A wise if occasionally saccharine look at common childhood drama.
When their parents announce that they are moving from their home in Michigan to Indiana, the five Baxter children react to the change in different ways.
Brooke, the oldest, is quietly confident in the decision. Eight-year-old Erin is fearful, but 6-year-old Luke is too young to fully understand. Eleven-year-old Kari is calm and focused, but 10-year-old Ashley feels as though her world is going to pieces. When new friendships cause Ashley to feel left out and an offhand remark makes her feel flighty and immature, she decides to overhaul her life. She gives up art and soccer, vowing to be more studious, like her sisters. But she soon realizes that she is better off just being who God made her to be. With this children’s novel, Kingsbury and co-author Russell go back in time to focus on the childhoods of some of her favorite characters from her popular series for adults. In the Baxter family, trouble is met with grace, kindness, and prayer. The admonition that “your very best friends are the ones around the dinner table each night” is more than wishful thinking here. Jealousy, sadness, and first crushes are all handled with wisdom and God’s word. However, readers with less-than-idyllic lives might not feel they can simply “choose to be happy,” as God advises Ashley. While God is frequently discussed, the emphasis is more on moral character and kindness. The Baxters are white and the time period unclear, although working back from the books for adults, it is probably the 1970s or ’80s.
A wise if occasionally saccharine look at common childhood drama. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-1215-6
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism.
Stories of Buddha’s past lives help a young boy “find [himself] in the moment.”
Binh and his siblings, who are of Vietnamese descent, can’t believe they’re spending the weekend at a silent meditation retreat. Binh would rather play his Game Boy so he doesn’t have to meditate and inevitably think about the bullies at school. It is only when Sister Peace tells stories about the Buddha and his past life that Binh is able to imagine himself entering a video game–inspired world and thus process his feelings of shame, isolation, and anger. With each Jataka tale, Binh’s awareness expands, and so, too, does his ability to be present for and helpful to those around him. A welcome addition to the handful of middle-grade stories featuring Buddhist protagonists, this exploration of identity and Buddhist principles will find an audience with young readers who love Raina Telgemeier but aren’t quite ready to level up to the complexity and nuance of Gene Luen Yang’s epic American Born Chinese (2006). The video game elements are compelling, although they understandably diminish as the story progresses and the protagonist’s inner life grows. Warm fall colors and luscious black lines anchor the story as it transitions among flashbacks, stories, and the present day. Filled with talking animals, the parables can be a little heavy-handed, but the witty banter between Binh and the narrator during fantasy sequences provides levity. (This review was updated for accuracy.)
A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism. (bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9780759555488
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
An action-packed, evocative portrayal of courage, friendship, and belonging.
Indian folklore meets fantasy adventure in this captivating novel.
Eleven-year-old Kritika “Kiki” Kallira lives in London with her Mum, an immigrant from the state of Karnataka in the south of India; she’s never met her father, who died before she was born. Kiki’s mother is an animator, and Kiki, who struggles with anxiety and spiraling, obsessive thoughts, finds solace in sketching in her notebooks and imagining stories, especially ones inspired by the Hindu mythology they’ve shared. Now, though, Kiki has unleashed the Asura king Mahishasura from his exile through the drawings in her sketchbook. As she travels and travails between London and Mysore, the heroes and demons she’s sketched come to life, and she is faced with seemingly insurmountable tasks and complex obstacles. In her quest to save the world, Kiki shows readers the power of asking for help, believing in oneself, and overcoming fear. The worldbuilding is full of vibrant images and detailed descriptions about Mahishasura’s kingdom and palace, Lalith Mahal. The novel draws inspiration primarily from the story of Mahishasura—who wanted to be immortal—and how he was defeated by the goddess Chamundeshwari. Anxiety and mental health are also explored with honesty and finesse; many young readers will resonate with her struggle to quiet demons both internal and external.
An action-packed, evocative portrayal of courage, friendship, and belonging. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: July 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-20697-3
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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