A heartfelt follow-up, perfect for readers in need of a bit of courage.
Two young witches have an adventurous spring break at a magical camp.
Kyana Turner returns after saving Park Row Magick Academy from closure in A Taste of Magic (2022). Now the school is in the position to create a thriving environment for her local magical community. However, the responsibility seemingly falls to Kyana to keep the other students engaged and connected—and she’s feeling the pressure. Ashley Martinez, Kyana’s best friend, is an introvert who prefers the solitude of being in the Between Realms, and she’s not thrilled when her mom suggests yet another spring break spent at Enrichment Camp. That is, until she hears that a famous inventor who specializes in Availables—magical creatures that tether to inanimate objects in our realm—will be there. After Kyana is mysteriously attacked by an Available, leaving her susceptible to drastic emotional mood swings, the girls decide that attending camp might help them find a cure. However, their plans change when the portals unexpectedly close, trapping all the campers on the island. The brilliant young protagonists work together with their allies to figure out what’s happening, uncovering a dastardly plot along the way. Told in Ashley’s and Kyana’s dual perspectives, the book immerses readers in a richly whimsical magical world. The writing is straightforward and accessible yet engaging enough to keep readers interested. The diverse cast of characters who make up the Magick community further reinforce themes of allyship and recognizing different strengths.
A heartfelt follow-up, perfect for readers in need of a bit of courage. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: July 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781547606740
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
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
BOOK REVIEW
Eminently readable and appealing; will tug at dog-loving readers’ heartstrings.
A loquacious, lovable dog narrates the challenges of shelter life as he longs for a home.
Friendly three-legged Chance is the perfect guide to Dogtown, a shelter that houses both warmblooded and robot dogs. In fact, she’s “Management’s lucky charm,” roaming freely without being confined to a cage and leaving kibble for her mouse friend. Life is pretty good. But she still yearns for reunification with her family and, like many of the living pups, harbors suspicion of her robot counterparts, who are convenient and more easily adoptable but lacking in personality. When Metal Head, an oddly engineered e-dog, bonds with a child during a shelter reading program, Chance’s assumptions about heartless robot dogs are upended. As Chance connects with Metal Head, the two make a brief escape into the wider world, and Chance learns a familiar lesson: Everyone longs for a place to belong. Memories of Chance’s happy home loom large in her mind: Easy days with the Bessers, a sweet Black family, were disrupted by a neglectful dogsitter, the accident that cost Chance her leg, and Chance’s flight in search of safety. Chance’s chatty narrative style includes flashbacks, vignettes about fellow shelter pets, and thoughtful observations, for example, about the “boohoos,” or sad new arrivals. The story offers many moments of laughter and reflection, all greatly enhanced by West’s utterly charming grayscale illustrations of irresistible pooches.
Eminently readable and appealing; will tug at dog-loving readers’ heartstrings. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9781250811608
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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