All the ingredients of a first-rate fantasy, disappointingly half-baked.
When life deals precocious, friendless Milton P. Greene a blow, he escapes into his hand-held video game.
Exploring the game’s island with intrepid naturalist Sea Hawk is impossible after Milton’s divorcing parents send him to visit his real-life naturalist uncle on an actual tropical island with no electricity and that used to be owned by Uncle Evan’s mentor, the late Dr. Ava Paradis. Still smarting from the loss of his only friend, Milton gets the chance at a friendship reboot after meeting the resident scientists’ children, Rafi and Gabe Alvarez and Fig Morris. Though unfriendly Rafi rebuffs him, Fig, if skeptical, welcomes his company. Dr. Paradis had described amazing flora and fauna, but despite scientists’ efforts, few have been verified, as the impenetrable Truth-Will-Out Vine closed off the interior after her death. When Milton discovers how to part the vines, he finds Dr. Paradis’ field guide—a mystery until Fig decodes it. Learning that the island will almost certainly be sold to a developer, Rafi and Gabe unexpectedly join the urgent quest to find species like the Push-Pull Centopus and Menu-You Bush and prevent the sale. The story is entertaining and fast-moving but suffers from slapdash execution and jarring shifts in tone. The silly flora and fauna, played for laughs, clash with potentially effective messages about bullying, loneliness, and family breakup and undercut the sincere environmentalist theme. Milton is presumed White; Rafi and Gabe are Latinx, and Fig is cued as Black.
All the ingredients of a first-rate fantasy, disappointingly half-baked. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-374-31471-2
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
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
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
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
