More suspenseful, enthralling mouse-eye perspective on the Camelot legend
In this sequel to A Tail of Camelot (2016), a mysterious plague threatens Camelot, forcing warrior mouse Calib Christopher to embark on a perilous mission to the magical isle of Avalon while young Two-Legger Galahad faces a formidable foe in King Arthur’s malevolent nephew.
The unexpected arrival of a sick squirrel-maiden seeking Avalon’s healers to cure the deadly sickness infecting her village interrupts Camelot’s Harvest Tournament and Calib’s final challenges as a graduating page. Meanwhile, Arthur’s accomplished, secretive nephew, Red, appears in Camelot with dastardly intentions, sparking 11-year-old Galahad’s immediate distrust. Contagion rapidly spreads through Camelot, striking the strongest, depleting ranks of both mice and humans, puzzling healers, and prompting Calib and friend Cecily to search for Avalon while Galahad combs Merlin’s Scrolls for a cure. Using the essential qualities of a mouse-knight, “bravery, strength, and wisdom,” to fend off highwaymen, treasure seekers, and pirates, Calib and Cecily eventually reach Avalon, where the Lady of the Lake reveals what must be done to remove the curse on Camelot—where Arthur and Galahad are in peril as Red seizes control. Leung artfully weaves familiar Arthurian lore into Calib’s and Galahad’s personal tales of self-discovery as the nail-biting adventure explores themes of deceit, treachery, loyalty, and sacrifice. Spot art reinforces key motifs.
More suspenseful, enthralling mouse-eye perspective on the Camelot legend . (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-240402-2
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Not the most satisfying wrap-up, but it’s always good to spend time in the world of this series.
Beloved gorilla Ivan becomes a father to rambunctious twins in this finale to a quartet that began with 2012’s Newbery Award–winning The One and Only Ivan.
Life hasn’t always been easy for silverback gorilla Ivan, who’s spent most of his life being mistreated in captivity. Now he’s living in a wildlife sanctuary, but he still gets to see his two best friends. Young elephant Ruby lives in the grassy habitat next door, and former stray dog Bob has a home with one of the zookeepers. All three were rescued from the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. Ivan’s expanded world includes fellow gorilla Kinyani—the two are about to become parents, and Ivan is revisiting the traumas of his past in light of what he wants the twins to know. When the subject inevitably comes up, Applegate’s trust and respect for readers is evident. She doesn’t shy away from hard truths as Ivan wrestles with the fact that poachers killed his family. Readers will need the context provided by knowledge of the earlier books to feel the full emotional impact of this story. The rushed ending unfortunately falls flat, detracting from the central message that a complex life can still contain hope. Final art not seen.
Not the most satisfying wrap-up, but it’s always good to spend time in the world of this series. (gorilla games, glossary, author’s note) (Verse fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9780063221123
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
