In my family, April Fools Day is taken very seriously. Days of preparation are needed to come up with the best zinger that’ll fool the family — it can’t be horrifying (no “I got in a car accident” statements) and it’s got to be believable. Truly, it’s an art.

In the context of the tarot, however, a fool has an entirely different meaning. The Fool in a tarot deck is at the beginning of a journey: she is a clean slate, an open book, simultaneously naïve and adventuresome, excited yet ignorant about what lies ahead. Generally speaking, every one of us is a fool everyday. We greet the day not knowing what’s in store for us, and this is particularly true in the teen years. During this wonderful and turbulent time, lessons are being learned, experience is being gained, and journeys are being made. It truly is a magical time.

With Maria Shaw’s Tarot Kit for Teens, the journey we face is illuminated and explored. This kit comes with a tarot deck, a box and bag for the deck, and a book packed full of information. Maria provides tons of spreads that are perfect for the teen tarot reader; check out the excerpt for an example of what I mean. Besides spreads and tips, Maria gives definitions of every single tarot card — upright or reversed. This is the perfect kit for an exploratory teen — armed with tools like this, success is just a step away.

Speaking of journeys, often when we begin a new path we feel lost. Now, imagine that you are a 16-year-old witch — wait, Queen of the Witches — and your entire way of life, not to mention all the people in your world are threatened by a growing and insidious force that seems unstoppable. What if you’re a normal 16-year-old boy and a beautiful 16-year-old Queen of the Witches kidnaps you because she believes you are the savior of her people? Talk about lost — or L.O.S.T., as it were. In Debbie Federici and Susan Vaught’s exciting book, the journey of the two main characters is shaky indeed. The two must find a way to save the world, both magical and mundane, and even more daunting, find a way to let their love blossom — without their personalities getting in the way. You’ll fall in love with Bren and Jazz as they struggle with inner and outer demons, and as they begin their journey through a twisted and uncertain fate.

With L.O.S.T., a new world introduces a new journey. Such is the case for 15-year-old Samuel in The Raven’s Ring Pin. Samuel is bored with life when he and his parents move to the Geyser Inn in Yellowstone National Park. Classes are too easy, it’s too snowy to meet friends and his parents are just unhappy. With the introduction of two remarkable ravens into his life, and one fantastically rare pin, Samuel’s world is turned upside down. Suddenly, he is thrust into the world of the Norse gods, where his journey takes a sinister and unexpected turn. Samuel must find a way not only to survive in this rough and harsh world, but to save the fates of the gods themselves. With cunning and courage, Samuel embarks on his journey with head held high.

While different worlds produce different problems, living in this world is no picnic either — particularly if you’re Stacey Brown, hereditary witch and prophetic dreamer. After stopping a crazy person from killing her best friend, Stacey is confronted with another situation that threatens her own life. In White is for Magic, Stacey’s nightmares revolve around the little girl Maura for whom she used to babysit. After she disappeared, Stacey had to deal with the guilt about not saving her for years, and doesn’t understand why her dreams are haunting her. When she begins to receive threatening letters, and a mysterious boy turns up who claims that he wants to help her, Stacey knows she has little time to solve the mystery before her own time is up. Now, more than ever, Stacey has to trust herself and her instincts to lead her along the right path.

In everyone’s life, the start of a journey is difficult and exciting. Like the Fool in a tarot deck, who naively skips through the journey, the insight gained helps her become a well-rounded and fulfilled person. On each of our journeys, it’s nice to know that we’re not alone. Friends and family can help you through hard times, but the wisdom gained from reading can help you along your way, as well. Through books, we can reason out our problems and help us find the path we need to take. I highly suggest you pick up any one of the fabulous books mentioned — you’d be a fool not to!

Maria Shaw’s Twelve-Month Spread*

This layout is good for timing events. It’s designed to provide an in-depth, longer reading that covers events likely to happen over the course of the year. You may prefer to do this one on New Year’s Eve to see what the next twelve months hold in store for you. Or you may choose to do this spread on your birthday—that would be a great time too.

Shuffle the cards, fan them out, and pick twelve. The first card you draw should be the first one you read, and so on.

Place six cards in a row and six cards in another row beneath the first set, facedown. Turn the first card over. This card will tell you what is likely to happen during the current month of the reading. Turn to the page in this book that highlights this card, and read its meaning.

Now flip the second card over. It will tell you what to expect next month. The third card will give you insight on three months from now, and so on.

*Maria Shaw’s Twelve-Month Spread is from the book Maria Shaw’s Tarot Kit for Teens