Rating: Needs Parent Supervision

Reading Level: Mid Elementary

In general I have found that Tracey West’s books have little substance, but this one has a valuable lesson worth discussing with your kid.

Two brothers trust a stranger who appears to be on their side, but is actually an evil sorceress seeking to use them for her own gain.

The lesson: Even someone who helps you or appears to help may actually be using you to evil ends. Do your due diligence with background checks and checking references’ references beyond before you trust someone.

I have concerns:

  • Magic is used by both good and bad. One evil woman learns magic to obtain her goal, the other learns it to fight for justice. But I’d recommend kids generally stay away from it, even if they have good intentions.
  • One brother severely disrespects his dad.

With proper parental supervision this could help illustrate valuable lessons about trust and magic.