Rating: 4 out of 5 stars An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic by Sarah J. Mendonça is an action-packed, magical adventure set in a Portuguese-inspired world, blending the charm of Encanto with the intrigue of Ocean’s 8. The story follows Rosa Coelho, a young girl who has spent her life hunting monstros with her best friend, Tiago, and dreaming of a better future for herself and her grandmother. When her family’s shop is threatened by the Ministry of Monsters, Rosa sees an opportunity to change her fate by tricking her way into a notorious thief crew as their magical safecracker. Mendonça’s worldbuilding is rich and immersive, with a vibrant city full of magic, danger, and high-stakes heists. Rosa’s journey into the world of luxury and betrayal is filled with twists and turns as she navigates a dangerous mission to steal from the Ministry itself. With her magical abilities and newfound allies, Rosa must trust herself and her crew to pull off the heist, knowing that failure...
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot by Isaac Rudansky is an exhilarating middle-grade adventure that blends magic, mystery, and the power of friendship. Twelve-year-old Georgie Summers lives an ordinary life until a terrifying man kidnaps his father, leading Georgie on a journey to uncover secrets about his dad’s past. Along with two unlikely allies—Apurva, an aspiring astronomer, and Roscoe, a YouTuber—they discover Scatterplot, a hidden realm where Scribes record everyone’s memories. As Georgie races to stop the villainous Flint Eldritch from erasing the world’s memories, the story becomes a heart-pounding quest filled with danger, courage, and unexpected twists. Rudansky’s writing is fast-paced and engaging, with a great balance of humor and suspense. The characters are relatable and well-developed, and the theme of friendship and belief is woven beautifully throughout. A unique feature of the book is its interactive “CRACK THE CODE” challe...