Parochial, but undeniably illuminating.
With the aid of a special flashlight, an Oxford don’s daughter spots dozens of creatures of legend and folklore on a world tour.
Happily, readers can do the same with the removable thumb light encased in the cover. Millie’s ever oblivious dad delivers quick lectures on the facts behind the Loch Ness Monster, Pegasus, Japanese yokai, “sewer gators” in New York City, Uzbekistani griffins, and more. Meanwhile, young Millie tags along, offering less skeptical observations while revealing with her magic light a world teeming with diaphanous wonders. The gimmick works unusually well; even under close examination the various creatures hidden in Ngai’s expansive landscapes and bustling urban scenes are invisible until the ambient lighting is dimmed and the blue minilight switched on. Better yet, even after the tour ends amid Oxford’s book- (and goblin-) laden shelves, a page turn reveals 18 more sprites and wights to find in a second go-round. The Eurocentric itinerary loops quickly through Asia, Oceania, and the Americas while leaving India and Africa out entirely. Religions both ancient and current are treated as myth—the Rainbow Serpent of Aborigine tradition is dismissed as a legend, for instance. Aside from one brown-skinned librarian, every human in sight is either White, concealed beneath umbrellas or big sunglasses, or turned away. Still, the size and diverse character of the supernatural cast give this a leg (claw, tentacle) up on most monster-hunting guides. The light’s button battery is replaceable.
Parochial, but undeniably illuminating. (Informational novelty. 7-11)Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4839-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Magic Cat
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
Lighthearted spook with a heaping side of silliness—and hair.
Fifth graders get into a hairy situation.
After an unnamed narrator’s full-page warning, readers dive right into a Wolver Hollow classroom. Mr. Noffler recounts the town legend about how, every Oct. 19, residents don fake mustaches and lock their doors. As the story goes, the late Bockius Beauregard was vaporized in an “unfortunate black powder incident,” but, somehow, his “magnificent mustache” survived to haunt the town. Once a year, the spectral ’stache searches for an exposed upper lip to rest upon. Is it real or superstition? Students Parker and Lucas—sole members of the Midnight Owl Detective Agency—decide to take the case and solve the mustache mystery. When they find that the book of legends they need for their research has been checked out from the library, they recruit the borrower: goth classmate Samantha von Oppelstein. Will the three of them be enough to take on the mustache and resolve its ghostly, unfinished business? Whether through ridiculous plot points or over-the-top descriptions, the comedy keeps coming in this first title in McGee’s new Night Frights series. A generous font and spacing make this quick-paced, 13-chapter story appealing to newly confident readers. Skaffa’s grayscale cartoon spot (and occasional full-page) illustrations help set the tone and accentuate the action. Though neither race or skin color is described in the text, images show Lucas and Samantha as light-skinned and Parker as dark-skinned.
Lighthearted spook with a heaping side of silliness—and hair. (maps) (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Aug. 31, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-8089-6
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
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With plenty left to be resolved, the next entry will be eagerly sought after.
Drake has been selected by the king to serve as a Dragon Master, quite a change for an 8-year-old farmer boy.
The dragons are a secret, and the reason King Roland has them is a mystery, but what is clear is that the Dragon Stone has identified Drake as one of the rare few children who have a special connection with dragons and the ability to serve as a trainer. Drake’s dragon is a long brown creature with, at first, no particular talents that Drake can identify. He calls the dragon Worm. It isn’t long before Drake begins to realize he has a very strong connection with Worm and can share what seem to be his dragon’s thoughts. After one of the other Dragon Masters decides to illicitly take the dragons outside, disaster strikes. The cave they are passing through collapses, blocking the passageway, and then Worm’s special talent becomes evident. The first of a new series of early chapter books, this entry is sure to attract fans. Brief chapters, large print, lots of action, attractive illustrations in every spread, including a maplike panorama, an enviable protagonist—who wouldn’t want to be a Dragon Master?—all combine to make an entertaining read.
With plenty left to be resolved, the next entry will be eagerly sought after. (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-64624-6
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Branches/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
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