In the gentle spirit of Seidler's A Rat's Tale (1986), a fantasy set on eastern Long Island in a well-established woodland community of weasels. Introspective, aristocratic Bagley Brown misses his chance of winning lovely Wendy Blackish while dreaming of Bridget—a wise, beautiful fish who sends him away because their relationship can come to nought. While Wendy dances (to the music of birds and crickets) with rough Zeke Whitebelly, and eventually agrees to marry him if she can lead sometimes, Bagley dutifully avoids Bridget. He agrees to be ``Best Weasel'' at Wendy's wedding but doesn't show up: ingeniously, and heroically, he's transporting the nest of an osprey (it's threatening Bridget) to another pond. The author's animal society is wonderfully amusing and consistent, with entertainingly uneasy relationships between predators and their possible prey (the weasels snitch eggs from a handy farm, so they aren't particularly bloodthirsty), poking fun at human foibles in witty dialogue that's well grounded in animal nature. The bittersweet end isn't wholly satisfying—lively Wendy seems too subtle for inarticulate Zeke—but Bagley's philosophical acceptance of Bridget's going to sea right after she seeks him out and agrees to be friends is right in character. Twenty-one of the 50 elegantly rendered illustrations are in full color; Marcellino's gracious compositions, delicate modeling, and amiable characterizations are in perfect tune with the engagingly imaginative story. (Fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1993
ISBN: 0-06-205032-X
Page Count: 196
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1993
Though it lacks nuance, still a must-read.
Tyler is the son of generations of Vermont dairy farmers.
Mari is the Mexican-born daughter of undocumented migrant laborers whose mother has vanished in a perilous border crossing. When Tyler’s father is disabled in an accident, the only way the family can afford to keep the farm is by hiring Mari’s family. As Tyler and Mari’s friendship grows, the normal tensions of middle-school boy-girl friendships are complicated by philosophical and political truths. Tyler wonders how he can be a patriot while his family breaks the law. Mari worries about her vanished mother and lives in fear that she will be separated from her American-born sisters if la migra comes. Unashamedly didactic, Alvarez’s novel effectively complicates simple equivalencies between what’s illegal and what’s wrong. Mari’s experience is harrowing, with implied atrocities and immigration raids, but equally full of good people doing the best they can. The two children find hope despite the unhappily realistic conclusions to their troubles, in a story which sees the best in humanity alongside grim realities.
Though it lacks nuance, still a must-read. (Fiction. 9-11)Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-375-85838-3
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2008
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
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