A meditation on art and family, rich in language and feeling.
In a sweet, tender exchange, an aging English puppeteer passes his vision on to a young kindred soul.
In a nod to Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio, the child-sized puppet old Silvester assembles one day from mismatched parts magically comes to life. He learns to talk, requesting “jam!”—and with loving care and assistance is able to walk well enough to go on excursions to the park. There, Silvester hastily dubs Puppet “Kenneth” in response to the curious query of Fleur, an observant child. Fleur’s mum has long been a fan of Silvester’s puppet theater, and the foursome gather at her cottage, where Fleur delightedly makes puppets from twigs and other found materials and entices Silvester to help her put on an impromptu show in which two lost children drive off a monster. In keeping with the narrative’s measured lightness, Stewart’s fluid brush and line work lends warm informality to the figures in her mix of tight, close-up full-page illustrations and sequential panels. Though Puppet as depicted is plainly wooden (the human cast includes varied skin tones), Fleur greets him with casual friendliness, and everyone else expresses, at most, mild puzzlement; even some boys who initially mock his gait later apologize. “Didn’t I tell you it’s a lovely world?” says Silvester to his last and greatest creation—and it is, for even though fear and tragedy are real, Almond shows readers a world that’s “shambolic and beautiful, and tentative and brave.”
A meditation on art and family, rich in language and feeling. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781536239171
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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