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The Glade
Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters meets Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces in this middle grade supernatural mystery following a girl whose discovery of a magical clearing near her summer camp ends up putting her best friend in danger.
Pina’s first trip to summer camp is a chance to escape her overbearing parents and finally go on an adventure with her best friend, Jo. But Camp Clear Skies hides a a clearing in the deep woods the older kids call “the Glade.” After falling asleep here, Pina and Jo are able to enter one another’s dreams, transforming into superheroes and knights in shining armor, fighting back their nightmares in epic adventures.
At first, the friends think they’ve discovered a secret more exciting than any video game—until Pina’s nightmares start leaking out into waking life. Worse, something seems to have followed them back from those dreams…and whatever it is, it’s taking over Jo. Jo has always been the superhero in their friendship, but Pina can’t just abandon them to their fate.
To save her friend, Pina journeys deeper into the Glade than she ever has before, facing the worst of her own fears and Jo’s. There, she must confront the consciousness trying to steal her friend’s body and learn what happened twenty years ago that shut down Camp Clear Skies and changed the Glade forever.
Pina’s first trip to summer camp is a chance to escape her overbearing parents and finally go on an adventure with her best friend, Jo. But Camp Clear Skies hides a a clearing in the deep woods the older kids call “the Glade.” After falling asleep here, Pina and Jo are able to enter one another’s dreams, transforming into superheroes and knights in shining armor, fighting back their nightmares in epic adventures.
At first, the friends think they’ve discovered a secret more exciting than any video game—until Pina’s nightmares start leaking out into waking life. Worse, something seems to have followed them back from those dreams…and whatever it is, it’s taking over Jo. Jo has always been the superhero in their friendship, but Pina can’t just abandon them to their fate.
To save her friend, Pina journeys deeper into the Glade than she ever has before, facing the worst of her own fears and Jo’s. There, she must confront the consciousness trying to steal her friend’s body and learn what happened twenty years ago that shut down Camp Clear Skies and changed the Glade forever.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2025
6 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Naseem Jamnia
7 books178 followersNaseem Jamnia is the Judith A. Markowitz Award-winning and Astounding Award-nominated author of The Bruising of Qilwa, which was a finalist for the Crawford, Locus, and World Fantasy awards. Their middle grade horror debut, The Glade, releases May 27, 2025 (Aladdin). A Persian-Chicagoan, educator, and pro-library activist, Naseem lives outside Reno, NV, with their husband and four furred creatures. Find out more and join their newsletter at naseemwrites.com.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 22, 2025
If you totally wanted to go to a creepy, otherworldly summer camp as a kid, but couldn't (because people kept insisting they didn't exist), now is your chance!
I enjoyed this a lot!! Naseem Jamnia mixes horror elements into a middle grade book, and what a perfect mix it is!
Pina wanting to become the next version of herself (Pina 2.0) resonate with me. And Jo, of course.
I'm in the camp (heh) who say that a good middle grade book should never talk down to kids and The Glade certainly doesn't. All of our main cast are fully developed characters, and realize their diverse heritage with their own personal identities. The representation is so good that it made me wish I could've had a similar experience as a kid.
I really want to talk about the horror elements, because they were so good! The whole camp had this eerie vibe that's so easy to overdo but Jamnia toed that line expertly. I loved every minute of creepy forest and giant spiders we got.
[Thank you to the author for the chance to read their book ahead of time. All opinions are my own.]
I enjoyed this a lot!! Naseem Jamnia mixes horror elements into a middle grade book, and what a perfect mix it is!
Pina wanting to become the next version of herself (Pina 2.0) resonate with me. And Jo, of course.
I'm in the camp (heh) who say that a good middle grade book should never talk down to kids and The Glade certainly doesn't. All of our main cast are fully developed characters, and realize their diverse heritage with their own personal identities. The representation is so good that it made me wish I could've had a similar experience as a kid.
I really want to talk about the horror elements, because they were so good! The whole camp had this eerie vibe that's so easy to overdo but Jamnia toed that line expertly. I loved every minute of creepy forest and giant spiders we got.
[Thank you to the author for the chance to read their book ahead of time. All opinions are my own.]
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March 31, 2025While I'm not reviewing my own book, I did want to give an important note since ARCs are going out, particularly for Filipino readers and Tagalog speakers. Jo's code words in the final version of THE GLADE have shifted a bit, as is the way Pina discusses them. Their check-in phrase is a slight variation of the original, "Kaya mo ba?", but their response phrase is now "Mabuti." While I created the code words with a linguist consultant, the shift came about to more accurately reflect how these phrases/terms would be used with thanks to a reader who could see them in their context.
Content notes and representation is listed on my website: https://www.naseemwrites.com/the-glade.
Content notes and representation is listed on my website: https://www.naseemwrites.com/the-glade.
July 1, 2025
Wasn’t expecting to like a middle grade horror book as much as I enjoyed this one!
May 31, 2025
Okay it's official, Naseem Jamnia is an auto-buy author for me 🥹
It took me a while to finish The Glade (not because of the book, life happens 😅), but I have to say this was a ride.
I love how it started off so simple and innocent, yet the latter half is blend of psychological horror, eco-horror, and real-life issues concerning kids, especially BIPOC kids. We have Pina struggling with her anxiety and insecurities, desperate to grow and save her best friend. And then with the latter part of the book, it broke my heart knowing what Jo goes through as a half-Filipino kid with no connection to their roots .
I think this book explored what's it like for lonely kids, kids who are going through a tough time at home, kids who are experiencing racism and xenophobia at such a young and formative age. It's heartbreaking and harrowing to even think about.
I also quite liked the neurodivergence rep in this book. While Pina is still undiagnosed (anxiety, autism), you see it in her perspective as you read through the story. And you see her considering these things as time goes by. And I just love that and I know a lot of people will be able to relate to her and her experiences. Or maybe discover a little bit more about themselves as they read Pina's perspective.
I think The Glade is a clever metaphor for inner struggles and psychological trauma. The Glade takes vulnerable victims. And yes, at first it's a refuge. But soon, it can also take away from you. And we either let it or we try to face it head on. I think this is what we see from Pina, Jo, Eddy, and Arish throughout the story. And it was great, seeing their journey from start to finish.
(Also it is the last day of AAPI/ANHPI Month, and if you're still looking for an author or book to support, this is it!)
It took me a while to finish The Glade (not because of the book, life happens 😅), but I have to say this was a ride.
I love how it started off so simple and innocent, yet the latter half is blend of psychological horror, eco-horror, and real-life issues concerning kids, especially BIPOC kids. We have Pina struggling with her anxiety and insecurities, desperate to grow and save her best friend. And then with the latter part of the book, it broke my heart knowing what Jo goes through as a half-Filipino kid with no connection to their roots .
I think this book explored what's it like for lonely kids, kids who are going through a tough time at home, kids who are experiencing racism and xenophobia at such a young and formative age. It's heartbreaking and harrowing to even think about.
I also quite liked the neurodivergence rep in this book. While Pina is still undiagnosed (anxiety, autism), you see it in her perspective as you read through the story. And you see her considering these things as time goes by. And I just love that and I know a lot of people will be able to relate to her and her experiences. Or maybe discover a little bit more about themselves as they read Pina's perspective.
I think The Glade is a clever metaphor for inner struggles and psychological trauma. The Glade takes vulnerable victims. And yes, at first it's a refuge. But soon, it can also take away from you. And we either let it or we try to face it head on. I think this is what we see from Pina, Jo, Eddy, and Arish throughout the story. And it was great, seeing their journey from start to finish.
(Also it is the last day of AAPI/ANHPI Month, and if you're still looking for an author or book to support, this is it!)
[ Marking this book as part of my reading challenge: Read Queerly 2025.
Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Storygraph | Fable | Blog ]
July 14, 2025
Finished this on International Nonbinary People’s Day, go figure. 4 stars of pity that might be a 3.5 stars, can’t tell if this didn’t impact me as much as I thought it would (in a Splinter & Ash “an adult reader crossover doesn’t really work as much” way), or if I’m just depressed. I thought that certain topics, such as Pina’s anxiety, her and Jo connecting over feeling like cultural outsiders (and Pina’s own perspective leading to her not understanding as much of Jo’s situation, at first), and figuring out queerness, were handled in a way that was mature, but not out of place for kids. Like, although the language of this book’s prose and dialogue is juvenile, it doesn’t talk down to its audience. In general, I really liked how the kids were written, their lines of thinking made me think of my middle school diary entries, or some conversations I had with my brother at that time. Loved the occasional mushroom infodumping Pina would do. The horror elements were also intriguing, I hope Jamnia writes in this genre more.
The pacing was way quicker than I thought it would be, which is appropriate for the target demographic, but I thought it took away from a couple aspects, such as the characterizations of Eddie and Arish, and the summer camp as a whole. (So much of it was shown through summarized activities that I didn’t really feel dread or shock when the twist happened? I kind of only cared about it because of Pina hinging her personal growth on it.)
Kudos to the Glade’s other dimension actually feeling surreal and off-putting like a dream world, though. Nailing dreams is exceptionally hard to do in fiction, especially when you have a plot revolving around them. (My only nitpick about it is that the cover has this jade green lighting, while in the book, it’s frequently described as yellow-green? Was the color change just to look cooler/creepier? Eh, it looks pretty, at least.)
The pacing was way quicker than I thought it would be, which is appropriate for the target demographic, but I thought it took away from a couple aspects, such as the characterizations of Eddie and Arish, and the summer camp as a whole. (So much of it was shown through summarized activities that I didn’t really feel dread or shock when the twist happened? I kind of only cared about it because of Pina hinging her personal growth on it.)
Kudos to the Glade’s other dimension actually feeling surreal and off-putting like a dream world, though. Nailing dreams is exceptionally hard to do in fiction, especially when you have a plot revolving around them. (My only nitpick about it is that the cover has this jade green lighting, while in the book, it’s frequently described as yellow-green? Was the color change just to look cooler/creepier? Eh, it looks pretty, at least.)
August 26, 2025
Love the nonbinary representation, the friends who will do anything for each other, the way the kids support each other and grow internally. Creepy summer camp is indeed creepy -- the mycelium theme is excellent, the frank acknowledgement of the damage that microaggressions can do is refreshing, and I like that everyone shared their pronouns. I also love that there is a boy with a stuffed unicorn and a female warrior form that no-one makes a big deal of. Finally, nice to have Iranian American, Filipino American and Pakistani American representation, in addition to delightful UP Minnesotan accents. Really great "you will survive this and things will get better" messaging.
April 9, 2025
4.5 / 5
This is a delightful middle grade read I can see appealing to young readers who enjoy a touch of the magical in stories about friendships, shenanigans, and adventures. This book examines some pretty tough themes including racism, family dynamics, mental illness, gender identity, immigration, and cultural identity while a group of friends battles against a glowing glade full of delirium inducing mushrooms at their summer camp.
I really loved the characters (except for Bethany perhaps) and loved how they supported each but still held one another accountable for mean behaviour and unkind words. The author managed to balance some truly scary moments (involving giant spiders) with middle grade humour for a book that inches toward horror but probably won't cause nightmares in young readers.
Speaking as a teacher, I think this book would work wonderfully for a grade 3/4 reading group, allowing for important discussions on identity, inclusion, and friendship as well as when to question authority figures and how to have difficult conversations with grown ups who aren't ready or able to listen.
I only had two minor gripes. but perhaps this leaves the door open for a sequel ?
Overall, I think this is a wonderful middle grade book tackling really important themes that will be enjoyed by readers younger and older, unless they hate mushrooms!
This is a delightful middle grade read I can see appealing to young readers who enjoy a touch of the magical in stories about friendships, shenanigans, and adventures. This book examines some pretty tough themes including racism, family dynamics, mental illness, gender identity, immigration, and cultural identity while a group of friends battles against a glowing glade full of delirium inducing mushrooms at their summer camp.
I really loved the characters (except for Bethany perhaps) and loved how they supported each but still held one another accountable for mean behaviour and unkind words. The author managed to balance some truly scary moments (involving giant spiders) with middle grade humour for a book that inches toward horror but probably won't cause nightmares in young readers.
Speaking as a teacher, I think this book would work wonderfully for a grade 3/4 reading group, allowing for important discussions on identity, inclusion, and friendship as well as when to question authority figures and how to have difficult conversations with grown ups who aren't ready or able to listen.
I only had two minor gripes. but perhaps this leaves the door open for a sequel ?
Overall, I think this is a wonderful middle grade book tackling really important themes that will be enjoyed by readers younger and older, unless they hate mushrooms!
February 23, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Pina Ahmadi and her best friend, Jo Manalo, are excited about spending the summer at Camp Clear Skies in Wisconsin, which has just reopened after being closed for twenty years. Pina, who suffers from anxiety and often hides behind Jo, is trying hard to turn herself into Pina 2.0 during the summer away from her close knit Iranian American family. Things are a half bubble off at the camp, and there are rumors about a missing camper. Counselor George and his mean girl sister Bethany are odd, but Pina and Jo, who is nonbinary, meet Eddy and Arish, who are interested in finding out why the camp is so creepy. When the group sneaks out at night, they have a bizarre shared dream that makes them want to find out more about the history of the camp. George knows about The Glade, and tells them that if campers sleep there, it their dreams become more intense and dangerous, so of course they sneak out of their cabins and try to have more dreams. Jo gets sucked further into The Glade because she is struggling with a troubled home life and caretakers who won't accept their gender identity, and is worries about moving away from Pina so that she can live with her uncle, who has gotten a job in Detroit. Breaking into the cabin of Ms. Angela, the camp owner, the group finds out more about the sordid history of the camp, and the identity of the missing camper. Will this be enough to break the spell of The Glade and save Jo?
Summer camps in books certainly have their creepy moments, and this is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Berk and Mitchell's Camp Murderface, Murphy's Camp Sylvania, or Burch's Camp Twisted Pine.
Pina Ahmadi and her best friend, Jo Manalo, are excited about spending the summer at Camp Clear Skies in Wisconsin, which has just reopened after being closed for twenty years. Pina, who suffers from anxiety and often hides behind Jo, is trying hard to turn herself into Pina 2.0 during the summer away from her close knit Iranian American family. Things are a half bubble off at the camp, and there are rumors about a missing camper. Counselor George and his mean girl sister Bethany are odd, but Pina and Jo, who is nonbinary, meet Eddy and Arish, who are interested in finding out why the camp is so creepy. When the group sneaks out at night, they have a bizarre shared dream that makes them want to find out more about the history of the camp. George knows about The Glade, and tells them that if campers sleep there, it their dreams become more intense and dangerous, so of course they sneak out of their cabins and try to have more dreams. Jo gets sucked further into The Glade because she is struggling with a troubled home life and caretakers who won't accept their gender identity, and is worries about moving away from Pina so that she can live with her uncle, who has gotten a job in Detroit. Breaking into the cabin of Ms. Angela, the camp owner, the group finds out more about the sordid history of the camp, and the identity of the missing camper. Will this be enough to break the spell of The Glade and save Jo?
Summer camps in books certainly have their creepy moments, and this is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Berk and Mitchell's Camp Murderface, Murphy's Camp Sylvania, or Burch's Camp Twisted Pine.
May 25, 2025
I received a digital review copy from the author via Netgalley. However, all opinions are my own.
The Glade is an enchanting middle grade horror that has appeal to both younger and older readers who enjoy stories about friendships, mischief, and adventures with a side of magic. I love that it tackles often difficult themes like family dynamics, gender identity, immigration, racism, mental illness, and cultural identity. All while the main group of friends battle a glade full of hysteria causing mushrooms at the summer camp they're attending.
I rather enjoyed the characters and how they supported each other while still holding everyone accountable for their actions. Jamnia managed to balance some truly scary moments with a dash of humor that (maybe) won't cause nightmares in younger readers. (Heck, or me, for that matter. I have a major fear of spiders.)
My biggest complaint about the book is it felt a little rushed in parts, but I enjoyed it a whole. I found the characters realistic and loveable and think it'd be the perfect read for upper elementary students.
I would definitely recommend this one to fans of the horror genre and definitely believe it's a book middle grade lovers should have on their shelves.
The Glade is an enchanting middle grade horror that has appeal to both younger and older readers who enjoy stories about friendships, mischief, and adventures with a side of magic. I love that it tackles often difficult themes like family dynamics, gender identity, immigration, racism, mental illness, and cultural identity. All while the main group of friends battle a glade full of hysteria causing mushrooms at the summer camp they're attending.
I rather enjoyed the characters and how they supported each other while still holding everyone accountable for their actions. Jamnia managed to balance some truly scary moments with a dash of humor that (maybe) won't cause nightmares in younger readers. (Heck, or me, for that matter. I have a major fear of spiders.)
My biggest complaint about the book is it felt a little rushed in parts, but I enjoyed it a whole. I found the characters realistic and loveable and think it'd be the perfect read for upper elementary students.
I would definitely recommend this one to fans of the horror genre and definitely believe it's a book middle grade lovers should have on their shelves.
April 26, 2025
I have received a digital review copy from the publisher via Netgalley. This does not influence my opinion.
The Glade is a great middle grade horror book centering n friendship.
While I did feel that the plot was rushed at times, I did really enjoy the book as a whole and was at the edge of my seat for the entire second half of it.
Pina was a great main character, very relatable, especially the anxious thoughts. The side characters were also all realistic and loveable, I do wish they had been a bit more fleshed out though.
I loved seeing the way the characters interacted with each other. It was also interesting to read how their different cultural backgrounds influenced them, especially with Pina and Jo and their code words and them feeling a disconnect from both their American as well as their Persian and Filipino heritage, never feeling like they belong anywhere except for with each other.
In the end, I just wanna give the entire friend group a big hug, they seem like they need it. And maybe therapy after everything that happened in this book.
I highly recommend this book for any horror fans.
The Glade is a great middle grade horror book centering n friendship.
While I did feel that the plot was rushed at times, I did really enjoy the book as a whole and was at the edge of my seat for the entire second half of it.
Pina was a great main character, very relatable, especially the anxious thoughts. The side characters were also all realistic and loveable, I do wish they had been a bit more fleshed out though.
I loved seeing the way the characters interacted with each other. It was also interesting to read how their different cultural backgrounds influenced them, especially with Pina and Jo and their code words and them feeling a disconnect from both their American as well as their Persian and Filipino heritage, never feeling like they belong anywhere except for with each other.
In the end, I just wanna give the entire friend group a big hug, they seem like they need it. And maybe therapy after everything that happened in this book.
I highly recommend this book for any horror fans.
May 30, 2025
The Glade is a place built on imagination. A place where you can be whatever you want. A place where dreams can become nightmares.
This was written well and I found this summer camp story to be very engaging. The author did an amazing job creating a creepy atmosphere with the mushrooms. the spiders and those horrid smells. I adored Pina, Jo, Eddy and Arish and loved the humor throughout. I definitely recommend this middle grade novel as it is full of representation and addresses important topics such as racial prejudice, mental illness, and gender identity. I was a big fan of The Bruising of Qilwa (still waiting for a sequel possibly?) and they did not disappoint with The Glade.
Thank you to the author for provided me an eARC!
This was written well and I found this summer camp story to be very engaging. The author did an amazing job creating a creepy atmosphere with the mushrooms. the spiders and those horrid smells. I adored Pina, Jo, Eddy and Arish and loved the humor throughout. I definitely recommend this middle grade novel as it is full of representation and addresses important topics such as racial prejudice, mental illness, and gender identity. I was a big fan of The Bruising of Qilwa (still waiting for a sequel possibly?) and they did not disappoint with The Glade.
Thank you to the author for provided me an eARC!
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June 18, 2025i was really hoping to like this more than i did. i think that there is so much to enjoy about this book--BIPOC and queer identities, familial drama, and a fantastical setting. as an adult, i know middle-grade can sometimes feel juvenile, and i think this feels overly so because it doesn't trust its reader to be able to pick up on nuance. children are not dumb, and i think it takes away from the experience to have every one of the main character's thoughts written out
April 13, 2025
I thought that maybe middle grade horror was something I could do. I realised that, no, I really don't like horror novels, even if they're aimed at children. It's just horror as a genre I don't enjoy.
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I'm not really sure why exactly I wasn't getting on with the story. It just wasn't for me.
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Thank you to author Naseem Jamnia and NetGalley for sending me an ARC copy of this book.
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I'm not really sure why exactly I wasn't getting on with the story. It just wasn't for me.
•
Thank you to author Naseem Jamnia and NetGalley for sending me an ARC copy of this book.
August 15, 2025
The REAL Camp Mystic
Inclusive without feeling forced, Naseem’s middle-grade horror is a safe, spooky read.
You just won’t trust the mycelium after reading it…
Inclusive without feeling forced, Naseem’s middle-grade horror is a safe, spooky read.
You just won’t trust the mycelium after reading it…
August 21, 2025
A girl discovers a magical clearing near her summer camp . . . which ends up putting her best friend in danger.
August 8, 2025
🏳️🌈Rep: Iranian/White Aspec FMC, Filipino/White Nonbinary SC, Black & Pakistani SCs
📝Tropes/Themes: Fungal Horror, Friendship, Mental Health, Gender Identity Exploration, Racialized Queer Characters, Summer Camp, Mysteries in the Woods, Supernatural Elements
This book was utterly fascinating! The Glade takes place at a summer camp which already had me hooked as a former camp kid! Pina is hoping that this time away from home with her best friend will help her become a better version of herself. She wants to be more like Jo and less reliant on Jo to always save the day. She knows she is different than other kids, and her parents can be a bit overbearing. So she’s hoping to become Pina 2.0 while at camp. Pina also has undiagnosed anxiety and autism and I love all the ways Naseem represented and showed this throughout the story. Jo is on a journey of their own in figuring out their gender identity throughout the story, trying to see which pronouns feel right. It’s already set up to be a great story. But did I mention there are supernatural things happening in the woods, too?
Pulled by this iridescent glow from the forest, Pina and Jo decide to sneak out and investigate. At first it feels like they stumbled into this incredible secret world, but when reality starts to get infiltrated by bizarre things and Jo slowly becomes less and less like themself, it’s clear something more sinister is afoot in the woods. In between regular camp activities and nighttime explorations in the words, Pina and Jo also become friends with two other campers - Eddy and Arish. The four quickly form a bond and it’s up to all of them to get to the bottom of things, while also trying not to get caught. A task easier said than done.
The cast of characters in this book is so beautifully diverse in impactful ways. Their cultures, identities, languages, and experiences are woven into the fabric of the story. This is more than just fantasy and horror - it’s an examination of larger topics like racism, immigration, gender identity, mental health, xenophobia, complex family dynamics, and more. Naseem handles these topics with the utmost care, infusing the story with underlying messages and meaning that don’t detract from the horror and paranormal aspects but rather expand them.
The author shares on their website that Pina is aspec, and while it is not explicitly mentioned in the story there are hints that clue you into the fact that Pina does not seem to experience attraction in the way her best friend and others do. It was a very age-appropriate exploration of aspec identity that felt very fitting for how a young person Pina’s age might be starting to process all this without the language to understand it yet.
The sporror elements of this story were top notch! Really everything with the world building of The Glade (especially the Glade itself) was phenomenal. I could picture myself there. It would honestly make an incredible movie! I won’t go into a lot more details beyond that because I don’t want to share spoilers - this is the kind of story that is meant to be experienced first hand. So follow the strange glow into the woods, and find out for yourself what lies within The Glade!
This book is not just a great Middle Grade story - it’s an amazing story period. You don’t have to be a child to enjoy this story. But if you know kids who are into creepy things and love to read - especially any racialized and/or queer kids - get them this book! Then grab yourself a copy too and you can read it together!
⚠️TW/CW [from the author, contains minor spoilers]:
Parental mental illness and long-term hospitalization; Childhood mental, emotional, and materialistic/financial abuse from a guardian, including food withholding; Mentions and consequences of bullying; Racial prejudice directed mainly at a child; Mentions of a dead parent; Age-appropriate body horror; Fungal and botany-related horror; Spiders being creepy and Way Too Big; Adults treating kids like crap; Adults doing some Real Questionable Stuff
📝Tropes/Themes: Fungal Horror, Friendship, Mental Health, Gender Identity Exploration, Racialized Queer Characters, Summer Camp, Mysteries in the Woods, Supernatural Elements
This book was utterly fascinating! The Glade takes place at a summer camp which already had me hooked as a former camp kid! Pina is hoping that this time away from home with her best friend will help her become a better version of herself. She wants to be more like Jo and less reliant on Jo to always save the day. She knows she is different than other kids, and her parents can be a bit overbearing. So she’s hoping to become Pina 2.0 while at camp. Pina also has undiagnosed anxiety and autism and I love all the ways Naseem represented and showed this throughout the story. Jo is on a journey of their own in figuring out their gender identity throughout the story, trying to see which pronouns feel right. It’s already set up to be a great story. But did I mention there are supernatural things happening in the woods, too?
Pulled by this iridescent glow from the forest, Pina and Jo decide to sneak out and investigate. At first it feels like they stumbled into this incredible secret world, but when reality starts to get infiltrated by bizarre things and Jo slowly becomes less and less like themself, it’s clear something more sinister is afoot in the woods. In between regular camp activities and nighttime explorations in the words, Pina and Jo also become friends with two other campers - Eddy and Arish. The four quickly form a bond and it’s up to all of them to get to the bottom of things, while also trying not to get caught. A task easier said than done.
The cast of characters in this book is so beautifully diverse in impactful ways. Their cultures, identities, languages, and experiences are woven into the fabric of the story. This is more than just fantasy and horror - it’s an examination of larger topics like racism, immigration, gender identity, mental health, xenophobia, complex family dynamics, and more. Naseem handles these topics with the utmost care, infusing the story with underlying messages and meaning that don’t detract from the horror and paranormal aspects but rather expand them.
The author shares on their website that Pina is aspec, and while it is not explicitly mentioned in the story there are hints that clue you into the fact that Pina does not seem to experience attraction in the way her best friend and others do. It was a very age-appropriate exploration of aspec identity that felt very fitting for how a young person Pina’s age might be starting to process all this without the language to understand it yet.
The sporror elements of this story were top notch! Really everything with the world building of The Glade (especially the Glade itself) was phenomenal. I could picture myself there. It would honestly make an incredible movie! I won’t go into a lot more details beyond that because I don’t want to share spoilers - this is the kind of story that is meant to be experienced first hand. So follow the strange glow into the woods, and find out for yourself what lies within The Glade!
This book is not just a great Middle Grade story - it’s an amazing story period. You don’t have to be a child to enjoy this story. But if you know kids who are into creepy things and love to read - especially any racialized and/or queer kids - get them this book! Then grab yourself a copy too and you can read it together!
⚠️TW/CW [from the author, contains minor spoilers]:
Parental mental illness and long-term hospitalization; Childhood mental, emotional, and materialistic/financial abuse from a guardian, including food withholding; Mentions and consequences of bullying; Racial prejudice directed mainly at a child; Mentions of a dead parent; Age-appropriate body horror; Fungal and botany-related horror; Spiders being creepy and Way Too Big; Adults treating kids like crap; Adults doing some Real Questionable Stuff
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews