Move over Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, there’s a new girl on the block in Amari and the Night Brothers!
Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston. Balzer + Bray, 2021. 416 pages.
Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-12
Recommended For: ages 10-12
Life hasn’t been easy for Amari, especially since her older brother Quinton disappeared. As the book opens, she’s in trouble for fighting at the ritzy private school she attends and about to lose her scholarship. But then a mysterious package arrives with an invitation to an exclusive summer camp that Quinton used to attend. Determined to find out more about her brother, Amari enrolls, only to discover a magical world in which her brother is famous!
You might be thinking this is another dime-a-dozen fantasy series starter. But it’s not, due to engaging writing, good world-building, and most of all, its plucky main character. Amari has had a lot of hard knocks in life. She’s used to being judged, as she observes wryly, “People assume stuff about you based on things you can’t change about yourself.” But Amari is a fighter, bound and determined to prove herself and to make people accept her on her own merit. She’s also humble enough to learn some life lessons along the way. We don’t know where this series is going, so we can’t vouch for later books, but here is an excellent series starter for middle-grade fantasy lovers.
Considerations:
- In the magical world there is some fortune telling that plays a minor role in the story.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
- Worldview/Moral Rating: 4 out of 5
- Literary/Artistic Rating: 4 out of 5
Read more about our ratings here.
Related Reading From Redeemed Reader
- A Review: Septimus Heap —another great fantasy series
- A Resource: Here Be Dragons: Mega Fantasy and Sci-Fi Booklist! (All ages)
- A Reflection: What Makes a “Strong Girl Character”? Thoughts and a Podcast
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My family just finished Amari and the Night Brothers and we LOVED it! Every time we finished a read-aloud session we wanted to read more, it was that good! We found it entertaining on every page and loved the underlying themes of the book, (do you use “foul magic” in self defense? How important it is to be careful on the internet, etc.)
Thank you so much RR for the amazing book reviews you do! Our family has found many favorites, (including Amari and the Night Brothers!) for our bookshelves!
Hey Ellie! So glad to hear you and your family enjoyed Amari, and those are great themes and discussion questions. So glad we can be reading ahead for you!