Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston
The rundown: The intelligent and resilient sister of a prodigy, Amari, still believes her brother is alive somewhere. But, then, he goes missing for months, and without any leads to his disappearance, the cops and her mother think that Amari's brother, Quinton, fell into the wrong crowd and ended up on the streets.
But Amari knows better.
Amari gets recruited by the organization her brother worked for to find answers and get her big brother back. With the help of her friends (who have secrets of their own), Amari fights through prejudice, judgment, and self-doubt to save her brother and the unnatural world.
The review: I enjoyed being swept into this secret society of protecting the magical and supernatural world. A world where people hold different roles in protecting and securing a world where girls can turn into dragons is mystical! Also, you can't help but root for Amari throughout the story. She is relatable as she navigates outside of her big brother's shadow, the bullies, and outside her comfort zone. The author places you in this magical world where you feel every description he writes, which makes it even more whimsical. He symbolizes a lot of strong themes in a preteen so eloquently that it makes it understandable for young adults and teens to feel seen.
Goes well with: The book goes well with the Legendborn series by Tracey Deonn. Similarly, both novels represent young girls entering an unknown world, stepping into a secret society, and discovering their potential. Even though both stories are fantasy books, they dig deep into more significant issues like class, grief, and self-discovery. In addition, both books highlight young Black girls' struggles in their communities and among racist, sexist people in different classes. Also, the young characters adjust to their old lives with the new destinies thrown into them. People will resonate with Amari and the main character in Legendborn, Bree, because of their resilience and stubbornness.
Grab a copy of Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston for your shelf!