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
A delightful read.
In this fast-paced sequel to Saving Fable (2019), protagonist Indira Story and her friends must save their world from a powerful force before it destroys them.
Following the completion of her first story, Indira is looking forward to a vacation. At Protagonist Prep, however, Brainstorm Underglass has other plans: She sends Indira on a quest tutorial titled “Hero’s Journey” to teach her the art of complementary teamwork. Her assigned teammates include: Allen Squalls, a boy who was so traumatized by the ousted Brainstorm Ketty that he needs to recover his confidence; Indira’s best friend, Phoenix, who might be a potential romantic interest in her next story; and Gadget, a talented girl who needs to learn to focus on the story rather than on the technology in front of her. Although Indira and her companions begin their quest in the town of Ordinary, they are interrupted by an unexpected, all-powerful entity who threatens to destroy their world, and it is up to the team to save their world…again. In many ways, this outing is far more compelling than its predecessor: While both novels revel in witty literary humor, Indira’s second adventure has an evenly paced plot and characters that are better developed and more accessible. Brown-skinned Indira’s name suggests that she is Indian, but her cultural identity is not plumbed; her teammates seem to default to White.
A delightful read. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-525-64672-3
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
An engaging, puzzle-centered page-turner.
A tween enters into a high-stakes and high-rewards hunt for a life-changing treasure.
After years of financial instability, and moving from place to place with her mother, Everly “Benny” Benedict, 12, is poised to come into a large inheritance from her great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, Evelyn “Sparrow” Terry of Greenport, Long Island—but only if Benny can solve Evelyn’s riddles and find a mysterious island within the deadline, less than two weeks away. If she fails, Benny will lose the entire estate. As the pressure mounts, Benny and her newly acquired Greenport friends, Zara and Ryan, unravel clues tied to a rare Blood Orange Moon, a deadly 1825 Yellow Fever epidemic, and family connections spanning generations; in addition, events from Evelyn’s timeline shed light on the present day. Incorporating text messages, the young detectives’ notes, and 19th-century newspaper articles, journal entries, and letters, Calonita deftly transitions between the past and the present. Greenport is rich in magical elements that gradually play a larger and larger role in the plot, setting this book apart from other inheritance treasure-hunt stories and creating an added layer of interest. Severe weather phenomena and other challenges contribute to the building tension. The worldbuilding contains several unexplained developments, and the book ends on a frustratingly major cliffhanger, but this series opener is clearly setting up for a sequel in which more answers will hopefully be forthcoming. Main characters are cued white.
An engaging, puzzle-centered page-turner. (Fantasy adventure. 8-12)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9781728277035
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
