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Cover of Juniper Mae: Secrets of the Guardian Knights
Graphic · ages 6–9

Juniper Mae: Secrets of the Guardian Knights

Written and illustrated by Sarah Soh

Book 2 of 3 in Juniper MaeView the full series

A bigger second adventure that pushes Juniper beyond Tykotech City and into the forest-world mythology of the Guardian Knights. It is a good next step for readers who enjoyed the first book's gadgets but want more friendship and lore.

  • Best for6–9
  • FormatGraphic
  • Length64 pp
  • Read aloud~30 min
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The vibe

What it’s like.

Style

  • Conversational
  • Comedic

Tone

  • Adventurous
  • Exciting
  • Warm
  • Suspenseful

Themes

On the pageguardian knights, forest, inventions, best friends, robots, technology, training, darkness rising

Experience meters

Energy4/ 5
Humour3/ 5
Scariness2/ 5
Peril3/ 5
Wonder5/ 5
Cosiness3/ 5
Emotional intensity2/ 5
Conceptual intensity3/ 5

What’s it about?

The story.

Deep in the forest, Juniper Mae and her best friend Albie are trying to become Guardian Knights. Their training is full of inventions, discovery and excitement, but a new danger is rising close to home. When one of Juniper's latest inventions creates tension between her and Albie, the pair must work out how to trust each other again before the threat to their beloved forest grows too large to handle. This second Juniper Mae graphic novel expands the world beyond the high-tech city into a richer blend of nature, robots, fantasy knights and sci-fi adventure. The story keeps the series' colour, energy and accessible panel storytelling while adding stronger friendship stakes and a clearer environmental edge. It is especially appealing for younger readers who like heroic teams, gadget-led problem-solving and bright all-ages action.

Fit check

Right for your child?

Where it lands by age

  • 1
  • 3
  • 5
  • 7
  • 9
  • 11
  • 13
  • Best fit · 6–9
  • Read aloud · 5–8
  • Independent · 6–9

Prose load

Light

Visual support

Very high

Reluctant-reader friendly

Very

Read-aloud quality

Workable

Works well for

  • Reluctant readers
Moderate sensitivityWorth a preview

Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.

Bedtime suitability

3 / 5 · Workable

Sensitive-child

3 / 5 · Mostly fine

Graphic intensity

1 / 5 · None

Best for

  • Stem adventure
  • Friendship adventure
  • Robot fans
  • Colourful action
  • Graphic novel beginners

Avoid if

  • Prefers realistic stories
  • Wants dense prose
  • Dislikes robot stories

Particularly good for children who are…

  • Reluctant reader
  • Interested in science
  • Interested in art and creativity
  • Making friends

In the classroom

How it works in school.

A bright STEM-flavoured adventure-comic series — a reluctant-reader pick with a science spark.

Classroom role

  • Classroom library
  • Topic companion

A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.

Why it lands

Why they love it.

Why kids love it

The specific weight is the invention causing the rift — Juniper and Albie training as Guardian Knights in the forest, one of her latest gadgets driving them apart, having to rebuild trust before the rising threat takes the woods. The second Juniper Mae with friendship-stakes added.

  • Friendship and belonging
  • Making a difference
  • Adventure and freedom
  • Being special or chosen

Why parents love it

The Juniper Mae sequel — world expanded beyond Tykotech City into forest mythology, environmental edge and friendship-stakes added to the gadget-led adventure. Bigger lore, same accessible panel storytelling.

  • Beautiful illustrations
  • Quick to read
  • Conversation starter
  • Shared humour

In the series

Juniper Mae.

3 books · open the series →

About the creators

About the creators.

SS

Sarah Soh

Writer & illustrator · United States

Sarah Soh is an author-illustrator best known for the Juniper Mae middle-grade graphic-novel series (Knight of Tykotech City, Journey to the Levels Below, Secrets of the Guardian Knights), fantasy-adventure comics about a young inventor-protagonist in a steampunk-flavoured world. Soh's style is bright, character-driven and well-paced, in the contemporary middle-grade graphic-novel register. A reliable contemporary middle-grade graphic-novel author for ages 8–12 with appeal for fans of cosy-fantasy and steampunk-adventure comics.

More from Sarah Soh
TF

Tim Fraser

Writer · United States

Tim Fraser is an author best known to children's-book readers as co-creator with Sarah Soh of the Juniper Mae middle-grade graphic-novel series (Knight of Tykotech City, Journey to the Levels Below, Secrets of the Guardian Knights), fantasy-adventure comics about a young inventor-protagonist in a steampunk-flavoured world. Fraser's role on the series is writing alongside Soh's art duties. A reliable contemporary middle-grade graphic-novel co-creator for ages 8–12 with appeal for fans of cosy-fantasy and steampunk-adventure comics.

More from Tim Fraser

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Come into this from…

Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.

Where to go next…

Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.

Buy or borrow

Pick up a copy.

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Last reviewed · April 2026Suggest a correctionHow we recommend

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