A satisfying second installment.
Rude twins learn respect and how to be heroes.
Seventy years after the events of Casper Tock and the Everdark Wings (2019), readers are welcomed back to the alternate Earth known as the Faraway and the Unmapped Kingdoms that are the source of the Faraway’s weather. Twins Fox and Fibber Petty-Squabble, 11, have been rivals from birth, to the delight of their parents—the family motto is “do not be afraid to stamp all over other people’s feelings.” This comes to a head after the Petty-Squabble parents force the pair to present brilliant business plans to save the family fortune or be exiled to Antarctica. Fox, feeling the pressure, snatches Fibber’s briefcase and makes a run for an antiques shop, where a familiar face tells the twins that they’re meant to save the world from the inexplicable water crisis and defeat Morg, the evil harpy. The twins arrive in the Unmapped Kingdom of Jungledrop on a magical train (powered by junglespit) to learn they must find the elusive Forever Fern—a plant that can grant immortality or save an entire kingdom. An adventure that starts as a selfish race to make millions just may be the thing these siblings (who both appear white) need to heal their relationship and learn it’s OK to help others. The omniscient narrator uses snark, humor, and short chapters to keep this fun, enlightening adventure moving. Themes of respect for other humans and for nature are explained clearly and creatively, never condescendingly.
A satisfying second installment. (Fantasy. 8-13)Pub Date: Aug. 11, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-4310-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Briskly paced, expertly crafted, and stocked with surprising twists and nuanced characters.
A young warrior battles inner ghosts and a rival to the throne in this series kickoff.
Switching to a graphic format, Myklusch returns to the elusive island of Imagine Nation, the setting of his Jack Blank novel series, where belief is the ruling principle. Dreaming of measuring up to his dead parents, Skerren takes center stage in a battle for the crown of Varagog, where it’s always 1404. He faces Zorn, the son of a displaced ruler who fled years ago following the cybernetic Rüstov’s invasion attempt. Orlando’s art effectively showcases Imagine Nation’s racially and culturally distinctive residents and settings as the high-action plot shifts scenes beyond Varagog to Faerie and futuristic Hightown—until an evil alliance in the Night Lands that threatens everyone on the island is revealed. In combat scenes, the artist also substitutes sprays of black Night Lander goop for red blood, rendering swordfights somewhat less gory. To the pleasure of returning fans (and comics readers in general), Jack and his fantastically rubbery-blue friend Allegra step in to help, and in a Marvel Universe–style twist, a conflicted older retainer nursing a devastating secret later plays a crucial role. Happily, for those readers who aren’t fans of never-ending plotlines, this volume offers enough of a resolution to work as a stand-alone.
Briskly paced, expertly crafted, and stocked with surprising twists and nuanced characters. (Graphic fantasy. 10-13)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781665928182
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
This successful sequel offers relatable heroes for a new generation.
Ava and her friends return for another year at their magical school.
After narrowly avoiding expulsion during her first year and discovering her link to the goddess Medusa, eighth grader Ava Baldwin returns to Accademia del Forte, a boarding school in Venice for kids who are descended from mythological monsters. Though she’s eager to reunite with her friends, Ava is committed to her new mission: challenging the lies that the Olympian gods have told to keep themselves in power and conceal their misdeeds. Instead, however, Ava finds herself consumed with jealousy over her friend Layla’s newfound beauty, popularity, and boyfriend. Her efforts are further interrupted by bullies like Cyclops descendant Zale, as well as the new headmaster, demigod Perseus, who infuses the school with toxic hero worship. Disaster strikes when Layla, like many girls and women before her, is punished by the gods for her beauty and confidence. Committed vegan Layla is transformed into a bloodthirsty Empusa and must choose between compromising her morals or starving to death; can Ava and her friends save her before it’s too late? As in the series opener, this second installment skillfully weaves familiar mythology with coming-of-age concerns, all filtered through a feminist lens. Full of humor, adventure, and heart, this story, with its diverse cast of international characters, will delight readers.
This successful sequel offers relatable heroes for a new generation. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: April 22, 2025
ISBN: 9780063303799
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Storytide/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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