Pass this regrettable title and its companions by.
Gory bits of information offered in brief text and amusing cartoon illustrations combine for a quick exploration of various epidemics throughout history.
Problems, like diseases, are legion in this entry (and the three others in the Sickening History of Medicine series). Each double-page spread provides ever so superficial coverage of a major epidemic, including the Black Death of 1346-1353, malaria, tuberculosis, smallpox, and the influenza epidemic of 1918. Illustrated panels include some vignettes related to the disease but seemingly chosen for their value to titillate and to amuse more than to inform. One box, “Don’t Blame the Rats,” reports that Black Death may have first originated in gerbils rather than rats, although on the next spread a “Plague Pathway” shows and describes the usual mode of transmission from rats as well as gerbils to fleas to humans, leaving the rats…blameworthy. There are no source notes to indicate where these “facts” were collected, but many appear dubious: “If someone throws up, their vomit often seems to contain carrots even if they haven’t eaten any! These are actually parts of the stomach lining that have come off,” is typical. The humorous, neatly rendered illustrations are eye-catchingly bright, by far the best aspect of the series. Other entries suffering from the same issues but to a lesser extent are Quacks & Con Artists, Strange Medicine, and Tiny Killers.
Pass this regrettable title and its companions by. (index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: April 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5124-1557-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Hungry Tomato/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Jan. 31, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Offers a hauntingly truthful view of secrets and strength.
A tale of survival, friendship, and the strength that comes from overcoming fears.
Middle schooler Jac is dealing with the fallout of a real-life nightmare: childhood cancer. But it’s not just the fear of recurrence that she has to handle, but the reality of surviving and carrying the burden of her mom’s constant worry. When Jac discovers a large house that wasn’t there before looming at the end of a street in her suburban New Jersey neighborhood, she worries it’s a hallucination, which could mean a recurrence of her illness. But after her best friend, a boy named Hazel, sees the house too, her sense of adventure takes over. Provoked by a couple of bullies who dare them to enter and then follow them inside, Jac and Hazel explore the house and are met with surprises—like a key with Jac’s likeness on it—that suggest her connection to this strange and terrifying place is personal. Before long, the kids realize they are trapped inside. Shocks follow with every new door they open as they search for an exit and discover ever increasing frights. Delightfully nightmarish visions chase Jac, offering the feel of a thrilling game with twisted and terrifying imagery, as she navigates the house, seeking to understand her connection to this unusual place in this emotionally resonant story. Characters seem to default to White.
Offers a hauntingly truthful view of secrets and strength. (Paranormal. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 16, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-313657-1
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A sympathetic and amusing account of a young anxiety sufferer navigating life changes.
While Penny adjusts to her noisy newborn siblings, she tries to figure out a complicated treasure map and even more complicated friendships and feelings.
Now that the twins are home from the hospital, Penny and little brother Juice Box are struggling to adjust; it’s tough with all the crying, plus a new babysitter. And Penny and Juice Box have to help choose names for the babies, and they can’t agree. Penny’s also trying to be OK with the fact that bestie Maria is studying for the spelling bee with mutual friend Chloe, though it makes her feel inadequate. The discovery of a bunch of unidentified keys helps Penny and her friends open the locked box they’d found in the attic, and the treasure map inside leads them to the most terrifying house in the neighborhood, where a witch supposedly lives. Amid all this, a school project forces Penny to consider what her own good qualities are. Though ex-friend Riley is still around to (mostly) antagonize Penny, Mrs. Hines, the Feelings Teacher, keeps helping her navigate all the upheaval. This third series entry offers yet more humor and genuine positivity along with an honest portrayal of how anxiety can affect young people. The third volume moves more quickly than the previous two, yet it maintains the wit and warmth (greatly supported by the charming black-and-white cartoon illustrations) that readers have come to expect from Penny’s escapades.
A sympathetic and amusing account of a young anxiety sufferer navigating life changes. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616833
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
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