Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
After his little sister Hannah becomes mortally ill, ten-year-old Joe follows a shadowy figure to the war-torn land of Asphodel, a mysterious and dangerous world of dying children, where he entrusts himself to a devious blind guide, faces ruthless killing machines, and discovers a shocking truth about himself.
Is Dirty Magic appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 10 and up.
Parents should know this book deals with terminal childhood illness and features a war-torn world with dying children, ruthless killing machines, and moderate fantasy violence. The themes are emotionally heavy but presented at a middle-grade level.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include child harm, death of child, and death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Kids will be drawn to Joe's desperate quest to save his sister and the mysterious, dangerous fantasy world he must navigate.