A lighthearted tale with substance beautifully extending the world of Neverland.
Told from the perspective of Tiger Lily, this story reframes Disney’s retelling of J.M. Barrie’s classic.
A foreword by Dimaline (Métis) sets the stage: At the book’s heart lies 13-year-old Tiger Lily, whose tribe are the original people of Neverland; their fictional culture reflects “pieces of collective Indigenous philosophy and worldview”—without conflating those diverse cultures. Tiger Lily has a brave and adventurous spirit that has led her to develop true, loyal friendships with Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, who are English in origin, as well as with the fairy Sashi. But when a monstrous bear attacks, Tiger Lily realizes that she is not as brave as she thought. Ashamed that Peter took the lead in saving the day, she begins to contemplate growing up in order to better protect her people. Tiger Lily has conflicted feelings about growing up, however: Peter makes it sound terrible, but her grandma offers a more positive vision. An opportunity for bravery presents itself when she discovers two White men she realizes are pirates, a shock after years of peace on Neverland. These thick-skulled pirates seem to be searching for a treasure of unmeasurable value. Can Tiger Lily find it first, save her community, and keep her friends out of trouble? Respect for animals, plants, land, and family are all central themes of Tiger Lily’s heritage. Her conflicted feelings about leaving childhood behind will resonate.
A lighthearted tale with substance beautifully extending the world of Neverland. (Adventure. 8-11)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 9781368080460
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Dizzyingly silly.
The famous superhero returns to fight another villain with all the trademark wit and humor the series is known for.
Despite the title, Captain Underpants is bizarrely absent from most of this adventure. His school-age companions, George and Harold, maintain most of the spotlight. The creative chums fool around with time travel and several wacky inventions before coming upon the evil Turbo Toilet 2000, making its return for vengeance after sitting out a few of the previous books. When the good Captain shows up to save the day, he brings with him dynamic action and wordplay that meet the series’ standards. The Captain Underpants saga maintains its charm even into this, the 11th volume. The epic is filled to the brim with sight gags, toilet humor, flip-o-ramas and anarchic glee. Holding all this nonsense together is the author’s good-natured sense of harmless fun. The humor is never gross or over-the-top, just loud and innocuous. Adults may roll their eyes here and there, but youngsters will eat this up just as quickly as they devoured every other Underpants episode.
Dizzyingly silly. (Humor. 8-10)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-50490-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Ironically, by choosing such a dramatic catalyst, the author weakens the adventure’s impact overall and leaves readers to...
A group of talking farm animals catches wind of the farm owner’s intention to burn the barn (with them in it) for insurance money and hatches a plan to flee.
Bond begins briskly—within the first 10 pages, barn cat Burdock has overheard Dewey Baxter’s nefarious plan, and by Page 17, all of the farm animals have been introduced and Burdock is sharing the terrifying news. Grady, Dewey’s (ever-so-slightly) more principled brother, refuses to go along, but instead of standing his ground, he simply disappears. This leaves the animals to fend for themselves. They do so by relying on their individual strengths and one another. Their talents and personalities match their species, bringing an element of realism to balance the fantasy elements. However, nothing can truly compensate for the bland horror of the premise. Not the growing sense of family among the animals, the serendipitous intervention of an unknown inhabitant of the barn, nor the convenient discovery of an alternate home. Meanwhile, Bond’s black-and-white drawings, justly compared to those of Garth Williams, amplify the sense of dissonance. Charming vignettes and single- and double-page illustrations create a pastoral world into which the threat of large-scale violence comes as a shock.
Ironically, by choosing such a dramatic catalyst, the author weakens the adventure’s impact overall and leaves readers to ponder the awkward coincidences that propel the plot. (Animal fantasy. 8-10)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-544-33217-1
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 31, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2015
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