Book Review of Seeds of Darkness
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The Children’s Book Review
Seeds of Darkness
Written by Ann Cavera
Ages: 10-14 | 251 Pages
Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing, Inc (2026) | ISBN: 979-8891345041
What to Expect: Post-apocalypse, pandemic, family, survival, destiny.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world in which seeds are so precious they have replaced currency and greedy travelers from another world have seized power over human society, this middle-grade novel is about resilience and faith in desperately hard circumstances.
The tenebris pandemic has not been kind to Oliver and his family. With both his mother and his father dead from the disease, his little sister already infected, and no one left to care for them, it has left a heavy burden for Oliver to shoulder. Selling books, drawing portraits, and foraging for what the land can provide has enabled him to survive—but to save his sister, he’ll need to do even more.
An encrypted cure for tenebris has been gifted to him by his aunt, a famous herbalist, encrypted and hidden in an old book. However, in a world where books have become precious commodities and a cure for tenebris is utterly priceless, her gift may bring certain danger but only uncertain salvation. Oliver will need to decode the cure, evade grasping Truthminders, and battle Bernie’s progressing disease—but most importantly of all, he’ll need to dig deep to find his faith.
Oliver is clever, resourceful, and quietly brave, willing to suffer any hardship to save his family, but not willing to inflict suffering on the innocent. It is this quality that makes him the perfect carrier of the salvation of his world, as well as the perfect hero for this story. His post-apocalyptic society is painted in vivid detail, offering a low-tech warning about the suffering that may be in store if our own world is allowed to collapse under greed and ignorance.
With its exploration of the themes of loss, sustainability, community, and—most importantly—the power of faith, Seeds of Darkness isn’t just a riveting adventure quest but also a thought-provoking speculation on survival, hope, and love.
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About the Author
Ann Cavera has lived in more than two dozen places, including Liberia, West Africa, as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Her first young adult novel, “Ride a Summer Wind,” received an award from the Christian Independent Publishers Association as well as an Angel Award. In her second novel, Seeds of Darkness, two orphans travel a dangerous road to unlock a cure for a disease that threatens the world. Seeds of Darkness inspires teens to ask questions, seek possibilities, and live with hearts open to grace.
You can find her on Substack at @anncavera and listen to her podcast, Speeding Past 80, on Apple and Spotify.
For more information, visit www.anncaverawriter.com.
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