Aru lives in a museum dedicated to Indian history and culture. She’s grown up hearing the stories of Hindu gods and heroes. In Aru Shah and the End of Time (Bk1), she releases a demon & learns she’s the reincarnation of a folk hero. A fascinating dip into Indian culture. Fast paced, imaginative, and promising several tangles as the rest of the quartet unfolds. In The Not-So-Jolly Roger, Joe, Sam, and Fred use the book again and are transported to a tropical island, where they meet the infamous Blackbeard. Another fun, mildly educational adventure through time. Illustrated and appropriate for lower middle grade readers. In Death and Douglas, Douglas Mortimer understands death better than most kids his age. And no wonder. He lives in a funeral home, right over the morgue, because his parents are the town’s morticians. To Douglas, death is a natural part of life. But everything he’s always believe is overturned when someone in town is murdered. This is a murder mystery that gives readers a peek into the behind-the-scenes business surrounding death.
C. J. Milbrandt 