Parents' Guide to

Shinji Takahashi: Into the Heart of the Storm: The Society of Explorers and Adventurers, Book 2

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

High-seas magical adventure features diverse characters.

Book Julie Kagawa Fantasy 2023
Shinji Takahashi book cover: 3 teens stand on beach facing a ship tossed in a storm with clouds in shape of giant boar head

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

In SHINJI TAKAHASHI: INTO THE HEART OF THE STORM, Shinji is having trouble harnessing his new guardian magic from the Coatl, and he doesn't want any help -- not from his friend Lucy, and certainly not from Phoebe, the overenthusiastic expert the Society of Adventurers and Explorers (SEA) brings in to train him. So of course Shinji jumps at the chance to board the Seas the Day and head to the South Pacific on a secret mission, even if Phoebe must tag along. SEA needs to reach a shipwreck carrying artifacts from the mysterious Natia people before Hightower plunders it, and they'll need to hurry. And as usual, Hightower will use every dirty trick in the book to beat them. Just when Shinji thinks his Coatl powers have failed him and the whole team, they lead him to a lost island seething with an angry ancient power.

Is It Any Good?

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

The main thing that disappoints in this exciting high-seas, lava-spewing, storm-of-the-century adventure is Shinji and his guardian magic. Shinji's disappointed, too, that he's not powerful like he was when he found the Coatl in the jungle, but his moping and insistence on doing everything himself sure dampens the adventurous spirit. He's mean to everyone, especially his best bud Lucy. Aboard the ship, Lucy tries to ignore him and gets to tinker with more than Tinker, her robotic mouse, when she works on a cool submersible. But we don't see much of this because we're focused on moody Shinji, and a little on Roux, the street-smart stowaway.

It takes quite the misadventure in an active volcano to get everyone working together. This sudden harmony among the teens is essential for the trials to come. If readers didn't already have some well-warranted fears of big storms, here you go. And after the teen trio conquers their fears, Shinji still isn't fully conquering the powers within himself. Let's hope the third book finds Shinji more confident in his new abilities and Lucy enjoying more quality time on the page.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about prejudices in Shinji Takahashi: Into the Heart of the Storm. What does Lucy think of Roux, and the other way around? How do their very different backgrounds get in the way of their friendship at first? When do things change?

  • Shinji shows integrity when he refuses to hide Roux. Why does he make this decision? When else does he show integrity during the story? How does the whole SEA organization represent integrity compared to Hightower?

  • Why is it important to show curiosity about other cultures? What's lost when we lack that curiosity?

  • What do you think is next for Shinji and friends?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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