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The Door of No Return

(2008, Fiction - Historical Fiction, Written by Sarah Mussi)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 12.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Lost African prince adventure/mystery with a unique premise.

Themes in this book include:   family relationships, loss

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    History is woven into the story without feeling like a history lesson, yet it will give readers much to think about.  Some kids will want to research further based on the sheer amount of interesting and motivating information given.

  • Messages:

    This book is an adventure tale that gives a good message about endurance and justice. There are parts that look into the mindset behind slavery, and the right and wrong actions of people since it ended.

  • Role models:

    Zac is a terrific, heroic character. He is smart, interesting, and forward-thinking. His foster parents are also great role models. With so many unknown, adult bad guys chasing after Zac, it's nice to see a good example of loyal, caring grownups.

 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Punches, threats, choking, etc. Murder and fear of murder is described, though it isn't very graphic.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Some name-calling and a few swear words like "s--t," but nothing excessive.

  • Consumerism:

    A few mentions of name-brand items, including a Nokia cell phone.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    References to adults drinking alcohol.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Door of No Return

Parents need to know that this story revolves around slavery and the slave trade. There are some scenes that are intense, sad, and suspenseful, and there's a reasonable amount of danger, but the danger and intrigue are part of any good mystery/adventure novel, which this is.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the importance of family history. Do you know your family's history? A great project for the whole family would be researching the family tree. Why is it important to know where you've come from? How would it feel not to know your family's history?
  • What did you learn from this book about the slave trade? Why would it be problematic if the descendents of African slaves chose and had a way to sue the governments of the countries that participated in the trade?
  • Which turns of the story surprised you the most? What part of the story was most dramatic?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    tennisguy1847
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Simply awesome

    This was a fantastic book. it was filled with excitement and it was very intense. The plot twist at the end was awesome and i highly recommend this book

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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