Heartbreaking yet hopeful.
An emotional portrayal of illness, discrimination, and personal growth.
Seasoned author Sanders makes his middle-grade novel debut with this story set in 1987 and based on real historical events, as three White hemophiliac brothers contract HIV from blood transfusions. Forced to home-school, the family retreats to the beach, away from their small Florida hometown where gossip and fear spread, until a court decision brings the boys back to school. In addition to addressing emotions related to the illness, oldest brother Calvin, a fifth grader, also documents the numerous social battles facing the family as they deal with hostile interpersonal relationships, misinformation and bigotry, and being ostracized by their church. The situation escalates, and the boys continue to be harassed even after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sends a representative to intervene and educate the community. Some racial diversity is present in the supporting cast; these characters lack depth and primarily serve to help Calvin realize that the entrenched prejudices of the town’s White majority have harmed others too. As threats escalate, Calvin’s positive relationships with a teacher, a handful of marginalized classmates, and some others challenge him to reckon with his own biases and use his poetry to speak out for justice. The verse format and accessible voice will hold appeal for reluctant readers; the presentation of the subject matter will draw in those who appreciate relationship-driven contemporary and historical stories.
Heartbreaking yet hopeful. (photo credits, playlist, author’s note, timeline, historical note, note about HIV and AIDS) (Verse historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: July 31, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4788-6927-6
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Reycraft Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
Riveting, inspiring, and sometimes hilarious.
If you made a recording to be heard by the aliens who found the iPod, what would you record?
For 11-year-old Alex Petroski, it's easy. He records everything. He records the story of how he travels to New Mexico to a rocket festival with his dog, Carl Sagan, and his rocket. He records finding out that a man with the same name and birthday as his dead father has an address in Las Vegas. He records eating at Johnny Rockets for the first time with his new friends, who are giving him a ride to find his dead father (who might not be dead!), and losing Carl Sagan in the wilds of Las Vegas, and discovering he has a half sister. He even records his own awful accident. Cheng delivers a sweet, soulful debut novel with a brilliant, refreshing structure. His characters manage to come alive through the “transcript” of Alex’s iPod recording, an odd medium that sounds like it would be confusing but really works. Taking inspiration from the Voyager Golden Record released to space in 1977, Alex, who explains he has “light brown skin,” records all the important moments of a journey that takes him from a family of two to a family of plenty.
Riveting, inspiring, and sometimes hilarious. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-18637-0
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick.
An elderly witch, a magical girl, a brave carpenter, a wise monster, a tiny dragon, paper birds, and a madwoman converge to thwart a magician who feeds on sorrow.
Every year Elders of the Protectorate leave a baby in the forest, warning everyone an evil Witch demands this sacrifice. In reality, every year, a kind witch named Xan rescues the babies and find families for them. One year Xan saves a baby girl with a crescent birthmark who accidentally feeds on moonlight and becomes “enmagicked.” Magic babies can be tricky, so Xan adopts little Luna herself and lovingly raises her, with help from an ancient swamp monster and a chatty, wee dragon. Luna’s magical powers emerge as her 13th birthday approaches. Meanwhile, Luna’s deranged real mother enters the forest to find her daughter. Simultaneously, a young carpenter from the Protectorate enters the forest to kill the Witch and end the sacrifices. Xan also enters the forest to rescue the next sacrificed child, and Luna, the monster, and the dragon enter the forest to protect Xan. In the dramatic denouement, a volcano erupts, the real villain attempts to destroy all, and love prevails. Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces. Luna has black eyes, curly, black hair, and “amber” skin.
Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick. (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61620-567-6
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Algonquin
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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