Brave, noble girl fights for family in fun fantasy romp.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
There's a fair amount of fighting during the second half of the adventure. The party fights skeletons, mind-controlled monsters, necromancers, and other creatures, many of which are illustrated. Monsters also threaten to "chop them in two," "tear out their throats," and "eat to pieces." There are swords, axes, shields, magic, and sorcery, and other weaponry. Monsters are destroyed, killed, and defeated. Some of the talk about necromancy raising the dead, the floating demilich skulls, and the evil skeletons could scare younger readers, especially some of the illustrations. Some found coins have blood on them. A girl gets bitten by an owlbear on the shoulder, and the wound bleeds. A teacher at school mentions that a captured villain, "will be questioned..." implying that torture or like techniques might occur.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Insulting language includes: "loser," "dummy," "sodding," "(numb)-skull," "fart breath," and "bully." Adoptees and adoptee families may bristle at the casual usage of "real mother" when referring to "birth mother" or "biogenetically related parent."
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Sometimes where you belong is right under your nose. Alternative family formations are real families too. Adoptive mothers can be just as real as biological mothers. Be brave and stand up for your friends and those in need. Those who are different don't deserve ridicule or bullying behavior. Heroes can come in any shape or size. Creativity can be just as powerful as a hammer.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Zellidora Stormclash is a fantastic hero and one whose drive to understand her place in the world is matched by her drive to protect those in need (like fellow students). She becomes a champion for the weak and different, learns about what real family really is, and how to be a good friend. Her friends, Snabla, Hugo, and Bauble, are each wonderful companions, go against the grain of their species. (Hugo, the owlbear, for instance, is a vegetarian and doesn't like fighting, and the mimic, Bauble, can't turn into anything violent). Even when Zelli confesses her secret, they support her and continue to be friends.
Diverse Representations
some
The adventure is set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, so there are a lot of monsters running around, floating heads, skulls, owlbears, kobolds, goblins, slaads, skeletons, and necromancers. Aside from that, the main human character (the only one) is a Black human girl with a ferocious roar.
Some lore and information about the creatures, magic, and realms of Dungeons & Dragons.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Academy: No Humans Allowed!, by Diane Walker and illustrated by Tim Probert, is the first book in the Dungeons Academy series and set in the world of the popular Dungeons & Dragons game. It's a middle grade fantasy adventure about Zellidora Stormclash, a human girl raised by two monster Minotaur moms. Left in a basket as a baby, Zelli was picked up by her minotaur mothers and raised in a world of monsters. Now in school, the Dungeon Academy, she wears fake horns and a fake tail to ensure nobody will find out she's actually a human. Curious about why she was abandoned, Zelli sets out on an adventure to try to find her birth mother. The only problem is that her birth mother's entire family is the sworn enemy of monsters. There's a fair amount of fighting, some scary illustrations of skeletons, skulls, and other monsters, and some scenes of peril and danger. Monsters also threaten characters by saying, "I'll chop you in two," "tear out your throat," and "eat you to pieces." There are swords, axes, shields, magic, and sorcery, and other weaponry. When a girl gets bitten by an owlbear on the shoulder, the wound bleeds for a while. One friend has a crush on a classmate. This is a fun adventure about family, friendship, and a girl trying to find where she belongs.
Please, please protect your child from Miss Roux's aweful grammar, poor story telling, and her anti-male, racist subliminal message
This was an awful book that only survives because of creative characters. This is a book pushing an agenda. There are basically no positive male adult role models in this book. The main character, has three moms, yes three. These are her birth mom, and two adoptive moms. Apparently there are lesbian Minotaur Moms. There is no mention of any father. There is a character, which utterly confused my child, that uses "they/them" pronouns. Parents beware. This is not just another fun fantasy book. It does have an agenda that it is pushing. The author, Madeline Roux, has made many public racist and anti-male statements.
Besides the post-modern indoctrination, the grammar and writing is terrible. There are so many run-on sentences, and so many incomplete sentences. It is so painful to read. Literature can be so beautiful but this is absolute pig slop. The story jumps around and does not develop properly.
Please, please protect your child from Miss Roux's awful grammar, poor story telling, and her anti-male, racist subliminal message
A fantastic read with an important message for young high fantasy lovers. My 7 year-old can't get enough of this series. While he loves the interesting D&D-themed creatures and excitement, he also connects with the themes of diversity, inclusivity and standing up for those who are different.
I highly recommend this series for any evolved parents (non-bigots) with kind, empathetic children who love their D&D fantasy action.
What's the Story?
In DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: DUNGEON ACADEMY: NO HUMANS ALLOWED! Zellidora Stormclash is a human girl living in a monster world. She sets out on a dangerous search for the family that abandoned her in a basket when she was a baby. The only problem is that she was raised by monsters, and she is a human, the avowed enemy of all monsters! Will Zellidora find what she's looking for?
A fun and clever way to set up an adventure in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, this middle grade romp is fast, fun, and charming. The emotional core to Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Academy: No Humans Allowed! is strong and endearing, and like a mystery, Zellidora's journey toward answers about her past efficiently drives the story forward. Along the way, she picks up some "different" monster friends, protects those who are in need, and faces off against an intimidating villain to save the day. A tale of family, friendship, and what it means to belong, Zellidora's quest features a strong Black girl heroe, lots of action, and a generally satisfying conclusion.
For some, however, the subject of reunion with a birth mother could be a sensitive issue. For many adoptees and adoptee families, the prospect of reunions with birth mothers, parents, and families can be a fraught and complicated thing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in fantasy and adventure middle grade books. Was the violence in Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Academy: No Humans Allowed! enjoyable? Do you think it added to the action or slowed down the story?
What's the main lesson Zellidora learns by the end of the story?
Would you have made the same decision as Zellidora at the end? Why or why not?
Available on:
Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated:
December 17, 2021
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Academy: No Humans Allowed!
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
