I was fortunate enough to have received an ARC of Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston through the Net Galley service. Many would compare this book to the Harry Potter or Men in Black franchises. In fact, Amari and the Night Brothers, as I understand, has been optioned for film rights before the release of this first text in January 2021, but I do believe this has all the potential to be the next big thing in the minds and imaginations of children.
As we meet the main character, Amari Peters, she lives with her hard-working mom and is coping with the disappearance of her brother. Police are giving up on ever finding Quinton Peters who they presume dead via illegal activities without the slightest bit of evidence. Amari is soon to find out that Quinton had a most dangerous job indeed working as an agent with Supernatural Affairs chasing down the mysterious Night Brothers, criminal masterminds and magicians when she herself is invited into the Bureau. Protecting the world and erasing memories as they go, the Bureau ensures average people and the supernaturally inclined don’t collide. They also run a summer camp for young people invited into the Bureau like Amari.
Amari is determined to follow in her brother’s footsteps and become a Junior Agent, but will she be able to discover the truth when there is a bigger secret about to be uncovered about herself?
This story is an epic fantasy with parts of Harry Potter, Men in Black and Percy Jackson all coming together in a glorious new story that I never knew how much my students needed. Teachers can’t go wrong buying this one for their classrooms and I am sure will sell itself right into student hands. The character’s are complex and multifaceted like anyone you would meet in life. I always say if a side character does more than move a plot, it is a story that must be read; and Amari is no exception. You have Elise, a were-dragon and Amari’s roommate, Magnus and Fiona agents and trainers, and even Jayden–once taught by Quinton in tutoring soon follows a life of crime in the absence of his friend.
There is truly so much to love about this text. Rich themes about systematic racism and the need for everyone to be loved and understood run throughout the text and it is clear that Alston is a gifted writer.
As I read this, as a teacher of fifth grade, I was thinking about a beginning of the year activity in which the students enhance their own talents as the characters in the Bureau do by touching the crystal ball. There is so much you can do–regardless of the content area. I teach ELA, so I was thinking of tying in gamified units based on texts like Amari.
Even if you are a student or parent looking for a text that is fun and engaging, look no further than this highly recommended middle grade fiction that will be enjoyed by tweens and early teens alike.
5th in the Middle: Book reviews for teachers and students 