A lighthearted series opener.
Two fox siblings, refugees from the Big City, find a friendlier (if occasionally dangerous) new home.
“No real animals were harmed in the making of this book,” Shireen writes, and though that’s true in the literal sense, there’s plenty of damage to fictive ones. With their parents long gone (but maybe someday coming back?) sweet little Ted and his grumpy, protective big sister, Nancy, are eking out existence as dumpster divers—until Ted mistakes the tail of vicious kitty Princess Buttons for a hot dog and bites it off. Thinking it might be wise to lie low for a bit, the two scarper off to the happy forest community of Grimwood, where helmet-wearing squirrels compete in wild games of “treebonk,” antlered mayor Titus Wildhorns has friendly greetings and a gift basket for them, and Ted is soon enlisted by the local community theater to replace a rat who has just had his head bitten off by Pamela the eagle (“A bird has to eat”). Along with genuine “spot art” made up of fingerprints, coffee stains, and spatters of ink, the author decorates this sylvan idyll with charming and hilarious loosely drawn vignettes and occasional commentary by a pillbug named Eric sporting a straw boater. Princess Buttons does eventually show up, bent on vengeance, setting the stage for a dramatic climax. The action, humor, and ample illustrations give this much reader appeal.
A lighthearted series opener. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 30, 2023
ISBN: 9781524882259
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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
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