A worthy and engaging fantasy tale.
Richardson tells a tale of a youngster in a realm of magical creatures in this debut children’s fantasy novel.
Victoria McKay is a happy 4-year-old only child until her sister, Ashley, is born, which changes her world. On the way to the hospital to meet her new sibling, Victoria hears wind chimes and sees an unusual creature. She tries to follow it, but her father quickly puts her in a taxi. At the hospital, she hears the chimes again. The creature reappears and slips Victoria an odorous piece of paper that reads, in part: “We are unknown to mankind, except for a lucky few who have been granted a wish. You are now one of those lucky people.” It’s from something called the High Magical Council. Years later, Victoria, now 11, is angry at her sister for breaking a beloved picture frame, thus ruining an image of her adored grandfather. She shouts, “I wish you’d never been born!”—and the wish is mysteriously granted: Ashley ceases to exist, and only Victoria knows that Ashley ever existed. Feeling guilty, she searches for information on the High Magical Council until she finds The Tome of Hidden Creatures, which describes all the creatures of the magical world, including a “lawfur,” the wish giver. Determined to undo her wish, Victoria figures out how to get to Scotland and the Black Wood of Rannoch, where her adventures begin with the help of Emma, a strange furry creature called a cardenere. Richardson crafts a vivid, detailed and creative imaginary world in these pages: “Buildings large and small either jutted into the air or clung to the ground…Some were built from mildly odd metals painted in eye-dazzling colours, while others looked to be made of mushroom or tree bark.” Richardson uses a “Dear Reader” framing device as an effective tool to have Victoria share her personal revelations, which further draws the reader into the story. One lesson they learn is that sibling rivals still have great love for each other. The uncredited illustrations are creative black-and-white sketches of imaginary creatures that support the text nicely. A cliffhanger ending will have readers looking for Richardson’s next book.
A worthy and engaging fantasy tale.Pub Date: July 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798889929864
Page Count: 274
Publisher: Many Realms Media
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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