Dream Shield (Star Friends, #11)

DREAM SHIELD is an engaging new installment in the STAR FRIENDS series. Sita, Mia, Lexi, and Violet are back together with the town upset about a new development of extremely expensive mansions planned to be built on the top of the cliff. If it is built, a lot of greenery will be taken away including the forest where they practice their magic. At the same time, the town has a small festival called a garden walkabout with a scarecrow competition that everyone is preparing for.

After the walkabout, the whole town seems to be incredibly fatigued, unable to stay awake. Mia is having dreams about something dark, and the animals are scenting Shades. Will the girls be able to figure out who is using dark magic and how to stop it before the whole town sleeps?

What I loved: This was a really engaging story that kept the reader guessing. There are a few possibilities for what the magic could have been, so there is a pretty good mystery going throughout the story. The writing works well for independent readers who are gaining confidence. Sentences remain relatively simple but include complex words and a larger font type that will work well for readers who are getting further into chapter books.

The characters are great, focusing on the four friends, though there are plenty of recurring side characters (such as Miss Amadi and Maddie) that readers will love hearing from again. The girls are great friends - but they are also children and learning as well. Lessons about patience, knowing your weaknesses, accepting help, and resolving disagreements will resonate with this age group.

Along those lines, illustrations are included throughout the book albeit not on every page spread. The illustrations are fantastic with plenty of detail and expressive characters to help those scenes really come to life.

What left me wanting more: The beginning third to first half felt like a lot of detail on seeming filler with not a lot happening before the story got into the mystery. The writing can get a bit bogged down in the details as well in various places with text that sometimes feels a lot like filler. Additionally, the story ends not full resolved. While they do resolve the plot with the Shades, there is still the larger mystery of who did the dark magic and why that remains to be seen.

Of note, this may not work well for sensitive readers, as the scarecrows are attacking the girls, and it makes for quite the frightening imagery - especially with some serious injuries that occur. This one could result in bad dreams if read close to bedtime - it is quite scary!

Final verdict: DREAM SHIELD is an engaging early chapter book with a solid mystery, plenty of magic, and good friends that will work well with children who are gaining confidence in independent chapter books.