An endearing tale whose small-scale cast will capture readers’ hearts.
Two country mice explore a fast-paced metropolis in this illustrated middle-grade sequel.
Toofer and his best friend, The Giblet, leave their humble home in tiny Nimblewood for a vacation. They stay in Cousin Harry’s rooftop mouse hole, which overlooks a brightly lit big city filled with perpetually moving giants.The Giblet is all too happy to tour the new location and have Harry show him where all those glorious smells are coming from. They grab food that giants throw away, including pizza and egg rolls, and The Giblet hears, for the first time, something wonderful called music. He relays their adventures to Toofer, who’s turned this trip into a staycation, as he never strays beyond the rooftop. He does, however, meet an unexpectedly kindhearted “tiny giant” at an open window. Although the giants’ pecking order for animals puts mice just above rats, this giant, who’s wearing a glittery blue gown, speaks softly and shares a snack with Toofer. The cautious mouse then decides to check out other windows. He, too, discovers music as well as the joy of dancing as he watches rows of tiny giants leap and spin to melodies, and he soon joins in. The Giblet’s newfound love of the city makes him want to extend his vacation, maybe indefinitely. Meanwhile, Toofer’s rooftop excursions lead him to someone in need of help, putting him face to face with mice’s most infamous enemy and giving him no choice but to prove just how brave he can be.
LeBlanc’s follow-up to Toofer & The Giblet (2021) is just as sweet and entertaining as its predecessor. These personable mice stand on two feet and wear clothes like humans, and their delightful perspective is on full display as they fail to grasp the “language of the giants” and find that going out to dinner is a frenzied, potentially dangerous affair. Nevertheless, much of what Toofer and The Giblet see and experience is affecting. Harry, for example, names off the musical instruments that win over The Giblet, from a “wood-stringer gadget” to a “zebra box.” At the same time, the author keeps younger readers in mind with the inclusion of educational morsels. Although there’s an indisputable fondness for the quiet life on display, this book shows that one’s home can be anywhere that makes one happy, whether it’s in a forest tree or among the “hustle and bustle” of urbanites. It also shines a positive light on other animals, such as city squirrels, though this sequel is missing the varied characters of the series’ first installment, set in Nimblewood. Morozov’s sublime, nuanced watercolor artwork exemplifies the mice’s smallness, as when they use a discarded coffee cup as a stool, and it adds beautiful details, such as the drops of a cold, early morning rain. These illustrations enrich LeBlanc’s pithy writing as they treat readers to images of Toofer’s pince-nez–style glasses on his pink nose and Harry proudly showing off a huge pizza box at a dumpster. Another installment would be welcome to see where these two mice go next.
An endearing tale whose small-scale cast will capture readers’ hearts.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9798985150711
Page Count: 84
Publisher: Dragon Horse Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 4, 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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