A fresh game of cat and mouse.
Redemption is tested in this third series installment.
Bethany and Ebenezer’s do-gooding efforts are having mixed results—while Ebenezer’s problem-solving business has fallen flat, Bethany’s had so much success that Miss Muddle is planning a not-so-surprise party in her honor. Ebenezer sets his jealousy aside when Nicholas Nickle of D.o.R.R.i.S.—the Division of Removing Rapscallions in Secret—tells them that the beast, post–memory loss, is reformed and ready to be released. Worse, he wants to release the beast to Ebenezer and Bethany’s custody—and Mr. Nickle has something to hold over Ebenezer to force him to agree. While Bethany storms out seeking space, Ebenezer learns that the baby-talking, eager-to-please beast is happy to churn out solutions for all of the Wise Tweezer’s unsatisfied customers, resulting in endless praise and adoration toward Ebenezer. While he becomes convinced of the beast’s redemption (and enjoys the fruits of it), Bethany remains convinced that this is all part of a long con that only she can see through. The narrative is careful to support both viewpoints without ruling out either, so as not to undermine the question of who can change and who deserves forgiveness. This especially applies given Bethany’s and Ebenezer’s checkered pasts. The conclusion brings silly action as well as a healthy portion of nuance. An epilogue hints at a new conflict to come. Follath’s lively, whimsical illustrations add to the humor and intrigue. The artwork shows some background diversity; Bethany and Ebenezer are White.
A fresh game of cat and mouse. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66590-382-0
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
File under “laugh riot.”
A rogue spell-check program’s bid to transform all life-forms into that eminently useful office item, the paper clip, touches off a fresh round of lunar lunacy.
Predicated on the entirely reasonable premise that eliminating all spelling and grammar errors everywhere would logically lead to the necessity of exterminating carbon-based life in the universe, this third series entry combines high stakes with daffy banter and daring exploits. CheckMate—a chipper, jumped-up editing program—has invented the Transmogratron, a giant laser that will fulfill its ultimate goals in both the cyber world and “meatspace.” Facing challenges as random as prankster lunar unicorns and a disarmingly motherly Motherboard, scowling First Cat joins a motley crew of diversely carbon- and silicon-based allies, led by the pearlescent Queen of the Moon. They’re in a race to the finish—diverted occasionally by, for instance, a relentlessly punny comic-book interlude featuring a pair of literal and figurative Pool Sharks. They ultimately triumph thanks to teamwork and moxie. Following a celebratory party and toasts to “new friends…and steadfast comrades” (and, of course, “MEOW”), the story’s energetic, brightly colored panels close with a reveal of the next volume. (“I always hate it when comics end by announcing a sequel. SO CRINGE!” declares an authorial stand-in.) It can’t come too soon.
File under “laugh riot.” (Graphic science fiction. 8-11)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780063315280
Page Count: 272
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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