Exactly the sort of thing you’ll like if you like this sort of thing.
In this metafictional romp, a boy is trapped inside his favorite book.
In the near future, the ubiquitous alternative reality goggles invented by one Edmund R. Pribble have rendered children’s literature obsolete—except to 10-year-old Oliver Nelson, who copes with poverty and grief by hiding in a nigh-abandoned library and stealing his favorite volumes. But when Mr. and Mrs. Pribble discover that the last extant copy of an obscure book resides only in Oliver’s memory, they use the goggles to force him into the story, intending to steal it from his mind. This kicks off a delightfully gruesome over-the-top race to derail the original plot while still aiding the deliberately shallow, clichéd protagonists as they complete their ridiculously derivative, trope-laden quest, eventually dragging the snarky Had-He-But-Known–style narrator, miscellaneous background characters, and even possibly the Author himself into the effort. While the main actors in the endangered narrative completely lack personality, archetypically nice Oliver and the cartoonishly evil Pribbles are all likable in their ways. Short chapters with deadpan titles and manufactured cliffhangers add to the fun, but an unexpected twist ending and an affecting (if self-styled “mildly sappy”) epilogue highlight the complex relationship between authors and readers and the power of stories to change lives. All major characters are White; there is diversity of skin tone in both the real and fictional worlds.
Exactly the sort of thing you’ll like if you like this sort of thing. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1124-7
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Yellow Jacket
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A strong start to a new series in the ever-popular Warriors world: Legions of fans will purr.
Increased evidence of encroachment by Twolegs and other ominous signs of change roil the five feline Clans of the lake territories in this kickoff of a new story arc.
In intertwined storylines, a distracting voice in a young apprentice’s head takes on increasingly scary strength, disturbing visions inform an experienced warrior that she’s been chosen by the spirit guides of StarClan to play an unwanted role in impending troubles, and a wise but weakening Clan leader faces being voted out of office due to her age. Meanwhile, the enigmatic Twolegs are tearing up a forested area, poisoning an important stream, and possibly threatening all the established territories of the five Clans. Avid series fans will welcome encounters with older versions of Leafstar, Tawnypelt, and other stalwarts whom they met in previous episodes. Detailed maps labeling the terrain in both cat and Twoleg terms appear at the beginning of the book, along with a cast list of truly imposing length, helping any readers who need reminders to keep track of the dozens of relationships and Clan affiliations. Better yet, expertly mixed in among dreams and discussions that crank up the general level of anxiety, the book has enough incidental action and individual wrestling with personal issues to help the main characters stand out from the furry crowd.
A strong start to a new series in the ever-popular Warriors world: Legions of fans will purr. (Animal fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780063357068
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Alternately humorous and heartrending, this lively fantasy will have wide appeal.
Can a 12-year-old girl and a dragon awakened from a 1,000-year nap save the world?
In the Draconic Empire, magic is forbidden outside the imperial bloodline. Any other magic use will summon the Revenants, who killed the dragons and the mighty Dragon Mage a millennium ago. Or will it? Five years ago, Ciara found Dragon Mage apprentice Bianca’s magical journal. Bianca’s exuberant, irreverent entries describe a warm (“She’s a hugger”), generous mage with “tawny-brown skin” who wanted dragons to teach all humans to use magic. Living in a mining village that’s been devastated by its cruel Warden’s greed and the Skael Cough that killed her father, Ciara yearns for magical assistance. Then, with the journal’s help, she accidentally wakens a long-sleeping dragon. Can Scorch, who was Bianca’s magister, teach Ciara magic so she can save both her town and her ailing mother? With the Warden willing to ravage and kill for the journal, the cliffhanger ending promises more peril to come. This fast-paced adventure’s hilariously dry humor may not prepare readers for the utter despair of other elements of the story. The characters are memorable and sympathetic, especially impulsive, brave Ciara, who’s cued white, and snarky, protective Scorch, both of whom are guilt-ridden for different reasons. They share the main narration, sometimes confusingly switching viewpoints within scenes. Avid fantasy readers will appreciate the complex magic system.
Alternately humorous and heartrending, this lively fantasy will have wide appeal. (Draconic spells) (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593813171
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2025
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