A wordy but inventive mashup of mythology and chess.
The princess of Chess Mountain must hide on Earth to avoid a war between the gods.
Kassie, an athletic, intelligent princess, lives on Chess Mountain among living wooden chess pieces who animate the chessboards of gods. She’s the daughter of Mars, the Roman god of war and king of Chess Mountain, and Caïssa, a powerful dryad and queen. Kassie is eager to celebrate her twelfth birthday and embark on her mythic quest, which will elevate her to god status. Unfortunately, when Dimitri, son of neighboring god of sports, Euphron, disappears, Euphron declares war on Chess Mountain, and Mars sends Kassie through a chess-puzzle portal to Earth with a knight chess piece named Maurice and an important book of chess solutions. After landing, Kassie, who on her home world glows and has inhumanly bronze skin, becomes a white-presenting brown-haired girl, and Maurice turns from a horse to a fedora-wearing clotheshorse. Kassie must integrate into an inexplicably chess-focused classroom in a culturally diverse elementary school in Queens. Light comedy centered on Kassie’s inexperience with snow, pizza, and cars abounds, as do lesser plots about a villainous classmate, Hunter, and suspiciously named teacher, Mr. Mercury, who seems intent on disrespecting the planet Mars, which makes Kassie think she’s been discovered. When the identity of the missing god Dimitri is revealed, Kassie must rely on her diplomacy to resolve the political crisis caused by his absence. In Winifred’s middle-grade novel, the prose can be stiff and protracted, and the book seems long for its reading level. The use of Roman mythology, however, is entertainingly original, and the chess-themed and idiosyncratic worldbuilding will excite young readers’ imaginations. In fact, even more can be done to capitalize on the chess setting of Chess Mountain. Despite humor and a happy ending, the story has a solemn bent, with the cast fulfilling preordained mythical roles. Galstyan’s occasional lighthearted, simple pen-and-ink cartoon illustrations don’t flesh out the fantasy visuals much; a map of Chess Mountain appears at the front of the book. There is a short chess vocabulary page, but most of the narrative’s descriptions of play expect readers to already understand the game.
A wordy but inventive mashup of mythology and chess.Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 9798986967509
Page Count: 216
Publisher: The Enrichment Connection
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 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
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship.
A young tennis champion becomes the target of revenge.
In this sequel to Legacy and the Queen (2019), Legacy Petrin and her friends Javi and Pippa have returned to Legacy’s home province and the orphanage run by her father. With her friends’ help, she is in training to defend her championship when they discover that another player, operating under the protection of High Consul Silla, is presenting herself as Legacy. She is so convincing that the real Legacy is accused of being an imitation. False Legacy has become a hero to the masses, further strengthening Silla’s hold, and it becomes imperative to uncover and defeat her. If Legacy is to win again, she must play her imposter while disguised as someone else. Winning at tennis is not just about money and fame, but resisting Silla’s plans to send more young people into brutal mines with little hope of better lives. Legacy will have to overcome her fears and find the magic that allowed her to claim victory in the past. This story, with its elements of sports, fantasy, and social consciousness that highlight tensions between the powerful and those they prey upon, successfully continues the series conceived by late basketball superstar Bryant. As before, the tennis matches are depicted with pace and spirit. Legacy and Javi have brown skin; most other characters default to White.
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949520-19-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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