The Encounter

Reach for this book if your child is navigating a feeling of being stuck or is struggling with a changing identity that makes them feel like an outsider. While it is a fast paced science fiction adventure, the heart of the story deals with Tobias, a boy who is permanently trapped in the body of a hawk. It explores the profound loneliness of living between two worlds and the difficult choice of holding onto one's humanity when it would be easier to just give in to animal instincts. Appropriate for ages 8 to 12, this installment in the Animorphs series is more introspective than its predecessors. It uses the metaphor of a literal physical change to discuss the internal shifts children experience as they grow up or face circumstances beyond their control. Parents will appreciate how it validates feelings of isolation while championing the resilience required to keep fighting for who you truly are.