“Furthermore”

Readers who are transitioning from the elementary grades to middle school often feel it is difficult to find books that challenge them and yet are fun to read.  “Furthermore” by Tahereh Mafi, which is suggested for readers 9-13, might be such a novel. Mafi, the author of the “Shatter Me” series, has created a magical land called Ferenwood.  Alice Alexis Queensmeadow, age 12, lost her father three years earlier.  There are only three things that matter to her:  Mother, who wouldn’t miss her, magic and color, which elude her, and her father, who always loved her.

With the help of Oliver, a mysterious companion, they embark on a quest to find Alice’s father.  Their journey takes then to Furthermore, a mythical land where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be right.

This is a story of friendship, loss, and recovery in a mystical setting–all the elements that will appeal to middle grade readers.