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CLOVER TWIG AND THE PERILOUS PATH

Name: CLOVER TWIG AND THE PERILOUS PATH
Author: Kaye Umansky
ISBN: 978-1-59643-754-8

From the Clover Twig series , Vol. 2

by Kaye Umansky & illustrated by Johanna Wright ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 5, 2012

Despite dire warnings, this magical journey winds up being mostly pleasant and perky, just like its heroine.

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Resourceful Clover, her witchy (but benevolent) employer Mrs. Eckles, Clover’s clumsy friend Wilf and, of course, Mrs. Eckles’ sister, the evil Mesmeranza, are all back for another low-key adventure (Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage, 2009).

Set in a somewhat generic fantasyland peopled by witches, villagers and the odd troll, this sequel should appeal to fans of the first book but relies a bit too much on familiarity with that volume to be truly accessible to newcomers. On the other hand, it’s an easy and engaging read that will be gobbled up by fans of traditional tales, many of whom may be inspired to check out the first installment. There’s mild danger—or at least the hint of it—magical creatures and some humorous jabs at newfangled technology. Clover and Wilf each find a new friend as they travel the Perilous Path, along which they also encounter scary clowns, stuck-up girls and enticing illusions. What they don’t have much luck finding is Herbie, Clover’s little brother, whose disappearance sets the story in motion. Umansky’s characters are once again charmingly quirky, and she peppers her tale with amusingly outlandish events. Wright's comical black-and-white illustrations, sprinkled throughout, seem pitched to the younger end of the intended audience but definitely suit the lighthearted tone.

Despite dire warnings, this magical journey winds up being mostly pleasant and perky, just like its heroine. (Fantasy. 9-12)

Pub Date: June 5, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-59643-754-8

Page Count: 256

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Review Posted Online: April 10, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2012

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
CLOVER TWIG AND THE MAGICAL COTTAGE
by Kaye Umansky and illustrated by Johanna Wright

- BOOK REVIEW
SOLOMON SNOW AND THE STOLEN JEWEL
by Kaye Umansky

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SILVER SPOON OF SOLOMON SNOW
by Kaye Umansky

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CLUES TO THE UNIVERSE

by Christina Li ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 12, 2021

Charming, poignant, and thoughtfully woven.

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An aspiring scientist and a budding artist become friends and help each other with dream projects.

Unfolding in mid-1980s Sacramento, California, this story stars 12-year-olds Rosalind and Benjamin as first-person narrators in alternating chapters. Ro’s father, a fellow space buff, was killed by a drunk driver; the rocket they were working on together lies unfinished in her closet. As for Benji, not only has his best friend, Amir, moved away, but the comic book holding the clue for locating his dad is also missing. Along with their profound personal losses, the protagonists share a fixation with the universe’s intriguing potential: Ro decides to complete the rocket and hopes to launch mementos of her father into outer space while Benji’s conviction that aliens and UFOs are real compels his imagination and creativity as an artist. An accident in science class triggers a chain of events forcing Benji and Ro, who is new to the school, to interact and unintentionally learn each other’s secrets. They resolve to find Benji’s dad—a famous comic-book artist—and partner to finish Ro’s rocket for the science fair. Together, they overcome technical, scheduling, and geographical challenges. Readers will be drawn in by amusing and fantastical elements in the comic book theme, high emotional stakes that arouse sympathy, and well-drawn character development as the protagonists navigate life lessons around grief, patience, self-advocacy, and standing up for others. Ro is biracial (Chinese/White); Benji is White.

Charming, poignant, and thoughtfully woven. (Fiction. 9-12)

Pub Date: Jan. 12, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-06-300888-5

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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EACH TINY SPARK

by Pablo Cartaya ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 6, 2019

A pitch-perfect middle-grade novel that insightfully explores timely topics with authenticity and warmth.

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A nuanced novel about a neurodiverse preteen’s political and social awakening by a Pura Belpré Honor–winning author.

Sixth grader Emilia Rosa Torres sometimes has a hard time keeping up with schoolwork and concentrating on one thing at a time, but her software-developer mother and superinvolved abuelita help her keep on task. Days before her father’s return to their Atlanta suburb from his most recent deployment, her mother goes on a business trip, leaving the middle schooler to juggle his mood swings, her friend troubles, and her looming assignments all on her own. When a social studies project opens her eyes to injustices past and present, Emilia begins to find her voice and use it to make an impact on her community. Writing with sensitivity and respectful complexity, Cartaya tackles weighty issues, such as immigration, PTSD, and microaggressions, through the lens of a budding tinkerer and activist who has ADHD. The members of this Cuban American family don’t all practice the same religion, with Emilia’s Catholic grandmother faithfully attending Mass multiple times a week and the protagonist’s mother celebrating her culture’s Yoruba roots with Santería. Conversations on race and gender crop up through the narrative as Emilia’s grandmother likes to emphasize her family’s European heritage—Emilia can pass as white, with her fair complexion, light eyes and auburn hair. All of these larger issues are effortlessly woven in with skill and humor, as is the Spanish her family easily mixes with English.

A pitch-perfect middle-grade novel that insightfully explores timely topics with authenticity and warmth. (author’s note) (Fiction. 9-12)