A creepy delight, with themes both timeless and topical.
In this third series entry, twin terrors rise to threaten the thoroughly haunted town of Cowslip Grove: the child-snatching Boojum and a school board that’s hostile to progress and inclusivity.
Tim Burton meets Edward Gorey in Merritt’s extravagantly gothic figures and settings, infusing his latest eerie outing with equal measures of chill and charm. Drifting about town in search of its original name, Little Nobody, a small wight covered in tattered paper scraps becomes an enthralled witness to the activities of a group of schoolchildren. They’re rehearsing a stage version of Tololwa M. Mollel’s Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper! under the direction of beloved new teacher Ms. Padilla, whose expansive approach to culture and science has put the shorts of certain local parents in a twist. Meanwhile, the Boojum readers met in former episodes has returned, whispering that change of any sort threatens Little Nobody’s survival and must be fought by burning down the school. In a measured, somber narrative that switches between ordinary text and neatly hand-lettered passages, the ghostly wanderer passes through realms mundane and supernatural, meeting other spirits and coming to understand the value and power of stories even as events culminate in hard choices and terrifying confrontations. Along with again proving that he’s a dab hand at creating a compelling, spooky atmosphere and authentically terrifying monsters, Merritt leaves readers with both a satisfying ending and opportunities to reflect. The human cast is racially diverse.
A creepy delight, with themes both timeless and topical. (Horror. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9780063283985
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 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
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship.
A young tennis champion becomes the target of revenge.
In this sequel to Legacy and the Queen (2019), Legacy Petrin and her friends Javi and Pippa have returned to Legacy’s home province and the orphanage run by her father. With her friends’ help, she is in training to defend her championship when they discover that another player, operating under the protection of High Consul Silla, is presenting herself as Legacy. She is so convincing that the real Legacy is accused of being an imitation. False Legacy has become a hero to the masses, further strengthening Silla’s hold, and it becomes imperative to uncover and defeat her. If Legacy is to win again, she must play her imposter while disguised as someone else. Winning at tennis is not just about money and fame, but resisting Silla’s plans to send more young people into brutal mines with little hope of better lives. Legacy will have to overcome her fears and find the magic that allowed her to claim victory in the past. This story, with its elements of sports, fantasy, and social consciousness that highlight tensions between the powerful and those they prey upon, successfully continues the series conceived by late basketball superstar Bryant. As before, the tennis matches are depicted with pace and spirit. Legacy and Javi have brown skin; most other characters default to White.
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949520-19-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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