The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman is a sweet and charming middle-grade fantasy. The premise is delightful: borrowing magical items from a repository! Who wouldn’t be interested? This premise gives Shulman abundant creative material and she does an excellent job of having fun with the concept. The main characters are four teenagers from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and there is a sprinkle of romantic interest. Although the characters are teenagers, the gentle action and level of peril are a good fit for tweens. The dialogue and pacing of the book weren’t gripping, but it did make one wish for magical borrowing privileges.
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: None
Violence/Gore: Mythical creature frightens and chases an individual; mythical creatures battle each other briefly (a mention of blood); magic spells cast on individuals (no permanent damage).
Sex/Nudity: Characters “like” other characters; a couple is observed kissing on the lips and on the neck; an image is seen in a magical mirror of individuals kissing passionately (no description); a character puts arm around another character on a few different occasions; characters kiss a few times in a brief scene (no description); character teases another character by saying there comes a time in a girls life when she starts to experience changes (a general statement and nothing more is said on this topic).
Mature Subject Matter:
Theft.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
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