Roll for Initiative

Gr 3-7–Nowadays Dungeons and Dragons isn’t just socially acceptable, it’s cool! Formato’s debut rises to the occasion with a thoughtful tale of self-acceptance set against the backdrop of multisided dice. Riley is a dorky sixth grader, left to manage life alone when her older brother goes off to college. She’s mousy and scared. Her fears echo those of her peer group: making friends? Advocating for herself to a teacher? Talking on the phone? These are giant hurdles for tweens, and they’re handled with proper gravitas. Riley creates a friend group and helps her family in believable ways. She doesn’t wake up knowing how to communicate and demonstrate independence—she makes conscious choices to work harder, practices her skills, messes up, and commits to being better. Formato effortlessly weaves in kids from different social situations, as Riley’s new friends showcase the bonding power of nerdiness. There’s also admirable plotlines about overcoming insecurity and imposter syndrome at every age. The cherry on top is the magical in-text D&D gameplay, unlocking the game’s fantastical escapism and bonding opportunities.