A new series focuses on the adventures of four kids whose parents are professional paranormal investigators. Protagonist Poppy is logical and practical; her older sister Franny, vain; her older brother Will, lazy; and her younger brother Rolly, mischievous. They all find their folks exasperating, and Poppy finds her siblings so as well. Oddly, it is Poppy, the grounded one, who finds herself tracking down actual paranormal creatures: goblins. Their parents are distracted by exploring ley lines under their new home, preparing for an onslaught of vicious vampires chasing one of their colleagues and trying to make contact with a potential Dark Presence that Mrs. Malone senses in the house. These are all red herrings, for readers as well as Mr. and Mrs. Malone; the real story is the goblin troupe that kidnaps Rolly and leaves a goblin doppelganger in his place, after having observed the boy's extraordinary talent for getting into trouble. Poppy is likable and a good problem-solver, and the plot moves along swiftly. Unfortunately, the secondary characters, especially the siblings, are completely one-dimensional. Franny is so annoying that even reading about her becomes so; the same goes for Will. Rolly's tricks are funny, and he might make an interesting character if we get to know him a little better in subsequent stories. Needs a little more development all around. (Fantasy. 8-11)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-199607-8
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: April 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A fine emotional stretch within reach of the intended audience.
When siblings Jessie and Evan (The Lemonade War, 2007, and The Lemonade Crime, 2011) accompany their mother on the time-honored midwinter holiday visit to their grandmother’s home in the mountains, the changes are alarming.
Fire damage to the house and Grandma’s inability to recognize Evan are as disquieting as the disappearance of the iron bell, hung long ago by their grandmother on Lowell Hill and traditionally rung at the New Year. Davies keeps a tight focus on the children: Points of view switch between Evan, with his empathetic and emotional approach to understanding his world, and Jessie, for whom routine is essential and change a puzzle to be worked out. When Grandma ventures out into the snow just before twilight, it is Evan who realizes the danger and manages to find a way to rescue her. Jessie, determined to solve the mystery of the missing bell, enlists the help of Grandma's young neighbor Maxwell, with his unusual habitual gestures and his surprising ability to solve jigsaw puzzles. She is unprepared, however, for the terror of seeing the neighbor boys preparing a mechanical torture device to tear a live frog to pieces. Each of the siblings brings a personal resilience and heroism to the resolution.
A fine emotional stretch within reach of the intended audience. (Fiction. 8-11)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-547-56737-2
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The second installment in this spirited series is a hit.
A new baby coming means Ryan has lots of opportunities to grow love.
Ryan has so much to look forward to this summer—she is going to be a big sister, and she finally gets to go to church camp! But new adventures bring challenges, too. Ryan feels like the baby is taking forever to arrive, and with Mom on bed rest, she isn’t able to participate in the family’s typical summer activities. Ryan’s Dad is still working the late shift, which means he gets home and goes to bed when she and her older brother, Ray, are waking up, so their quality daddy-daughter time is limited to one day a week. When the time for camp finally arrives, Ryan is so worried about bugs, ghosts, and sharing a cabin that she wonders if she should go at all. Watson’s heroine is smart and courageous, bringing her optimistic attitude to any challenge she faces. Hard topics like family finances and complex relationships with friends are discussed in an age-appropriate way. Watson continues to excel at crafting a sense of place; she transports readers to Portland, Oregon, with an attention to detail that can only come from someone who has loved that city. Ryan, her family, and friends are Black, and occasional illustrations by Mata spotlight their joy and make this book shine.
The second installment in this spirited series is a hit. (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0058-8
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
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