Tracy Wolff's first middle-grade novel, The Aftermyth, is part Jill Murphy's Worst Witchseries, part Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, a bunch of rousing mythic quests, and absolute tons of fun.
Thirteen-year-old Penelope Weaver cannot wait to follow in her parents' footsteps and attend the six-year Anaximander Academy, where students are divided into houses--each of which has different potentials and personalities based on their sponsor god--given a muse, and may just see Greek deities stopping by for a visit. As teens, Penelope's parents joined Athena Hall; they were assigned 12 labors and granted a gift from Athena upon graduation. Penelope is certain she and her twin brother, Paris, (both "too-pale" redheads) are going to emulate their parents.
But from the moment Penelope tries to cross the bridge to enter the school, ill fate follows. Penelope and Paris are separated, and Penelope gets lost, arriving late to orientation and missing important instructions for placement. Instead of becoming an Athena girl, she is placed in "showy" Aphrodite Hall, where she begins to question not only how her world works, but also the myths and stories on which her life--and society itself--are based.
Wolff (the Crave series) delivers dangerous and daring challenges based on Greek mythology while she develops strong, caring, empathetic friendships between Penelope, her best friend and roommate, Fifi, and their friend Arjun. Together, they learn that Anaximander is hiding secrets and that stories--even those that appear to be written in stone--can be rewritten. Penelope's adventures will likely capture the imaginations of young fans who love myth, folklore, and mysteries. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag, freelance reviewer