A dozen schoolchildren are plunged into an otherworldly adventure of a lifetime in Kingdom of the Silver Cat by Thomas Carroll. This book for young readers is creative, authentic, and unique, but also supported by strong life lessons and powerful messaging for impressionable minds.
On an average morning trip to school, a New York school bus is mysteriously transported to an unknown wilderness, and once the bus driver leaves to go find help, the children onboard are left to fend for themselves. As impatience wins out over caution, they begin to explore, quickly realizing not only that their surroundings are magical, but also that some of them have begun developing powers: healing, flight, freezing abilities, telekinesis, and much more. Some of them also shared the same strange dream of a world just like the one where they’re now stranded.
As they wander further afield, they discover that the new world contains plenty of dangers, knockout fruit, and flying terrors, but also benevolent fairies that save, feed, and shelter them. When the group is separated, brothers and sisters are torn apart, and tensions begin to mount as the young adventurers must trust in their own paths, using their newfound abilities – and dealing with the accompanying downsides – to keep moving forward. When the ranger fairies task them with traveling to the Silver City, the young warriors find that they have a key part to play in a much greater, and more ancient conflict. Mastering their abilities and learning how to work together will be their best chance to survive, and reunite with the rest of their school bus fellowship.
With fifteen characters, there are a few key characters that lead the story, but the author still gives all of them particular moments to shine, though some personalities do remain underdeveloped. Carroll buries a number of secrets in certain characters, adding suspense to the tale, and the sense that unknown revelations are always lurking a few chapters ahead. The youthful dialogue is believable in most places, and the generally straightforward prose is ideally suited for the target audience.
There are also a number of more complex themes explored in the story – struggles with independence, self-control, accountability, self-doubt, and gender roles. The characters notably mature over the course of the novel, a testament to the author’s storytelling skill and understanding of adolescent psychology. Bouncing between action scenes, character exposition, exploratory sections, and world-building with a range of fascinating creatures, this dynamic book maintains a smooth pace that is easy and rewarding to read.
In some cases, the descriptions, word choice, and syntax is repetitive, or overly procedural, which may cause young readers to lose interest. The book is also quite long, and some of the travel chapters don’t feel essential to character development or the overall plot. As a whole, this novel is bursting with classic fantasy elements and plenty of magic to thrill and entertain, but the beating heart of the book lies in the relationships and self-discovery of the power-boosted protagonists. Thought-provoking, instructive, and underpinned with lessons of self-confidence and morality, Carroll has created a strong and original foundation for what promises to be an exciting series.
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