By B. B. Alston.
This is truly an exciting story for elementary school readers that takes us into a world where mermaids, dwarves, yetis, and magicians coexist with humans. Navigating this world can be challenging, particularly if you are a 12-year-old girl searching for your brother here, and you have absolutely no knowledge or experience with the supernatural realm.
When her older brother Quinton mysteriously goes missing, Amari Peters is determined to help find him any way she can. She’s certain he is alive, but information that could lead to him is seemingly nonexistent. Then, an opportunity to do more than wait for news comes to her unexpectedly. First, she sees a mysterious email, and then a strange man shows up at her door to deliver a package. What could be next? She finds a loudly ticking black briefcase with a note attached from Quinton himself. Can things get any weirder? Oh yes, they can!
It turns out that Quinton was an agent with the super secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, the organization charged with helping creatures and beings in the supernatural realm. And he nominated her for a summer trainee spot there! She eagerly accepts. Surely they must know what happened to him. But facts leading to his whereabouts are just as elusive at the Bureau.
To learn more, Amari trains for a junior agent position at the Bureau. She must compete against kids who’ve known about the supernatural world their whole lives. On top of that, every Bureau trainee has a talent enhanced to supernatural levels to help them do their jobs. Unfortunately, Amari’s ability has been declared illegal and she’s feared by her fellow trainees and the administrators.
When an evil magician threatens the whole supernatural world, and her own classmates think she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. With sheer determination, plus help from her roommate and two special instructors, she learns to harness her ability and prove to everyone she has what it takes to get the job done.
“Amari and the Night Brothers,” is a winner of the Texas Library Association’s 2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet Award.
(Published in 2021 by Balzer + Bray, an Imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books.)
One of my favorite reads: “Amari and the Night Brothers,” a children’s supernatural adventure by B. B. Alston.
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