Another stellar dimension-hopping adventure in a series with no signs of slowing down.
Teens must seal an interdimensional door before sinister beings take over the universe in Bastian’s third middle-grade fantasy series installment.
Folktellers like Michigan youngster Aaron Anderson ward off evil Shadow People with stories. Unfortunately, he and friends Jake Perez and Wendy Perrault, who’s a fellow Folkteller “from another time and dimension,” can’t stop these manifestations of darkness from spreading throughout the universe. But they may be the “Storied Trio” whom prophecy says will eventually return “the light” to the universe. First, the friends travel by magic portal to the Carolinas to track down and help a blues singer recover his stolen guitar strings. This balladeer persuades the teens to incorporate music into their stories and battle Shadow People with songs and poetic verses. Meanwhile, the Shadow People increase in numbers and strength as their leader emerges for the first time; they plan to swipe Folktellers’ Guidebooks to erase human history. If the Storied Trio and their allies can seal a door between dimensions, they may be able to stop their enemies’ rampant spread. Bastian’s third series entry features welcome returning characters, including Aaron’s grandfather Pap, teen Eddie Little Bear from Wendy’s dimension, and Eddie’s great-uncle Yellowfeather. They all work together to battle mostly familiar creatures (including zombies and snarling chupacabras) and wield astounding objects, such as the illuminating, portal-sealing Harmony Beacon. The author smoothly weaves in copious lyrical stanzas, comprising original pieces as well as works from such real-life artists as John Keats and musician Elizabeth Cotten. Colorful descriptions also abound; for instance, Pap’s comforting voice is reminiscent of a “hot cup of cocoa and a warm blanket.” Readers anticipating McEvoy’s bold, grayscale artwork won’t be disappointed; images of villains stand out—most notably, the Shadow Realm’s new ruler on his skeletal throne.
Another stellar dimension-hopping adventure in a series with no signs of slowing down.Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2022
ISBN: 9781735305103
Page Count: 248
Publisher: Scribe Publishing Company
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs.
The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement.
When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family. Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves—during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes. Once the professionals are brought in, the problems keep getting worse: angry neighbors, terrifying problems in walls, and—most serious—civil permitting issues that put the kibosh on what work’s been done. Left with only enough inheritance to patch and repair the exterior of the house—and with the school’s dismal standardized test scores as a final straw—Greg’s mom steers the family toward moving, opening up house-hunting and house-selling storylines (and devastating loyal Rowley, who doesn’t want to lose his best friend). While Greg’s positive about the move, he’s not completely uncaring about Rowley’s action. (And of course, Greg himself is not as unaffected as he wishes.) The gags include effectively placed callbacks to seemingly incidental events (the “stress lizard” brought in on testing day is particularly funny) and a lampoon of after-school-special–style problem books. Just when it seems that the Heffleys really will move, a new sequence of chaotic trouble and property destruction heralds a return to the status quo. Whew.
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3903-3
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2019
SEEN & HEARD
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
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