The Bear House

Gr 4-7–A group of young teens must deal with the aftermath of a terrible act of betrayal and make a place for themselves in their changed universe. Princesses Aster and Ursula are the daughters of the respected Major Jasper Lourdes, who is basically the high king of their world. After her father and most of the other Majors, plus their magical animal partners, are killed due to the machinations of his older brother Bram, Aster learns that she and her sister are considered spoiled brats by everyone. However, by the end of the book, the princesses prove capable of heroism. Truly wonderful world-building almost makes up for the stereotypical behavior of the young female characters, who seem selfish and lazy until forced to be otherwise, while the young male characters show resolve and agency as they deal with difficult problems before the events of the novel. The story ties up neatly, but many characters deserve future stories of their own. Most characters are cued as white.