An energetic protagonist takes readers on a fun, light romp through a largely idyllic childhood.
A precocious 8-year-old girl charts the magic and mayhem of her third gradeyear in Marsh’s children’s chapter book.
Each chapter in this book represents a diary entry written by Maggie Montgomery, who readers meet as an 8-year-old girl excited to start third grade after the end of an epic summer. She details various events that occur throughout the year, which include meeting her classroom pet bunny (named Coco) and getting to ride the local theme park’s newest roller coaster (called the Tornado Twister Mister). While Maggie has plenty of fun with her soccer teammates and friends, she also learns valuable lessons along the way; after having not heard great things about her teacher, for example, Maggie takes her mom’s advice to “make [her] own opinions about her, so that’s what [she] decided to do, and guess what? [She] really like[s] her!” When her writing grade slips later in the year, Maggie takes the initiative to talk to her teacher in order to correct her mistakes. After a successful spring musical at the end of the year, she finds herself already looking forward to fourth grade. Many of Maggie’s experiences are universal, such as when a friend moves away after her parents get divorced. Other incidents, like Maggie’s whole family flying to a ski resort over winter break, indicate a certain level of privilege that will be much less relatable to some readers. Her use of all caps and exclamation points can quickly grow exhausting, but Maggie’s unique voice still manages to shine through—as when she mentions that her fickle older sister doesn’t really have a BFF, just a “BFFAH” (“Best Friend for An Hour”). The low-key story, despite touching on divorce and the nerve-racking experience of getting braces, avoids delving into any serious topics or issues that kids may run into. Maggie’s voice provides a purely surface-level narrative, which will be a welcome and refreshing experience for parents who are on the lookout for family-friendly additions to their shelves.
An energetic protagonist takes readers on a fun, light romp through a largely idyllic childhood.Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2022
ISBN: 9781958923108
Page Count: 118
Publisher: Legacy Book Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.
In Florence’s middle-grade fantasy novel, a young girl’s heart is tested in the face of an evil, spreading Darkness.
Eleven-year-old Lydia, “freckle-cheeked and round-eyed, with hair the color of pine bark and fair skin,” is struggling with the knowledge that she has reached the age to apprentice as an herbalist. Lydia is reluctant to leave her beloved, magical Mulberry Glen and her cozy Housetree in the woods—she’ll miss Garder, the Glen’s respected philosopher; her fairy guardian Pit; her human friend Livy; and even the mischievous part-elf, part-imp, part-human twins Zale and Zamilla. But the twins go missing after hearing of a soul-sapping Darkness that has swallowed a forest and is creeping into minds and engulfing entire towns. They have secretly left to find a rare fruit that, it is said, will stop the Darkness if thrown into the heart of the mountain that rises out of the lethal forest. Lydia follows, determined to find the twins before they, too, fall victim to the Darkness. During her journey, accompanied by new friends, she gradually realizes that she herself has a dangerous role to play in the quest to stop the Darkness. In this well-crafted fantasy, Florence skillfully equates the physical manifestation of Darkness with the feelings of insecurity and powerlessness that Lydia first struggles with when thinking of leaving the Glen. Such negative thoughts grow more intrusive the closer she and her friends come to the Darkness—and to Lydia’s ultimate, powerfully rendered test of character, which leads to a satisfyingly realistic, not quite happily-ever-after ending. Highlights include a delightfully haunting, reality-shifting library and a deft sprinkling of Latin throughout the text; Pit’s pet name for Lydia is mea flosculus (“my little flower”). Fine-lined ink drawings introducing each chapter add a pleasing visual element to this well-grounded fairy tale.
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781956393095
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Waxwing Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
After Castro’s takeover, nine-year-old Julian and his older brothers are sent away by their fearful parents via “Operation Pedro Pan” to a camp in Miami for Cuban-exile children. Here he discovers that a ruthless bully has essentially been put in charge. Julian is quicker-witted than his brothers or anyone else ever imagined, though, and with his inherent smarts, developing maturity and the help of child and adult friends, he learns to navigate the dynamics of the camp and surroundings and grows from the former baby of the family to independence and self-confidence. A daring rescue mission at the end of the novel will have readers rooting for Julian even as it opens his family’s eyes to his courage and resourcefulness. This autobiographical novel is a well-meaning, fast-paced and often exciting read, though at times the writing feels choppy. It will introduce readers to a not-so-distant period whose echoes are still felt today and inspire admiration for young people who had to be brave despite frightening and lonely odds. (Historical fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59643-168-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 14, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2010
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