Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Saunders
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever murder mystery where father's death unites siblings.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When THE HEIRS begins, a prologue tells the reader that there has been a brutal murder on a billionaire's yacht. The main story begins three months before the murder, when billionaire Leontes Button, adoptive father of Fola, Perdita, Octavius, Bilal, and Romeo, hosts a party and press event at his Scarsdale, New York, estate to celebrate his 10th annual Prodigy Ball. Leontes created a harsh method of education that he believes enables him to create prodigies. For his children, the method has led to great achievements, but also to burnout, sibling rivalry, and confusion about what they really want from life.
Is It Any Good?
This fantastic book gives sympathetic representation to a group whose needs and challenges often go unacknowledged: children labeled gifted and talented. The Heirs by New York Times bestselling author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (Ace of Spades) takes a nuanced look at the pitfalls of pushing young people to succeed for the sake of succeeding. In this case, a White billionaire adopts children of color from difficult situations and uses them as his personal projects, without much consideration for their emotional health or their dreams. Since the question of whether nurture or nature produces geniuses remains open, there's something here for any teen feeling overwhelmed with other people's expectations.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about "nature vs. nurture" as explored in The Heirs. Which do you believe is most important: talent or hard work? Why? Is there anything that comes more easily to you than to other people? What is something you've gotten good at through hard work?
How does teamwork help the main characters in The Heirs break through their feelings of isolation?
How do failures of empathy affect the characters' relationships with each other? How does having empathy help them?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Competition , Dystopia , Family Stories ( Adoptees and Foster Kids , Siblings )
- Character Strengths : Empathy , Humility , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Feiwel & Friends
- Publication date : June 2, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 336
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : June 26, 2026
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