Hello, friends! Our book today is The Secrets Of Ninja School by Deb Pilutti, a lovely story of courage, perseverance, and learning what makes us special.

Every summer, for one weekend, the very special school on the edge of town opens its doors. The students who arrive are called saplings, and they are there to learn the ways of the ninja. In addition to hiding invisibly, moving silently, fighting bravely, and meditating quietly, each student will learn their own special talent. But sapling Ruby just can’t seem to get the hang of any of it. She confides in Master Willow, who promises that she has a talent unique to her, and she will find it. And with time, Ruby begins to improve her basic ninja skills, but with no sign of her individual gift in sight. That is until one night, when the bunk room of ninja school experiences an epidemic amongst its saplings: homesickness.

So sweet. I absolutely LOVED that this was a ninja story with a female protagonist that sent a very important lesson: we all have value unique to us. I loved that Ruby worked hard and became a better ninja, but that her true talent was her kindness and empathy – when the other kids are wracked with homesickness, Ruby makes them cuddly toys and comforts them through their sadness. That is a marvelous lesson for little girls and boys, that strength lies not only in power or wisdom, but in kindness too. The illustrations were darling and funny, the story was engaging and fun to read, JJ loved it, and there’s even an awesome craft instructional in the back for little ninjas to do with their grownups. A marvelously entertaining story with a timeless message, and we loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)