Moving and serious yet leavened with humor.
A boy must journey across unknown lands while avoiding menacing butterflies.
Eleven-year-old Elliot Wood is having a rough start to the summer. His family members are engrossed in phones and work, and the news is filled with the pandemic, climate disasters, and other worrisome things, but he takes comfort in the ocean and observing marine life. One night, Elliot wakes up, trapped within his nightmare and lost at sea on an island of plastic garbage he’d read about. After being chased by a giant masked man, he discovers he’s been transported to Lappanthia, a world shrouded in darkness. Lappanthia is plagued by butterflies whose “sole purpose is to make you feel so sad, you wish you’d never been born.” Elliot learns the only way home is a 10-day journey through wild terrain. Along with new friends—a talking octopus and an old woman named Granny Yilba—Elliot must face his fears and evade the evil butterflies to return home. Although the subject matter is heavy, this well-paced fantasy is full of lighter moments that are enhanced by the black-and-white illustrations. It explores emotional pain while guiding readers to think about who they are and what brings them happiness. Themes of pollution, kids as changemakers, friendship, family, and self-discovery recur throughout, with everything working together cohesively and offering readers new perspectives to ponder. Elliot is shown with dark hair and lightly shaded skin.
Moving and serious yet leavened with humor. (author interview) (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9780889956858
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Red Deer Press
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 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
A warm bundle of holiday cheer.
In a funny, feel-good tale, 12-year-old twins separated at birth meet by chance and try to pull off a family switch during the December holidays.
The girls, who are cued white, agree that it would be a delicious prank, but each has a personal motive, too: Aviva Davis, who was adopted by a culturally Jewish mom and a Black dad who was raised Christian, wonders what it’s like to celebrate Christmas. Budding author Holly Martin, who was adopted by a white-presenting single mom, sees a golden opportunity to gather experiences for a school writing assignment about facing her fears. In a plot as sweet as a Hanukkah jelly doughnut and twisty as a Christmas cinnamon roll, the pair just manages to bail one another out of a string of sticky situations—both hilarious and otherwise. They both learn something of the customs and meaning of the two holidays while working through tears and laughter—not to mention conflicts sparked by their very different personalities. Everything culminates in a holiday performance at a local senior center that will have readers rising up to cheer them on. Though their history remains tantalizingly mysterious, for the protagonists, who narrate alternating chapters, it’s mission accomplished and more: Aviva emerges feeling more secure in her Jewish identity, while anxious Holly discovers unexpected depths of courage.
A warm bundle of holiday cheer. (song lyrics) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2024
ISBN: 9781250360670
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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