A slightly uneven but unflinchingly sad examination of untimely death.
A contemporary YA novel about loss, love, and forgiveness.
Lilac Sophia Carpenter is 16 years, 11 months, and three weeks old, and she probably won’t live to see 17. An incurable, unnamed terminal illness ravages her body, and as she gets weaker, she daydreams: She imagines her life at different ages, sometimes reliving days in the past, but more often daydreaming about the future—about growing up and getting old and about experiences and jobs that she’ll never have. What most of these visions have in common is a special place reserved for her best friend, the boy next door, Nathan Emery, even though Lilac has barely spoken to him in years. Nathan knows that she’s dying, but he’s avoided talking to her for such a long time—ever since one fateful day when they were both 10 years old.Will he mend his relationship with Lilac before it’s too late? This sorrowful exploration of a dying young girl’s life seems designed to pull at readers’ heartstrings as it follows Lilac’s imaginings. As she comes to terms with what’s happening to her, she rails about the unfairness of it all, and a few chapters effectively unveil her real memories. The book also thoughtfully addresses themes of forgiveness and compassion—how her illness affects others and how their reactions affect her, in turn. A few scattered chapters from Nathan’s perspective feel at odds with the story, however, as they remove the focus from the main character in a way that feels contrived. The reason for Lilac and Nathan’s relationship falling apart feels anticlimactic, especially considering how the narrative keeps the secret from the reader until the end—but it’s tragic, nonetheless.
A slightly uneven but unflinchingly sad examination of untimely death.Pub Date: March 20, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-9888751-7-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Brown Beagle Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship.
Shortly before the new queen’s coronation, a monster wreaks havoc, forcing a young fairy princess to intervene at her own risk.
In Pixie Hollow, the Never Fairies of Spring, Summer, and Autumn work to create seasons for the humans on the Mainland, while the fairies of Winter remain apart in the Winter Woods. Clarion, a governing-talent fairy who’s soon to take over as queen of Pixie Hollow, often looks wonderingly at the Winter Woods. But crossing the border is against the rules set forth by her mentor, Queen Elvina. When a monster from Winter breaks free and enters Spring, Clarion bristles at Elvina’s dismissal. Determined to be involved, she secretly travels to Winter, meets with Milori, the Warden of the Winter Woods, and learns that the land is nothing like what she’s heard, making her wonder what else the queen has been untruthful about. Together Milori and Clarion work to discover the secrets of Pixie Hollow, which may save them—or lead to death. Set in a magical place of flowers and pixie dust, this story considers the control we have over the roles we’re assigned. Clarion is a beautifully complex character—strong yet insecure, lovable due to her willingness to prioritize relationships over rules. Themes of fear, forbidden love, and good vs. evil are present in this fast-paced, engaging tale. Main characters are cued white.
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781368098458
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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