A delightful, multilayered confection, sweet and sharp at the core.
Stowing away on a magical circus train leads a child to friends, adventures, and all the candy she can eat.
Friendless, bullied, 11-year-old Bess is thrilled to inherit her grandfather Henry’s Odditorium, but maintaining the museum’s peculiar exhibits turns out to be a challenge: Where, for instance, is she going to get magic beans to feed the toothy, whispering flowers growing all over the ramshackle mansion’s walls? Fortunately, Pops also left her a letter steering her to the titular train; unfortunately, the ensuing ride through the underground tunnels of the intercontinental Troll Network deposits her in the Land of Halloween Candy, which has turned creepy under the influence of a powerful magician known as the Candymaker. But Bess delights in weird and scary things and has, moreover, found fire witch Maria and other young allies aboard the train. Neither the sinister Candymaker nor the Land of Halloween’s cute resident gummy bears turn out to be quite what they seem—so, around an intrepid protagonist, a redoubtable supporting cast, a highly caloric setting, and all sorts of magical creatures from sugar spiders and ninja mice to dragons both huge and pocket-size, Bell weaves a tale shot through with the worthy insight that it’s not always possible to tell good from evil at first glance. In both the narrative and Castro’s atmospherically gothic illustrations, Bess is cued white; the rest of the human cast includes racial diversity.
A delightful, multilayered confection, sweet and sharp at the core. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780861545988
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Rock the Boat/Oneworld
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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