An extended tale worth the telling.
Revisits a beloved fairy-tale classic from another perspective.
Prince Eric of Vellona is in a precarious situation: inheriting the crown amid growing civil conflicts, erratic coastal storms, and pressure to marry. Eric finds a secret, hidden letter from his mother, who was lost in a shipwreck two years ago, detailing more information about her last voyage and his curse. He can only ever kiss his true love or he will die instantly. Determined to help his people and free himself from his restrictive circumstances, Eric sets out to locate an uncharted isle. Along the way, he encounters pirates, ghosts, and a powerful witch. Meanwhile, he thinks he might have met his true love, but he can only remember her beautiful voice. There’s also the remarkable (but mute) redheaded girl who washes up from the ocean....Interwoven with scenes taken directly from the 1989 animated feature, this expansion of Disney’s The Little Mermaid takes the already active role of the prince and gives his story more depth and intrigue. Fans of the film will enjoy the additional scenes between the main couple, and many readers will appreciate Eric’s struggle to chart his own destiny and redefine what true love even means. Miller is confined to using the same primary cast as the movie, but she expands the world’s representation with several original secondary characters (human and merfolk) who bring diversity of race and sexuality.
An extended tale worth the telling. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-368-06911-3
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship.
Shortly before the new queen’s coronation, a monster wreaks havoc, forcing a young fairy princess to intervene at her own risk.
In Pixie Hollow, the Never Fairies of Spring, Summer, and Autumn work to create seasons for the humans on the Mainland, while the fairies of Winter remain apart in the Winter Woods. Clarion, a governing-talent fairy who’s soon to take over as queen of Pixie Hollow, often looks wonderingly at the Winter Woods. But crossing the border is against the rules set forth by her mentor, Queen Elvina. When a monster from Winter breaks free and enters Spring, Clarion bristles at Elvina’s dismissal. Determined to be involved, she secretly travels to Winter, meets with Milori, the Warden of the Winter Woods, and learns that the land is nothing like what she’s heard, making her wonder what else the queen has been untruthful about. Together Milori and Clarion work to discover the secrets of Pixie Hollow, which may save them—or lead to death. Set in a magical place of flowers and pixie dust, this story considers the control we have over the roles we’re assigned. Clarion is a beautifully complex character—strong yet insecure, lovable due to her willingness to prioritize relationships over rules. Themes of fear, forbidden love, and good vs. evil are present in this fast-paced, engaging tale. Main characters are cued white.
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781368098458
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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