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Reviewed by: Kathy Jaccarino, High School Librarian Title: Scout's Honor Author: Lily Anderson Publisher: Henry Holt
Year: 2022 Good for Grades: 8-12 Genre/Type of Book: Supernatural Fiction
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: No Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: It got wonderful reviews, many starred, and was a Printz Honor Award winner. If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: A campy horror romp, 'Scout's Honor' is a charming celebration of individuality and the strength that comes from standing up for what you believe in."
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Review:
To be honest, it took me a while to engage with this story! However, I came to love the quirky characters and the unusually gruesome story line. Some reviews call it a horror story...I don't think I would go that far, but for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it would be a big hit. Prudence is a third generation legacy scout, she comes from a long line of Ladybird Scouts, who in reality are hunters sworn to protect humans from mulligrubs, "interdimensional parasites who feast on human emotions like sadness and anger." The members are "disguised" as scouts that are rivals to the official Girl Scouts. They wear pink, host teas, community fundraisers, and appear prim and proper. Prudence loses her best friend during a hunt and battle with a mulligrub, as a result she has pledged to leave her troupe and hopes to someday drink the "forgetting tea" that will help her put her scout life behind her. Unfortunately she is drawn back into the hunt, along with her best friends, who inadvertently drink the "seeing tea."
What I love most about this novel is the way Anderson effortless weaves into the narrative characters that are ethnically and racially mixed, and identities that are not all traditional genders. The story isn't about race, ethnicity or gender, but rather the characters represent diversity in a way that is subtle and natural. Pru and her scouts manage to save the day, take down the mulligrub and the Mean Girls, yes there are mean girls in the Ladybird Scouts. Pru also makes a case for updating the Ladybird Scouts, and addressing emotional health and support and inclusivity as part of their charter. Go Pru!
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Find resources for Scout's Honor at Teachingbooks.net
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