An endearing and page-turning sequel.
Every werewolf pup knows the rule—never give a witch your name, or she’ll bind you to her spell.
Last summer, 13-year-old White girl Riley Callahan defeated the Devouring Wolf with the help of her new prime pack. After the five wolfless pups transformed on the first full moon of winter, Riley thought the other packs would finally accept them, but all the kids resent their “special treatment.” When the Winter Pack shares a vision of a young witch pleading for their help, they hesitate to draw more attention to themselves, but the witch and the destiny that chases her threaten the safety of every wolf in the Hackberry Hill Alliance. If they can’t help the witch before the spring equinox in two weeks, a violent chapter of history may repeat itself. Picking up a couple months after the conclusion of The Devouring Wolf (2022), this sequel expands on the magic of werewolves and witches through a fast-paced, suspenseful adventure. Alongside the supernatural conflict, Riley confronts the shifting relationships in her family, an emerging crush, prejudice, and how to determine the difference between right and wrong. Although some of the relationship tension has a hasty resolution and the recurring poetic verses don’t always flow smoothly, fans of the first book will devour this addition and look forward to more. The cast of characters reflects queerness and racial diversity in the world around Riley.
An endearing and page-turning sequel. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 8, 2023
ISBN: 9780593203989
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 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
File under “laugh riot.”
A rogue spell-check program’s bid to transform all life-forms into that eminently useful office item, the paper clip, touches off a fresh round of lunar lunacy.
Predicated on the entirely reasonable premise that eliminating all spelling and grammar errors everywhere would logically lead to the necessity of exterminating carbon-based life in the universe, this third series entry combines high stakes with daffy banter and daring exploits. CheckMate—a chipper, jumped-up editing program—has invented the Transmogratron, a giant laser that will fulfill its ultimate goals in both the cyber world and “meatspace.” Facing challenges as random as prankster lunar unicorns and a disarmingly motherly Motherboard, scowling First Cat joins a motley crew of diversely carbon- and silicon-based allies, led by the pearlescent Queen of the Moon. They’re in a race to the finish—diverted occasionally by, for instance, a relentlessly punny comic-book interlude featuring a pair of literal and figurative Pool Sharks. They ultimately triumph thanks to teamwork and moxie. Following a celebratory party and toasts to “new friends…and steadfast comrades” (and, of course, “MEOW”), the story’s energetic, brightly colored panels close with a reveal of the next volume. (“I always hate it when comics end by announcing a sequel. SO CRINGE!” declares an authorial stand-in.) It can’t come too soon.
File under “laugh riot.” (Graphic science fiction. 8-11)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780063315280
Page Count: 272
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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