the heck is doing all that work?), though I have hopes for the second novel if I find the time to read it.
I'd be comfortable handing this book to as young as 4th grade, but likely no higher than 7th grade just because Amari is so young and the appeal will drop once the kids are older than the protagonist. A great read-along option with a powerful present-tense voice protagonist.