Readers should gladly follow this tale’s young hero, whether he’s facing evil spells or a typical childhood.
In this debut YA fantasy, a 10-year-old boy learns that the secret of his new hometown lies with the strange disappearances of two families centuries ago.
When George Mutton’s expectant mom decides she needs more bedrooms to accommodate her twin babies, the family moves to Mount Dusk. With a 50-person population, the town doesn’t afford much opportunity for George to make friends, but he finds a confidant in Charlie Redwin. George is fascinated by Mount Dusk’s enigmatic history, which entails a couple of families vanishing back in 1795. Even more intriguing is the fact that the Muttons reside in the home of one of those clans, the affluent Regales, while George later learns the other family, comprising circus/magic performers, was the Redwins. Turns out Charlie’s not-very-nice Uncle Hubert may have used a spell to imprison Regale souls somewhere on the mountain. In order to free the souls, George and Charlie will need a Redwin spell book, with incantations that only work when recited by a Redwin descendant. The two reluctantly team up with George’s intermittently whiny little sister, Maggie, who can hopefully earn the trust of Charlie’s twin, Yvonne, who has seemingly sided with her nefarious uncle. If the kids can find a way around Hubert’s ghostly Redwin Guards, they may have a chance at saving the Regales. The story thrives entirely on George’s perspective: in his eyes, his carpenter father’s a klutz and 7-year-old Maggie’s clearly “a spoilt brat.” Thankfully, George is a smashing protagonist, sympathetic to Maggie post-tantrum and, though initially seeking adventure, ultimately risking his safety to help the trapped Regales. Taylor retains genuine mystery by shrouding Mount Dusk in ambiguity, its specific location unrevealed. There are likewise a couple of bombshells regarding links between characters as well as a surprising villain and an ally or two. Hubert, the unquestionable baddie, remains spiteful and eerily furtive (going who knows where every night) but manages to be creepier still when he’s a perfect gentleman in front of Mrs. Mutton. The ending promises more Mount Dusk secrets to come—and sequels.
Readers should gladly follow this tale’s young hero, whether he’s facing evil spells or a typical childhood.Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9965595-1-5
Page Count: 175
Publisher: Neverland Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 22, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
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