An intriguing exploration of mysticism and religion, centering on a strong and deeply relatable girl.
In this debut, a young Malay Muslim girl confronts difficult choices as she grapples with her matrilineal legacy—an inherited bond to jungle spirits called jinn.
Twelve-year-old Insyirah Abdullah is not happy. Her mother’s decision to uproot her from Sydney, Australia, and return to Malaysia is causing her anxiety to peak beyond its normally high level. Nenek, her widowed maternal grandmother, needs more help, which is understandable—but things are already tense between Nenek and Mama, and Kuala Lumpur is insufferably hot and humid. Plus, there’s Nenek’s and Mama’s unnerving talk about “the unseen realm” and spirits that have the power to harm as well as protect. At least school begins well. Syirah makes two new friends who are also outsiders: Nadia (who’s Indian Muslim) and Kai Xin (who’s Chinese Malaysian). But things quickly deteriorate as she discovers that her school is haunted, her mother got entangled with a spirit as a young woman, and Nenek is hiding something serious. With help from Ari, a youthful spirit, and her aikido teacher, Sensei Bilqis, who’s a part-jinn master of exorcism, Syirah steps up to fight for freedom, equality, and peace. In the process, she redefines an ancient bond her family has with a special guardian spirit. This delightful coming-of-age tale weaves humor, deep family bonds, steadfast faith, and mythology into a wholly believable narrative. Cultural elements, including mouthwatering descriptions of Malaysian food, enrich the story.
An intriguing exploration of mysticism and religion, centering on a strong and deeply relatable girl. (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781665982627
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
Fast-paced and plot-driven.
In his latest, prolific author Gratz takes on Hitler’s Olympic Games.
When 13-year-old American gymnast Evie Harris arrives in Berlin to compete in the 1936 Olympic Games, she has one goal: stardom. If she can bring home a gold medal like her friend, the famous equestrian-turned-Hollywood-star Mary Brooks, she might be able to lift her family out of their Dust Bowl poverty. But someone slips a strange note under Evie’s door, and soon she’s dodging Heinz Fischer, the Hitler Youth member assigned to host her, and meeting strangers who want to make use of her gymnastic skills—to rob a bank. As the games progress, Evie begins to see the moral issues behind their sparkling facade—the antisemitism and racism inherent in Nazi ideology and the way Hitler is using the competition to support and promote these beliefs. And she also agrees to rob the bank. Gratz goes big on the Mission Impossible–style heist, which takes center stage over the actual competitions, other than Jesse Owens’ famous long jump. A lengthy and detailed author’s note provides valuable historical context, including places where Gratz adapted the facts for storytelling purposes (although there’s no mention of the fact that before 1952, Olympic equestrian sports were limited to male military officers). With an emphasis on the plot, many of the characters feel defined primarily by how they’re suffering under the Nazis, such as the fictional diver Ursula Diop, who was involuntarily sterilized for being biracial.
Fast-paced and plot-driven. (Historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781338736106
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
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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