Levine reprises her earlier Never Land adventures, Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg (2005) and Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand (2007), in this latest installment and with her newest character, nine-year-old Gwendolyn, a direct descendant of Wendy of Peter Pan fame. Wearing the “kiss” necklace Peter gave Wendy, Gwendolyn’s very anxious for him to show up, sprinkle her with fairy dust and whisk her off to Never Land. But when Peter finally does materialize, she has no time for him and the Lost Boys. Indeed, she’s far more enchanted with Fairy Haven, Mother Dove and the Never Land fairies, especially Tinker Bell. Initially the fairies distrust Gwendolyn as a clumsy human, but when Fairy Haven is threatened by Kyto, an escaped dragon bent on flame-throwing, she plays a pivotal part. Fans of the Never Land stories will savor Gwendolyn, a thoroughly modern Wendy with a penchant for fairies, as well as Levine’s host of fully developed fairy characters as they engage in yet another harrowing quest. Christiana’s pastel watercolors feature fairy close-ups. (Fantasy. 6-10)
Pub Date: June 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4231-0935-8
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2010
With plenty left to be resolved, the next entry will be eagerly sought after.
Drake has been selected by the king to serve as a Dragon Master, quite a change for an 8-year-old farmer boy.
The dragons are a secret, and the reason King Roland has them is a mystery, but what is clear is that the Dragon Stone has identified Drake as one of the rare few children who have a special connection with dragons and the ability to serve as a trainer. Drake’s dragon is a long brown creature with, at first, no particular talents that Drake can identify. He calls the dragon Worm. It isn’t long before Drake begins to realize he has a very strong connection with Worm and can share what seem to be his dragon’s thoughts. After one of the other Dragon Masters decides to illicitly take the dragons outside, disaster strikes. The cave they are passing through collapses, blocking the passageway, and then Worm’s special talent becomes evident. The first of a new series of early chapter books, this entry is sure to attract fans. Brief chapters, large print, lots of action, attractive illustrations in every spread, including a maplike panorama, an enviable protagonist—who wouldn’t want to be a Dragon Master?—all combine to make an entertaining read.
With plenty left to be resolved, the next entry will be eagerly sought after. (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-64624-6
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Branches/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A wonderful, whimsical romp for fans of this heart-filled buddy comedy.
Narwhal wildly takes Jelly’s casual question way too far in the latest installment of the fan-favorite graphic-novel series.
Narwhal always claims to be the unicorn of the sea, but do they even know what a unicorn is? Jelly wants to know, and their waffle-fueled pondering sets the stage for the deep-sea duo’s latest adventure. Narwhal insists they do know what a unicorn is (a land narwhal, of course) and enthusiastically encourages pal Jelly to meet them that night at the big beach for an out-of-this-world adventure. When Jelly arrives, Narwhal’s wild, weird surprise is that they know an actual star and some special words that grant them a very special wish—the ability to walk on land to search for a unicorn. While an excited Narwhal sprouts hair and learns to run and dance, a tired, nauseous Jelly is relegated to a fishbowl on Narwhal’s back. Though Jelly’s irritation and frustration will be apparent to readers, Narwhal does not notice. Clanton’s focus on social awareness and listening gives Narwhal an opportunity to work on some social-emotional development that will surely increase their capacity for empathy in future adventures. With splashes of new hues to the usually blue, gray, and yellow palette (added to depict some intergalactic excursions), readers will find themselves satisfied with the happy resolution and wishing for more.
A wonderful, whimsical romp for fans of this heart-filled buddy comedy. (Graphic fiction. 6-10)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6672-8
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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