Queen of Shadowthorn

Reach for this book when your child is starting to navigate the complexities of trust and the reality that people are not always purely 'good' or 'bad.' It is an ideal choice for the transition into middle-grade reading, offering a safe space to explore the concept of discernment: learning how to evaluate someone's motives even when they claim to be helping. The story follows Eric and his friends as they return to the magical world of Droon, only to face a moral dilemma. Their old enemy, the sorceress Salamandra, returns with a warning of a future catastrophe. The children must decide if they can trust a former villain to save their friends. It is a fast-paced adventure that uses high-stakes fantasy to model critical thinking and the courage required to make difficult choices under pressure.