A witty allegory of U.S. history and a diverting tale of personal triumphs.
Kids engage in battle with neighborhood bullies in Pinaire’s middle-grade take on the American Revolutionary War.
In Independence Way, red-shirted 8th-grade bullies rule the neighborhood’s 13 blocks with intimidation and so-called laws. But Down with Crown, a secret society made up of tweens, has finally had enough when the latest lemonade tax is imposed. They set up a lemonade stand and show their resistance by humiliating Georgie King, the wealthy and villainous leader of “the Reds.” When it becomes clear that the Reds’ ensuing retaliations threaten every kid in Independence Way, the youngsters declare war. They turn to GW (aka Georgina) to become their Commander General, a role she reluctantly accepts. The Independence Warriors are definitely the “little guy” up against a formidable foe that’s systematically taking over neighborhood blocks. But GW, with inspiration from her basketball coach, dreams up a strategy that may have the Warriors celebrating a victory before their summer vacation is over. Pinaire’s short allegorical novel forgoes subtlety in an entertaining and educational fashion; Independence Way’s streets are named after the Thirteen Colonies, and skilled writer TeeJay drafts “the Freedom Thing” (“All kids are created equal,” the document declares). An addendum lists what each character and event historically represent, but the author develops his characters as individuals: GW is still getting over losing her father to brain cancer about a year ago, and Sammy (of Down with Crown) has a tendency to be obnoxiously loud and insulting. There’s a fair amount of humor as well, especially in the banter between street delegates during their intermittent “gatherings” (“‘I’m wondering,’ Dickie ventured, ‘whether we might have some options that don’tinvolve punching anyone’”), along with such clever touches as Georgie’s discernibly evil laugh (“heh heh heh”). While some of the ongoing conflict entails morally questionable tactics on both sides, including physical assaults and social-media hacks, this mostly lighthearted story favors political maneuvering over action.
A witty allegory of U.S. history and a diverting tale of personal triumphs.Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9781958754436
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Brandylane Publishers, Inc.
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.
In Florence’s middle-grade fantasy novel, a young girl’s heart is tested in the face of an evil, spreading Darkness.
Eleven-year-old Lydia, “freckle-cheeked and round-eyed, with hair the color of pine bark and fair skin,” is struggling with the knowledge that she has reached the age to apprentice as an herbalist. Lydia is reluctant to leave her beloved, magical Mulberry Glen and her cozy Housetree in the woods—she’ll miss Garder, the Glen’s respected philosopher; her fairy guardian Pit; her human friend Livy; and even the mischievous part-elf, part-imp, part-human twins Zale and Zamilla. But the twins go missing after hearing of a soul-sapping Darkness that has swallowed a forest and is creeping into minds and engulfing entire towns. They have secretly left to find a rare fruit that, it is said, will stop the Darkness if thrown into the heart of the mountain that rises out of the lethal forest. Lydia follows, determined to find the twins before they, too, fall victim to the Darkness. During her journey, accompanied by new friends, she gradually realizes that she herself has a dangerous role to play in the quest to stop the Darkness. In this well-crafted fantasy, Florence skillfully equates the physical manifestation of Darkness with the feelings of insecurity and powerlessness that Lydia first struggles with when thinking of leaving the Glen. Such negative thoughts grow more intrusive the closer she and her friends come to the Darkness—and to Lydia’s ultimate, powerfully rendered test of character, which leads to a satisfyingly realistic, not quite happily-ever-after ending. Highlights include a delightfully haunting, reality-shifting library and a deft sprinkling of Latin throughout the text; Pit’s pet name for Lydia is mea flosculus (“my little flower”). Fine-lined ink drawings introducing each chapter add a pleasing visual element to this well-grounded fairy tale.
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781956393095
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Waxwing Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
After Castro’s takeover, nine-year-old Julian and his older brothers are sent away by their fearful parents via “Operation Pedro Pan” to a camp in Miami for Cuban-exile children. Here he discovers that a ruthless bully has essentially been put in charge. Julian is quicker-witted than his brothers or anyone else ever imagined, though, and with his inherent smarts, developing maturity and the help of child and adult friends, he learns to navigate the dynamics of the camp and surroundings and grows from the former baby of the family to independence and self-confidence. A daring rescue mission at the end of the novel will have readers rooting for Julian even as it opens his family’s eyes to his courage and resourcefulness. This autobiographical novel is a well-meaning, fast-paced and often exciting read, though at times the writing feels choppy. It will introduce readers to a not-so-distant period whose echoes are still felt today and inspire admiration for young people who had to be brave despite frightening and lonely odds. (Historical fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59643-168-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 14, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2010
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