A vivid fantasy that’s packed with magic and imagination.
Whitemarsh-Hoffmann’s middle-grade debut sees a young magic student travel back in time to find the twin whom she was never supposed to meet.
Eleven-year-old Iris resides in the Nearwoods, a realm that’s separate from but connected to Earth. She is the Novice of Light, one of six Novices—the others being of Winter, Summer, Spring, Autumn, and Time—charged with mastering the magic needed to manipulate matter and control the natural elements. (Gratifyingly, this involves a fusion of quantum mechanics and nuclear physics.) The novices are instructed, both collectively and individually, by the Bearers of each element, who, in turn, answer to their own former mentors (the Sages). Iris’ bearer and sage are, respectively, Hesper and Bettima; her mother has virtually disowned her and is preoccupied with summoning Iris’ “timebound twin”—a sibling who was consigned at birth to leave the Nearwoods and live sometime in Earth’s history. Searching for such twins is strictly forbidden, but when the fabled dark sorceress Morith makes an appearance, possessing Iris’ mother and threatening the magic that holds the world together, Iris has no choice but to travel to 1985 Milwaukee to find her timebound twin. Whitemarsh-Hoffmann tells the story through a smooth blend of narrative prose, upbeat dialogue, and poetic descriptions, such as “The River Trillium moved in torrents tonight, teeming with silver-backed trout cresting the water to gobble up the stoneflies.” The worldbuilding fizzes with wonder, and the magic-school setting will naturally evoke Harry Potter comparisons; however, Whitemarsh-Hoffmann is less heavy-handed than J. K. Rowling was in characterizing the novices. Iris’ relationship with her mother, for instance, explores the absence of parental love far more effectively than if she’d been orphaned; her relationships with Hesper and Bettima are also richer, compared to the caricatured Dursleys. White-haired, sneering Verena, Novice of Summer, is a relatively toned-down and believable villain. One criticism, though, is that moments of great import are paced similarly as ordinary events. Nonetheless, the action picks up when Iris travels back in time, which will likely engage young readers.
A vivid fantasy that’s packed with magic and imagination.Pub Date: Oct. 10, 2023
ISBN: 9781645385219
Page Count: 188
Publisher: Ten 16 Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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