Lively illustrations, strong storytelling, and an appealing hero.
A little unicorn, spirited away from a vengeful goddess, offers his magic in service of others.
A prologue tells how Venus, threatened by Unico’s unusual power, which was born of his friendship with the goddess Psyche, dispatches Zephyrus, the West Wind, to get rid of him. Zephyrus chooses instead to save the little unicorn, repeatedly transporting him through space and time. Tragically, he wakes up disoriented, having each time forgotten all that came before. Finally, Unico, who’s appealingly rounded and big eyed, lands in a busy city, where he’s rescued by Chloe the cat. The new friends are soon abandoned by the jealous girlfriend of Chloe’s doting owner. Chloe’s search for a witch who might help leads the pair to a kind old lady, and Unico’s magic allows Chloe to briefly turn human to help Granny. But Byron, a sinister, wealthy trophy hunter, soon sets his sights on Chloe in her human girl form. When Venus senses that Unico has reappeared on Earth, she seeks to destroy him using Byron as her tool. Plenty of action and outsized baddies keep the excitement level high, and Unico’s sweetness overcomes the wickedness—for now. Sattin’s work is inspired by Japanese creator Tezuka’s 1970s manga, and Gurihiru’s full-color art updates the characters’ looks while remaining true to the feel of the original. The jewel-toned palette and creatively varied panel shapes sustain a high level of visual interest.
Lively illustrations, strong storytelling, and an appealing hero. (story notes, additional art) (Manga. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781339036342
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: today
Superbly written and illustrated; keeps readers breathless and guessing until the end.
A 22nd-century picaresque with nefarious characters, chosen family, unavoidable camping, and lifesaving butterflies.
It’s 2101, and most mammals have died from sun exposure—a fate the few remaining humans suffer if they don’t live underground as Deepers. Some Deepers are friendly; others will take what they can get by any means necessary. Since Elvie’s parents departed for Michoacán, Mexico, 8 years earlier in search of more monarch butterflies, ran into danger, and have not returned, 10-year-old Black science whiz Elvie has been cared for by her guardian, Flora, a White scientist. Flora and Elvie hope to make a vaccine that enables humans to tolerate sunlight. They struggle to find food, and Flora’s awful cooking sometimes makes their foraged food inedible. Elvie’s journals, which contain her homework, science notes, and sketches, trace their journey—including tracking their latitude and longitude daily—as they follow the amazing migration path of the monarchs, whose young have the ingredient necessary for making both the sun sickness antidote and the vaccine. The eclecticism of Case’s lively visuals in this riveting graphic novel will keep readers both enthralled and learning. The book teaches some astronomy, botany, biology, entomology, animal science, knot tying, and more. Elvie’s special relationship with Flora, along with her quick wit, scientific knowledge, and careful observation skills, makes her a character worth following. Yet she’s all kid—and one who badly wants to be reunited with her parents.
Superbly written and illustrated; keeps readers breathless and guessing until the end. (author's note) (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: April 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4260-7
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson/Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
An apocalyptic adventure with a whole lot of heart.
Thirteen-year-old Jack Sullivan and his crew of monster-fighting besties are fresh off their victorious battle against the evil Blarg, but there’s no rest for the weary in the middle of a Monster Apocalypse.
First, Joe’s Pizza has become the local monster hangout. And second, the zombies seem to be disappearing. Thankfully, the white boy, his not-so-secret Latina love, June Del Toro, his African-American, science-nerd best friend, Quint, and pre-apocalypse bully–turned-ally Dirk, a large white boy who loves to garden, befriend a man-monster who might have the answers to everything. Equal parts humor, adventure, and warmth, the book offers fans of the series and new readers alike an entirely agreeable outing. Jack’s witty narration and Holgate’s pitch-perfect illustrations make for a terrific read that’s particularly well suited for middle-grade boys who might otherwise be reluctant to pick up a book. There are plenty of foul-smelling, brain-sucking monsters and gizmos and gadgets to delight, but at its core, this is a story about friendship. Orphaned at birth and raised by a foster family he describes as jerks, Jack has always longed for a family of his own. Now that he has one, the only thing scarier than the monsters is the thought of losing them.
An apocalyptic adventure with a whole lot of heart. (Horror. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-670-01662-4
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
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