Parents' Guide to Nexus: Zeroes, Book 3

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Common Sense Media Review

Michael Berry By Michael Berry , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Superpowered teens hit New Orleans in superior thriller.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

The opening of NEXUS finds the Zeroes in desperate straits, with Nate in a supposedly escape-proof prison and the rest of the gang on the run from the FBI, accused of domestic terrorism. Beyond their own problems, there's trouble brewing in New Orleans, where the growing crowds fuel the cataclysmic powers of a new young prodigy. Staying one step ahead of the authorities, Nate, Ethan, Riley, Thibault, Kelsie, and Chizara must reckon with their own phenomenal abilities as they fight to prevent a local mob from transforming into a global disaster.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

Readers want more from a superhero trilogy than just a big fight at the end, and this clever take on psychic teenagers delivers a winning series of last-minute revelations and resolutions. Co-authors Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti waste no time kicking off the action, while emphasizing that it's the weird, tragic, and funny interplay between the disparate characters that makes this series special.

Because the authors withhold the nature of the monumental threat in New Orleans for a while, the opening chapters feel slightly unfocused. But that's a quibble. Nexus brings the trilogy to a highly satisfying conclusion, full of action, suspense, and heart.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Nexus portrays characters with superpowers. Why are superhero stories so popular now? What aspects of the genre especially appeal to readers and moviegoers?

  • How does Nexus demonstrate that with great power comes great responsibility? How do the Zeroes put the needs of others before their own?

  • What role does violence play in Nexus? Why are crowds often dangerous, and how can a change of mood affect them so easily?

Book Details

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