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AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS

She is 13 and terrorized at school because she’s different. Her older, brilliant brother has disappeared and her overworked single mom is grief-stricken. A magical Harry-Potter-esque novel – if Harry were a girl, magic school training lasted a week, and a sibling’s life were at stake. An engrossing read!

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Author:

B. B. Alston

• Contemporary fiction
• Mystery
• Science fiction
• Picture books

• 11-14
• 7-10
• Adventures
• Family
• Friendship
• Self-discovery

Buy this Book:

amazon.com

SYNOPSIS

She is 13 and terrorized at school because she’s different. Her older, brilliant brother has disappeared and her overworked single mom is grief-stricken. Then, out of the blue, Amari gains access to an otherworldly training camp for magicians. Amari discovers she too is a magician – just like her brother who’d attended the camp too! (He tried to combat a gang of magical villains and has not been heard from since.) Her powers are stronger than anyone’s – and just like at school, she is terrorized for being “different”. With support from some teachers but little help from fellow students and an almost-fatal betrayal along the way, Amari performs remarkable feats and rescues her brother, captured by a villain and kept in a coma. It is unclear if he will wake up…

We love

• Amari is spirited, strong-minded, fearless – surely an inspiration to many girls (but not in all cases… read on 🙂
• Lots and lots of action to keep young minds guessing and turning pages
• A few surprising plot twists, and a great supportive friendship between Amari and her roommate (a fellow ostracized camp renegade with extreme powers)

WATCH OUT FOR (Language, Big / Sensitive Topics, Outdated Concepts):

• There are occasions of “magical” violence, and youngsters being verbally cruel to each other
• The brother does not come out of his coma at the end of the book – may leave some readers disraught
• Amari punches a girl at school and skips out of home (against her mother’s strict orders) – so when I said that thing about being an inspiration to girls, I only half-meant it

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• What is a personality trait of Amari’s that you like best? Why?
• Describe Elsie’s personality – what makes her a good friend to Amari? How is she different from the other magicians?
• Why do you think some instructors are willing to help Amari while others sabotage her?
• If you could write a different ending to the book, what would it be?