The Callers Series
The Callers and The Hidden Forest by Kiah Thomas – available through Hoopla.
Middle grade novels are the perfect vehicle for discussing important issues in a clear and compelling manner. This series is a great way to discuss consumerism, environmental issues, and the abuse of power with your children!
Quintas lives in a society that Calls resources into being. Their motto is Something Comes From Nothing. They Call their food, drinks, and raw materials (and sometimes manufactured materials like a table or a chair, but that is officially against the law). Quin is part of a family of famous Callers, including his mother, who is the Chief Counselor, and his sister Davina, who will be one of the youngest Callers added to the Council this year. But Quin can’t Call anything.
His mother wants to use Quin to take down the people living in the Spurges on the outskirts of Elipsom. They have spurned Calling and grow their own food. They also protest frequently, and their chant goes against everything Quin’s family is for – Nothing Comes From Nothing. They say that when things are Called, they are coming from someone and somewhere else, but the Council vehemently denies that this is so. When he goes to The Spurges with his mom, she instructs him to find his former classmate, Milo, who can Call, but chooses not to do so. Even to please his mother, Quin realizes that he can’t betray Milo.
After the Calling Examination (at which his mother cheats so he passes), Quin realizes that his papers for studying have disappeared out of his room, and then… he disappears, too.
Allie looks at the boy she just Called from the other side of the world, and quizzes him fiercely about Calling and why he wrote so many notes about it. How can he Call, knowing where the items come from? But Quin seems clueless, and Allie realizes that he doesn’t know the secret – that everything Called from Elipsom actually comes from the other side of the planet, from Evantra. Quin realizes he has been dreaming about Evantra for years and he is curious about this land that he was never told existed. The Vine, which brings life to the planet, is slowly dying. Could Quin be the one to heal it and stop the practice of Calling?
Thomas does a great job of describing this fantasy world, especially the Vine. Book Two, The Hidden Forest, really captures the beauty of this part of the world. Quin explores this new land, while hiding from Management, and meets people who can help him figure out where he came from and how to heal the Vine. Meanwhile, his sister Davina is trying to fulfill her mother’s wishes and destroy the rebellion in the Spurges. But her conscience is telling her that her brother just might be right and she might be on the wrong side of justice if she continues to do what her mother asks her to do. She’s secretly communicating with her brother, and what he’s telling her seems crazy. But what if it’s not?
Children can be very direct about what they believe, and Thomas uses that to state complex issues in a straightforward day. Of course it is wrong to Call food rather than grow it yourself, once you know where it is coming from. Of course it is wrong to plant weapons to make your opposition look guilty. Of course it is wrong to make one people work so other people can reap the benefits of their labor. This book will lead to great conversations with your child on these difficult subjects!
Book Three, The Journey Home, is coming out in June 2026, and I cannot wait to read it. If your kid loves adventure novels with strong kids taking on the world, I highly recommend this series!
Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.