Aditi Nair

Words on Fire, Reviewed by Aditi, 12

Imagine a life where smuggling and fighting is your only resistance against a very strong enemy. Your country may have patriotic citizens, but you know loyalty is not enough. In Words on Fire, the main protagonist, Audra, is a quiet and home-bound Lithuanian girl who has never been outside her village. After reading the first few chapters, I put the book down– starstruck. I always loved Jennifer A. Nielsen’s captivating beginnings and action packed settings, and this book was no different. I never liked it when my own parents kept secrets from me, so I could clearly understand what was going through Audra’s head. Every night, Audra would sneak downstairs to find her parents whispering. Living in a world where her own parents kept secrets, it would be hard to place trust in them. “Another year,” is all Audra would hear. It seemed as if she was never old enough. Moments later after her parents called Audra downstairs, Russian soldiers appeared at their front door. Her parents quickly started packing bags and burning papers, many of which were used to illegally pass the Lithunainan border. Lithuania used to be a free country before the Russians tried taking over. Before long, every village and dirt path was patrolled by Cossack soldiers. No where was safe in Lithuania, especially if you were a book smuggler. Right before Audra’s parents were arrested, her mother gave her a bag to deliver to a woman named Milda. Along the way, Audra meets a boy named Lukas, who is a book smuggler. Audra learns about the Russians trying to take over Lithuania; books are their only defense. Young boys and girls want to learn about their Lithuanian culture and read books. Audra is determined to learn how to read, write and become a book smuggler so she could help them. My favorite part of the book is when Audra and Lukas try passing the border to go into Prussia. The book starts to get intense because both, Lukas and Audra, have to stay quiet to sneak into Prussia. The border line of Lithuania is surrounded by three levels of guards! The second exciting scene is when the Russians attack the church in the village of Kraziai. Audra wants to help the villagers fight the Russians, but Lukas and her grandfather, Ben, explain that books ar their way of resisting the Russians, not by using weapons. Even if Audra understands the dangers of facing the soldiers, she still tries. Audra’s story is written in first person, and it is amazing to know what is going on in her mind. Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen is packed with adventure, bravery, and a splash of humor; Audra’s actions to help save her country inspired me in every way. The captivating details and visual imagery made me feel like one of the main characters. With the turn of every page, a new Russian attack or border line crossing keeps the readers engaged! The fast pacing helped me keep the book within my attention span for hours at a stretch. Reading Words on Fire was extremely enjoyable, not only because it was my type of genre, but it was also an inspiring and motivating book! The book reflects courage and perseverance; even if hardships and roadblocks come in your way of freedom, one should do whatever they can to free themselves from an enemy’s hold! Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic, 2019. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!

Rea and the Blood of the Nectar, Reviewed by Aditi, 12

Twins are always known to be together even when apart, but have you ever read a book where the relationship between a pair of twins is slightly uneven? Hidden under the sleeve of every argument or ignorant glance, siblings will always have affection for one another; that’s the true beauty of having someone related to you by birth, let alone grow to the same heartbeat! Rea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi is a book that encompasses magical wonders, presents foreign worlds in a new way, and represents sibling love! With seemingly unsolvable riddles, nightmares with hidden clues, and a new friend, the main protagonist, Rea, trudges her way to find her kidnapped twin brother, Rohan. The story is set in Darjeeling, India, where Rea lives with her mother, grandmother, and Rohan. Rea was never born with a silver spoon. Her mother has to work long hours by cleaning houses or by picking tea leaves at a tea plantation, just to make a living. Having to live under her brother’s shadow, who excels at everything compared to her, Rea feels pressure and sibling rivalry. For as long as they can remember, Rea and Rohan have always celebrated their birthday together. However, this time around, things were different. When the clock strikes midnight, Rohan slips out of bed to play cricket with his friends on their twelfth birthday. Rea secretly follows him. Longing to partake in the sport, she joins the opposing team and emerges victorious. Following Rea’s victory, Rohan walks away– puddled in a cloud of embarrassment – and mysteriously goes missing! Rohan’s disappearance and the strange reaction by her family to this untimely event left Rea suspicious. Holding herself responsible, she sets a new goal for herself: finding Rohan! As Rea sets out on her quest, she meets a fortune-teller and picks up clues on Rohan’s whereabouts. The story gains momentum as Rea discovers a mysterious portal in Darjeeling! With the help of her new friend, Rea embarks on a life-changing adventure, gripping onto the hope of finding her lost brother. Books that involve the evolution of the main character as a person are inspiring and entertaining. Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is one such book that perfectly portrays character development. At the start of the book, Rea’s selfish and demanding nature left her lonely and self-contained. However, once she portals into the kingdom of Astranthia, she uncovers new secrets about her family. While entering the world, Rea only had one goal– saving Rohan. An encounter with the evil queen, Razya, leads to a change in plans; Rea has to protect the kingdom of Astranthia and save her twin! Astranthia thrives on the sacred petals of the Som, and its nectar is used by the royal family and some common folk as powerful beams. The only way to unlock the powers of the blood nectar is to go on a personal trial. After saving a mob of people who were hurt by the queen’s guard, Rea slowly starts uncovering all of the secrets about herself, including her family. Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is a family-centered, magical tale. With the neatly woven theme of personal growth and perseverance, Payal Doshi can warm any reader’s heart with her well-organized plot twists. The captivating storyline ends with the celebration of Diwali in their village in Darjeeling. This Indian holiday celebrates the triumph of good over evil, resonating with Rea’s victory over the reign of Astranthia’s evil queen. Rea and the Blood of the Nectar explicitly reflects Payal Doshi’s culture-bound allusions and vivid imagery that revolves around show-stopping characters and a compelling self-growth theme!   Rea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi. Mango & Marigold Press, 2021. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!

Poached, Reviewed by Aditi, 12

Have you ever been accused of something awful that you did not commit? Was the evidence leading up to your conviction? Well, Teddy Fitzroy, the protagonist in Poached by Stuart Gibbs, succumbed to this unfortunate fate! Teddy is twelve years old and lives in a trailer right outside of the world’s largest zoo, Funjungle. After an encounter with the school’s bully, Vance, Teddy’s life gets turned around. The one and only prized koala, Kazoo, goes missing, and the entire zoo suspects Teddy for stealing the koala! Poached is an adventure-packed mystery book delicately garnished with sprinkles of humor. Gibbs engages the reader with several twists and cliff-hangers, beautifully weaving in the concept of perseverance! After being filmed entering and exiting the koala exhibit—with a full backpack— Teddy is convicted of stealing Kazoo. No one believes Teddy, and the police find koala droppings and fur in his room. The entire zoo suspects Teddy and won’t let go of their suspicions. With all of the evidence leading up to his conviction, Teddy is determined to prove his innocence and find the real thief. Even if Teddy’s innocence seemed impossible to prove, his loving parents stayed by his side the whole time. Since Teddy’s parents work at the zoo, they tried their best to find the real thief: from searching security cameras to locating possible suspects. Even if Teddy’s parents want him to stay out of the crime scene, Teddy insisted on helping out. One person who is entirely against Teddy and accuses him of committing the crime is Large Marge. She is the head guard and will believe any evidence she gets, even if it is false! Teddy’s determination to find the real thief made him successful! He would dress up as Funjungle mascots to stay undercover and walk around to find anything suspicious. Being ever so determined, he constantly begged his parents to show him the security feed. After watching the recordings repeatedly, Teddy and his parents figured out that Kazoo was stolen four days before Teddy’s accusation. To replace the stolen koala, the thief placed a realistic-looking stuffed animal instead! I stumbled upon Poached during an impromptu trip to the bookstore. As I scanned through the store shelves, the picture of a sad koala caught my attention. I love koalas, and the cover instantly piqued my interest. Koalas are threatened and harmed. The book sheds light on the fact that the koala population is dwindling. Gibbs chose this precious animal to show that their species need protection from habitat destructors and koala-nappers. “While I was thrilled to see Marge get dressed down and hugely relieved to be proved innocent, I was still worried about Kazoo.” reflects Teddy’s concern for the kidnapped koala, even though he was successful in proving his innocence. Packed with a valuable message of grit and perseverance, Poached is the epitome of the dire need to protect and preserve the animal population. If you like mystery books with the perfect blend of humor, Poached is the right book for you! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves animals and detective work. Poaching and habitat destruction require some thought– we need to prevent it at any cost! If we can all live in harmony with these precious animals and leave behind our selfish interests, our world will be a much better place. Poached by Stuart Gibbs. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!