Common Sense Media Review
By Jasmine Baten
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever magical map mystery has violence, suspense, danger.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE CARTOGRAPHERS, Nell Young blames a cheap gas station map for making her father cut off their relationship and ending her career. Seven years later, her father is dead, but the map turns up again, and suddenly seems a lot more important, maybe even a little magical. It sends Nell on a fantastical journey to uncover her parents' past and the secrets behind the map. The search becomes more dangerous when it turns out that someone else is after the map too, and they're killing anyone who gets in the way.
Is It Any Good?
Get ready for a thrilling mystery that will have readers forming their own conspiracy theories. The ending has some confusing twists that might frustrate but The Cartographers is overall a fun read and unique in its use of magical maps. The way the author goes between the past and the present and narrates from the perspective of multiple characters makes piecing the story together exciting and intriguing. Readers will enjoy joining Nell on her adventure; she's a smart and determined main character whose perseverance and love for her work allow her to find answers about her parents and unmask her world's greatest map-related mysteries.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how racial, gender, sexuality, and other types of diversity are represented in The Cartographers. Do you think it's done well or not? How do other books you've read recently handle representation of diversity?
What role does communication play in this story? How does communication contribute to violence in the story but also to solving the mysteries of the map? Why is it so important to work at having better communication skills?
Nell is passionate about cartography and maps. What topics or subjects are you really excited about? What might it take to make one of these a career?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : William Morrow
- Publication date : March 15, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 18 - 18
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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