PATHFINDERS' DAWN OF UNDERSTANDING

A group of friends undertake a fantastic mission in Travis’ middle-grade SF/fantasy novel.

When they entered elementary school in 2022, six friends—Charlie, Jamal, Pamela, Kim, Amelia, and Dede—developed a special bond with their teacher, Ms. Cheryl, a gifted storyteller. She taught her students about the beauty of nature and the importance of becoming Caregivers of Mother Earth. Eight years later, Charlie, Jamal, and Pamela are on a nature hike when they encounter a fairy named Light Feather who leads them into an underground room inside a tree hollow. Light Feather tells them that they can only tell Dede, Amelia, and Kim about the tree, because they’re the only other people with the ability to enter the hollow. There, Light Feather gives the six friends a series of lessons about caring for the planet, including information about the creation of the universe,astrology, and the connection between aliens and the Egyptian pyramids. As their education progresses, the friends discover that Light Feather and Ms. Cheryl are preparing them for a mission to save Mother Earth. The group is committed to doing so, but they soon find themselves in a race against time. This latest novel from Travis is a well-intentioned, if unevenly executed, mix of SF and fantasy. The energy and enthusiasm that the author brings to the narrative is its strongest element, and it puts forth a wide range of ideas. Over the course of a brisk 129 pages, Travis takes the six friends on a journey of discovery where they learn about such things as a Lakota Nation creation story, the healing properties of water, and travel to the Great Giza Pyramid and the Sphinx. That said, although the concepts are plentiful, the character development feels lacking; readers don’t even learn any of the six friends’ last names, and apart from Charlie, none have scenes with their families.

A fast-paced but ultimately underdeveloped adventure tale.