Fun escapades for budding fantasy fans.
A trio of adventurers search for the second of 12 missing magic stones in order to safeguard the Kingdom of Ravenwood.
Picking up a week after the events chronicled in the first installment (summed up in a quick recap), this book sees the Stone Seekers—youngsters Dak and Fenn and Lucy the magical llama—preparing for a new mission by researching in the library. After they teleport to the forest near the royal castle, they realize that the alicorns—winged unicorns capable of telekinesis—have the stone. Alicorns are notoriously shy, so the team members seek help from Queen Luna. Though the palace is aflutter with preparations for a royal wedding, the queen invites them to consult the royal library. Along the way, they befriend Prince Kamoni and his friend Antonia (both wizard students) and encounter the alicorns. While Reyes relies on well-trod fantasy themes and tropes, young readers will find this book a welcome introduction to the genre. The writing is clear and the pacing effective. Compared with the first volume, this tale offers more character growth and minor but significant internal conflict. Dak deals with complex feelings toward Fenn; he finds her a bit bossy but wishes he could emulate her bravery and confidence. The cartoon art is at its best when depicting the alicorns. Dak, Queen Luna, and Kamoni appear brown-skinned in the illustrations, while Fenn and Antonia are light-skinned.
Fun escapades for budding fantasy fans. (map, excerpt from Fenn’s creature journal, questions and activities) (Fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593808573
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
© Copyright 2024 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.
