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THE MEMORY THIEVES

From the Conjureverse series , Vol. 2

A wonderfully well-developed sequel.

A 12-year-old uses history to prove that her people have always belonged in their magical world.

Ella Durand, a Black girl from New Orleans, and her friends Brigit and Jason return to the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors with some experience under their belts but even more questions than when they started last year. Ella’s fame among Marvellers has skyrocketed ever since she helped stop the diabolical scheme of the Ace of Anarchy, Gia Trivelino. But Gia is not as down for the count as Ella and most Marvellians would hope—and she has decided that Ella owes her a debt that must be paid. On top of this threat, Masterji Thakur, Ella’s mentor, gave her blueprints showing that Conjurers have long been involved with the school. Ella insists on acquiring solid proof and revealing this truth that the media seems intent on suppressing. But with increased schoolwork, a mystery illness affecting the student body, and secrets she uncovers, Ella faces extra obstacles. Clayton continues building a world that is intricate, captivating, and sure to satisfy. This novel brings additional cultural diversity to the story as Ella explores her school and becomes involved with more members of the multidimensional cast of characters. References to events from the first book make this accessible to new fans, but readers are best served by having read The Marvellers (2022).

A wonderfully well-developed sequel. (list of Paragons) (Fantasy. 8-12)

Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023

ISBN: 9781250174970

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023

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THE LION OF LARK-HAYES MANOR

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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CHARLOTTE'S WEB

The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often...

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A successful juvenile by the beloved New Yorker writer portrays a farm episode with an imaginative twist that makes a poignant, humorous story of a pig, a spider and a little girl.

Young Fern Arable pleads for the life of runt piglet Wilbur and gets her father to sell him to a neighbor, Mr. Zuckerman. Daily, Fern visits the Zuckermans to sit and muse with Wilbur and with the clever pen spider Charlotte, who befriends him when he is lonely and downcast. At the news of Wilbur's forthcoming slaughter, campaigning Charlotte, to the astonishment of people for miles around, spins words in her web. "Some Pig" comes first. Then "Terrific"—then "Radiant". The last word, when Wilbur is about to win a show prize and Charlotte is about to die from building her egg sac, is "Humble". And as the wonderful Charlotte does die, the sadness is tempered by the promise of more spiders next spring.

The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often informative as amusing, and the whole tenor of appealing wit and pathos will make fine entertainment for reading aloud, too.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1952

ISBN: 978-0-06-026385-0

Page Count: 192

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1952

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