Possibly unpalatable for general magical-adventure fans but appealing to readers who relish all things icky.
Evil fairies sure do love hair. To eat.
Page 1 displays a contract in which Alison Butler promises to grow 100 fairies, pass on two flock-starters to another child and follow all the rules. In return, she’ll receive one wish. Ali’s hard at work growing those fairies in her backyard and raiding her house’s shower drain for hair to feed them, while coiffing herself in a hair-sprayed bun for safety. Sure, a couple of kids in town have disappeared due to breach of fairy contract, but Ali intends to follow the rules. Although many of Thompson’s ingredients are classic—the fairy contract; tricky rules that change along the way; kids knowing the truth while adults are oblivious—the unique details she mixes in make for a decidedly peculiar flavor. These 2-inch-tall fairies not only gobble human locks insatiably, but they can’t stop murmuring the word “hair.” As Ali and other kids unearth the fairies’ identities and unsavory plan, magical rules shift and sway almost improvisationally. The text shows fairy speech printed in tiny font until Ali herself shrinks, at which point fairy speech is standard size while human speech enlarges. The uber-normalized small-town setting emphasizes families headed by both mom and dad, a hairdresser who’s styled these kids their whole lives, and an unfriendly (eventually partly upended) implication that kids held back a grade are bullies and smokers.
Possibly unpalatable for general magical-adventure fans but appealing to readers who relish all things icky. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-547-85903-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
