It's been a busy week, but the weekend is here and I bet you're chomping at the bit for some down time indulgence. Am I right? Well then, I've got just the ticket for you! All you have to do is buy a gumball after sundown and... wait a second....Matt! Step away from the keyboard! You had all your tech privileges revoked for your last take-over-the-world attempt! Ahem...as I was saying...
Whether young in age or young at heart, I've got a NEW RELEASE in the Middle Grade Fiction genre you won't want to miss! It's got kiddos of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, evil wizards with usual names, and townspeople with non, evil schemes, plot twists, and an edge of your seat ending you'll be turning pages to discover, just hopefully faster than Bobert was capable of in a few of the chapters through no fault of his own, but I digress. Today's book of choice is...
THE BRAVEST WARRIOR IN NEFARIAbyAdi Alsaid 9781665927758Aladdin
About the book...
Welcome to Nefaria, where nearly every day the kingdom faces another evil scheme.
Most are harmless, though, so the citizens of Nefaria simply learn to live with the latest hijinks and go on with their lives. This includes Bobert Bougainvillea, who is much more concerned with the fact that he seems to be invisible. From the teachers in his school to his classmates, almost no one notices Bobert, no matter how visible he tries to be. Then everything changes when Bobert follows his classmates to a cursed gumball machine.
Before he knows it, Bobert is sucked into one of Nefaria’s most villainous evil schemes, a plot that has been a long time in the making—too long, in the evil wizard Matt’s opinion. And retreating into invisibility this time won’t do, not when Bobert is the only one with the drive, knowledge, and—if his newfound courage doesn’t fail him—bravery to foil Matt’s plan.
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From the moment I turned the first page, I knew I was in for an epic story. I mean, it's not often you met kids with such curious names, yet a wizard with such a common one (certainly makes it harder to stand out!) that has a cat with the same issue. It's not often you come across a little boy visible at times and yet invisible to most that doesn't simply seemed overlooked, but truly forgotten (something that's addressed more deeply down the line with a takeaway lesson for all). It's not often there's a place where evil schemes seem the norm, and yet the townspeople still try to prevent what they can, until they can't because the chance to seems taken away from them... all because of a misguided wizard with a chip on his shoulder and a cursed gumball machine.
The zaniness doesn't stop there either! No sir, the adventures have only begun as the connection Bobert seems to have made just before the curious incident seems to have been made with just the right person...Candelabra. Yes, Candelabra. 🕯 It seems she was touched by a curse, or rather an evil scheme on a smaller niche scale, and so is much more leary of strange things... not to mention she has a big heart so I think even without that sad advantage, she may have still felt a pull. Watching her stand her ground and fight for what's right was uplifting. Seeing her friends stick by her was moving. Finding out that they get stuck with...or, wait. Can't tell you that part, but suffice it to say her never-give-up attitude takes her and her friends far, while lending a bit of courage to put already brave soul, Bobert.
There's wordplay and witt, feelings galore, lessons to learn, mountains to climb, and kingdoms to fall, but through it all, it's a tale about friendship, and taking chances. It's a tale about letting people in as much as letting ourselves out. It's a reminder that we are all truly capable of extraordinary things, but whether they be good or evil is for our heart of hearts to determine. It's a story that just doesn't stop giving, and for that I am ever grateful, and hope you will be too!
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About the author...
Born and raised in Mexico City, Adi Alsaid is the author of several young adult novels including Let’s Get Lost, We Didn’t Ask for This, and North of Happy, a Kirkus Best Book nominee. He also wrote the middle grade book The Bravest Warrior in Nefaria and edited Come on In: 15 stories about Immigration and Finding Home. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife and two cats, where he occasionally spills hot sauce on things (and cats). You can find him online at his website, AdiAlsaid.com, or on Twitter.
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Special thanks to Lindsey at Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is out now, so seek thee out a copy wherever books are sold.
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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