3 Reasons Why You Should Read Westfallen by Ann Brashares and Ben Brashares

What’s the book about?

Henry, Frances, and Lukas are neighbors, and they used to be best friends. But in middle school Frances got emo, Lukas went to private school, and Henry just felt left behind. When they come together again for the funeral of a pet gerbil, the three ex-friends make a mindblowing discovery: a radio, buried in Henry’s backyard, that allows them to talk to another group of kids in the same town…in the same backyard…eighty years in the past. The kids in 1944 want to know about the future: Are there laser guns? Flying cars? Jetpacks, at least? Most of all, they want to know about the outcome of the world war their dad and brothers are fighting in. Though Henry is cautious—he’s seen movies about what happens when you disrupt the fabric of time—soon the present-day kids are sending their new friends on a mission to rescue a doomed candy store. What harm could that do? But one change leads to another, and when the six friends alter history in the biggest way possible, it’s up to them to change it back.

Recommended for: 

Ages 8+.

Three reasons to read it: 

1. Written by Ann Brashares and Ben Brashares, the book benefits from the combined talents and perspectives of two authors. Ann is known for her successful young adult fiction, including The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, while Ben contributes to the story with his own creative vision and experience with books like Being Edie Is Hard Today. This collaboration brings a fresh and dynamic approach to the storytelling.
2. At its core, Westfallen explores themes of friendship, identity, and self-discovery. The characters’ interactions and personal journeys highlight the importance of relationships and understanding oneself. These themes are woven into the plot in a way that adds emotional depth and relevance, making the story not just entertaining but also meaningful.
3. Westfallen offers a captivating exploration of a magical world that seamlessly blends fantasy with reality. The novel introduces readers to a unique realm where magic and mystery intertwine; this setting provides a rich backdrop for the characters’ adventures and adds an element of wonder to the story.

Buy a copy of Westfallen here.

About the author:

Ann Brashares is a writer and mother of four living in New York City. She is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series as well as several other novels. Before becoming a writer, she was a student of philosophy, a receptionist, an editor, a ghostwriter, and, briefly, the copresident of a small media company. She grew up in Washington, DC, with her three brothers and a stunning number of weird pets. She helped her youngest brother, Ben, with his shoes (and the debilitating lumps in his socks) every morning before school until he learned to tie his own shoes…around eighth grade.

Ben Brashares lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with his wife and three children. He’s the author of Being Edie Is Hard Today and The Great Whipplethorp Bug Collection. He holds an MFA in creative writing and has worked at and written for several magazines, including Rolling Stone, Men’s Journal, and Entertainment Weekly. He spent much of his youth wading through heaps of clothes in his big sister’s room looking for the family’s escape-artist tarantula, Fredricka…to put on his sister’s head while she slept. As an adult, Ben gets no help whatsoever tying his shoes. But he still has weird pets. And he still gets lumps in his socks