Parents' Guide to

The Season of Styx Malone

By Terreece Clarke, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Heartwarming story of friendship and adventure.

Book Kekla Magoon Coming of Age 2018
The Season of Styx Malone Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

gair
gair Parent of 8 and 9-year-old
March 22, 2020
age 12+

Mature themes for kids

In this story, two innocent young kids, who are brothers, become friends with a foster child who is a bad influence and teaches them how to be "bad". I was enjoying listening to the book with my nine year-old son, though we were stopping frequently to discuss the poor choices/morality of the boys under Styx's (the foster kid's) influence. Happily, I went ahead on my own when I got to the part where Styx convinces them to lie to their parents about where they are going and stow away on a train with Styx without knowing where they are going. Styx then convinces them to jump out of the fast moving train at a destination that they didn't know. As a parent, the idea of my kids lying to me to take off on a train to a destination they didn't know and possibly get killed along the way was rather terrifying. I was so glad that my son didn't hear that part of the story and didn't let him listen to more of the book. The story is a good read and very engaging, but more appropriate for older kids who have a stronger moral compass. The parents of the brothers are great and are trying hard to teach their kids well. There are also references to fear of racially motivated hate crimes. There also a lot of use of fake cigarettes.
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What's the Story?

In THE SEASON OF STYX MALONE, Caleb wants to experience life beyond his small town in Indiana. With a whole summer of adventure before him, Caleb and his brother, Bobby Gene, encounter Styx Malone, a cool kid with some big secrets. The promise of the Great Escalator Trade (trading a small thing for something better on the way to reaching what your really want, in this case a scooter) tests the kids and their friendships as things get crazier than they ever imagined. Can it get any crazier than trading your baby sister for a bag of fireworks?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This fun, kooky, madcap adventure is a fun read with nuanced layers and a plot driven by the desire to be something and somewhere else. Author Kekla Magoon kicks off The Season of Styx Malone with a compelling question: Are you special if you're the only one who sees it?

Styx is a shady, older teen character, and Caleb is too trusting, but the twisty intrigue has readers asking important questions about character motivation and decision making.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about peer pressure in The Season of Styx Malone. How much are Caleb's decisions due to his own desires or to the influence of Styx? Have you ever had friends with strong personalities who made it hard to say no? How did you navigate those friendships?

  • Caleb's dad talks about maintaining a scale of optimism. How do you stay positive in life?

  • Does it count as stealing if you make an unwitting trade? What about withholding information that might make a person change his mind? Is having good morals a clear case of black and white/good and bad, or are there gray areas?

Book Details

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