I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me pre-face this by saying that the overall message of this book is so, so important given the world today, and the fear that accompanies every parent, child, and teacher whenever they go to school. Lockdown drills are known to cause so much harm to mental health on top of the experience of an actual school shooting itself that we really need more books that encourage discussion on this topic. However, I will say that I lowered my rating from 5 stars to 4 stars cause if not for stuff at the end of the book, and the blurb, I wouldn't have understood this book was supposed to be about the topic of gun violence. Being this vague in a book meant to help? Is not helpful.

The overall story is still a good one, and the art does well at conveying emotions that it really adds to the weight of things. The concept of turning trauma and violence and anger, etc. into tools for good - for peace - is wonderful. I just wish they'd done it in a way that was more straightforward and clear to the reader. Vagueness hinders discussions and in a book meant to encourage discussion that isn't useful. Hopefully in future, if more books continue to be written on this topic for children this age, it's handled more directly.