This smart book for middle grade readers has a deceptively simple premise. Young Potone’s grown up stepbrother claims that her dog bit him and wants to have him put down. Potone and her little brother Plato must come up with a convincing argument to prove that the dog is innocent. What follows is a rousing courtroom drama worthy of a Platonic dialogue.* Potone and her brother must learn to argue together instead of against each other, and you know that Plato has questions. Along the way, the pair learn about Solon’s laws and Athenian courtroom procedure. In the background of this deceptively humble story, the debate over the Peace of Nicias is raging. Potone and her stepfather want peace, but others, including close friends and even family, consider it cowardly to make peace with the Spartans. Potone attends a play and is confronted with the divide in a visceral way. She also grapples with the injustice of her society toward women, the harsh realities of slavery, and the serious costs of war. That said, this is not a difficult read! Potone’s own thoughtful intelligence is what brings these topics to the forefront, not anything gory or shocking. Any reader who is interested in what life was like during one of the calmest periods of the height of classical Athens will enjoy this book. - Krishni Burns

*Spoiler: don’t worry, the dog is fine.