A mostly enjoyable British import that should be better than it is.
Animals—mythical and extinct—abound in George Drake’s hometown, Squermington.
In Cossanteli’s debut novel, 11-year-old George lives with his frazzled mum and two older sisters. Between his dad’s leaving, large electric bills, and their family’s unsuccessful shop, times are tough. So, in an effort to replace his recently stolen bike, George starts a quest for a job that ends when he comes across a sign that reads, “Help Wanted / Interest In Wildlife Necessary / Must Be The Right Person.” The quirky Mrs. Lind, the owner of Wormestall Farm, and Lo, a tall, blue-eyed boy, orient George in his responsibilities. These include tending to an overprotective dodo, feeding 8-foot carnivorous ducks, milking aurochs, and staying alive. Redheaded Prudence, the new girl at school, also finds her way to the farm, which offers an escape from her villainous, taxidermist stepmother, Diamond Pye. When basilisk Mortifier wanders from the farm, leading to the disappearance of both neighborhood pets and chicken vindaloo from Indian restaurants, it’s up to George and Prudence to bring Mortifier back before Diamond can add the large serpent to her collection. Uneven pacing and clunky plot development mar this otherwise appealing and imaginative story, though Muradov’s stylized vignettes successfully add elements of magic, emotion, and movement to George’s narration.
A mostly enjoyable British import that should be better than it is. (glossary) (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62779-403-9
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
More hijinks-filled adventure than mystery, this is sure to win an audience.
Ben Silverstein’s summer with Grandpa is about to go wild.
When his parents need to “work out some troubles,” 10-year-old Ben gets shipped off to tiny Buttonville, where everything seems to be closed or out of business since the button factory was shuttered years ago. Ben’s used to spending summers in the pool in his Los Angeles backyard with his friends, and Buttonville looks positively coma-inducing. When Grandpa’s mouser Barnaby deposits what has to be a baby dragon on Ben’s bed, Ben and his new friend Pearl (whom the whole town calls “troublemaker” on account of a few innocent incidents) decide to visit the new “worm doctor” who has moved into the abandoned button factory. (Ben had heard her strange assistant Mr. Tabby buying ingredients for “dragon’s milk” at the grocery....) When their visit unleashes a hairy, pudding-loving imaginary beast on the town of Buttonville, Ben and Pearl volunteer to catch him. Selfors kicks off her Imaginary Veterinary series with a solid, entertaining opener. Ben and Pearl are Everykids that readers will relate to, and the adults of Buttonville are often delightfully weird and clueless. Twenty-five pages of backmatter include information on wyverns and sasquatch as well as the science of reptiles and a pudding recipe.
More hijinks-filled adventure than mystery, this is sure to win an audience. (Adventure. 8-12)Pub Date: April 2, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-316-20934-2
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism.
Stories of Buddha’s past lives help a young boy “find [himself] in the moment.”
Binh and his siblings, who are of Vietnamese descent, can’t believe they’re spending the weekend at a silent meditation retreat. Binh would rather play his Game Boy so he doesn’t have to meditate and inevitably think about the bullies at school. It is only when Sister Peace tells stories about the Buddha and his past life that Binh is able to imagine himself entering a video game–inspired world and thus process his feelings of shame, isolation, and anger. With each Jataka tale, Binh’s awareness expands, and so, too, does his ability to be present for and helpful to those around him. A welcome addition to the handful of middle-grade stories featuring Buddhist protagonists, this exploration of identity and Buddhist principles will find an audience with young readers who love Raina Telgemeier but aren’t quite ready to level up to the complexity and nuance of Gene Luen Yang’s epic American Born Chinese (2006). The video game elements are compelling, although they understandably diminish as the story progresses and the protagonist’s inner life grows. Warm fall colors and luscious black lines anchor the story as it transitions among flashbacks, stories, and the present day. Filled with talking animals, the parables can be a little heavy-handed, but the witty banter between Binh and the narrator during fantasy sequences provides levity. (This review was updated for accuracy.)
A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism. (bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9780759555488
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
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