A homespun fairy tale full of spells, secrets, and romance.
A magical boy enlists a provincial weaver to thwart a war between kingdoms.
Sydelle Mirabil, 14, is a talented weaver living with her parents in their quiet, drought-plagued village in the kingdom of Palmarta. One day, angst-y Wayland North—a rainbow-cloaked, 15-year-old wizard—suddenly appears in her life and sweeps her up into a dangerous adventure. He claims to need her help in both navigating kingdoms and mending his enchanted cloaks in order to deliver a report that reveals the identity of the king’s assassin. With a magical swish of North’s multicolored mantles, the duo travels throughout the realms, trying to stay a step ahead of North’s nefarious nemesis, Dorwan, and the impending war he seeks to bring. Sydelle is a feisty heroine, and the sparks between her and North quickly ignite as their banter and relationship gradually warm. Based on Bracken’s 2010 YA fantasy of the same name, this full-color graphic adaptation lowers its protagonists’ ages a bit for a middle-grade audience. Imbued with magic and romance, it holds true to fairy-tale tropes; those looking for a comfort read should heartily enjoy the journey to its happy ending. Seaton’s exciting and expressive illustrations keep their perspective squarely focused on the action. Both Sydelle and North present white; secondary characters have more varied skin tones.
A homespun fairy tale full of spells, secrets, and romance. (Graphic fantasy. 8-13)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-368-01588-2
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel.
Sandy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.
Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel. (afterword, further resources) (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0334-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and...
Catrina narrates the story of her mixed-race (Latino/white) family’s move from Southern California to Bahía de la Luna on the Northern California coast.
Dad has a new job, but it’s little sister Maya’s lungs that motivate the move: she has had cystic fibrosis since birth—a degenerative breathing condition. Despite her health, Maya loves adventure, even if her lungs suffer for it and even when Cat must follow to keep her safe. When Carlos, a tall, brown, and handsome teen Ghost Tour guide introduces the sisters to the Bahía ghosts—most of whom were Spanish-speaking Mexicans when alive—they fascinate Maya and she them, but the terrified Cat wants only to get herself and Maya back to safety. When the ghost adventure leads to Maya’s hospitalization, Cat blames both herself and Carlos, which makes seeing him at school difficult. As Cat awakens to the meaning of Halloween and Day of the Dead in this strange new home, she comes to understand the importance of the ghosts both to herself and to Maya. Telgemeier neatly balances enough issues that a lesser artist would split them into separate stories and delivers as much delight textually as visually. The backmatter includes snippets from Telgemeier’s sketchbook and a photo of her in Día makeup.
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-54061-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
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