The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

In a society that purges thirteen-year-olds who are creative, identical twins Aaron and Alex are separated, one to attend University while the other, supposedly Eliminated, finds himself in a wondrous place where youths hone their abilities and learn magic.

I think this is a good book for children ages 8-10. It's super easy to read, but I don't think many adults will appreciate it beyond that. It has a clear moral message, and there are very fun elements that kids would love. There are some good moments about how you should treat friends, how to be a gracious winner, and how isolating yourself can be detrimental. They're quick, but they're there.

I don't think the upper half of the age range on back cover would enjoy it as much, though that will depend on how much of a reader they are naturally. This might be a good choice for an elementary schooler who hates reading, because it's fluffy and fun but has a battle scene and animal hybrids.

I liked this book very much, but I did not love it. Somewhere around the middle, I got tired of Alex and Aaron. I kind of wish the story would have been about one of the girls instead. It's just me, I really do not read very much Middle Grade fiction, and I really do not enjoy warrior type books.
I do give it props for imagination and I never once felt the need to compare it to Harry Potter. It felt fresh and original, and I think I would have loved it had it been about 75 pages shorter.