An intriguing, fast-paced fantasy with appeal for fans of Percy Jackson.
In this work translated from Italian, a boy discovers his true identity and learns there’s more to history than what they teach in school.
Raised as the adopted son of a high-ranking Archemist, Theo expected his 13th birthday to unite him with his Apto, a talking animal adviser. Instead, a Mutolo, or warrior companion, appears, and Theo learns he’s an Alkrem, hidden as a baby in a magical tree for 80 years. In a society strictly divided by ability, the Archemists rule Paris, and the Alkrem are forced to live in hiding. Theo flees, but his adoptive father is injured and captured. Now a fugitive, Theo is determined to find the Alkrexa, a dangerously powerful magical weapon and healing object. Can Theo find it in time to save his father—or will the vicious Negatos and a mysterious villain named the Shadow ravage everyone, Archemist and Alkrem alike? This stand-alone sword-and-sorcery fantasy is a page-turner propelled by captivating characters and frequent battles. Like many reluctant chosen ones, Theo is a virtuous protagonist. He breaks the rules, but only to protect those he loves. Theo’s experience navigating two starkly different cultures adds an intriguing layer to the lush worldbuilding. Especially fascinating is the way elixirs and weapons are used combatively. Most characters are cued white, and there’s diversity in skin tone among the supporting cast.
An intriguing, fast-paced fantasy with appeal for fans of Percy Jackson. (map, key terms and places, key characters, note about the location) (Fantasy. 9-14)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781636551500
Page Count: 372
Publisher: Red Comet Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at and references to children’s book titles, this solid, tightly plotted read...
When a lock-in becomes a reality game, 12-year-old Kyle Keeley and his friends use library resources to find their way out of Alexandriaville’s new public library.
The author of numerous mysteries for children and adults turns his hand to a puzzle adventure with great success. Starting with the premise that billionaire game-maker Luigi Lemoncello has donated a fortune to building a library in a town that went without for 12 years, Grabenstein cleverly uses the tools of board and video games—hints and tricks and escape hatches—to enhance this intricate and suspenseful story. Twelve 12-year-old winners of an essay contest get to be the first to see the new facility and, as a bonus, to play his new escape game. Lemoncello’s gratitude to the library of his childhood extends to providing a helpful holographic image of his 1968 librarian, but his modern version also includes changing video screens, touch-screen computers in the reading desks and an Electronic Learning Center as well as floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stretching up three stories. Although the characters, from gamer Kyle to schemer Charles Chiltington, are lightly developed, the benefits of pooling strengths to work together are clear.
Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at and references to children’s book titles, this solid, tightly plotted read is a winner for readers and game-players alike. (Mystery. 9-13)Pub Date: June 25, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-87089-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013
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
BOOK REVIEW
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