A heart-pounding, thought-provoking adventure based on true events.
Twelve-year-old Sofiya Oleksandrivna Len, who’s living in Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, is used to confronting bullies; now she hopes to stymie the man who wants to train her beloved dolphins for military use.
Sofiya and her friends, including bestie Cedric, who’s Nigerian Ukrainian, are regarded as “the smart kids” and targeted by the rich clique. Sofiya, who has Russian, Ukrainian, and Tatar heritage, has gotten in trouble over her squabbles with Ilya, the Russian boy who’s the lead bully. So she’s surprised when her babushka reveals that Sofiya’s and Ilya’s mothers were close and that the two kids were once playmates—until a tragic accident resulted in Ilya’s mother’s death and Sofiya’s mother’s departure from the family. The former rivals get to know each other better when, as punishment, they’re assigned to work together at the dolphinarium where Sofiya’s father is the director. Sofiya begins to view Ilya differently after seeing him interact with the dolphins, but their newfound bond is strained when Russia invades Ukraine, annexing Crimea and stirring up xenophobic nationalism, and when Major Chaban, Ilya’s father, takes over the dolphinarium in order to use the pod to support Russia’s war efforts. The fear of Sofiya and her friends is palpable, as is the heartbreak they feel for the dolphins. As they hatch a daring plan to rescue the dolphins, their steadfast teamwork and mutual trust against a backdrop of conflict is inspiring.
A heart-pounding, thought-provoking adventure based on true events. (maps, afterword, glossary) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781339012469
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 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
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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