by Alexandra Overy ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2022
A modern reimagining that reads like a well-told fairy-tale classic.
After Mother Agatha, who raised her in a gingerbread house, is burned to ashes, 12-year-old Maud sets out through the dangerous Shadelands in search of a way to bring her back to life.
Overy’s new spin on fairy-tale favorites is a series opener that includes characters from "Hansel and Gretel" and "Little Red Riding Hood"—plus a three-legged wolf with violet fur aptly named Grim. Maud is not quite human but not fully witch either—she’s a creation of Mother Agatha, who quite literally made her from enchanted gingerbread. After Agatha is pushed into a fire by witch-hunting Wolves, Maud seeks to revive her from the ashes. Along the way, she encounters the Wolves and a mysterious witch named Vira and learns to trust her instincts. Overy’s story is well paced; the sense of urgency around saving Agatha keeps the pages turning. Maud’s sidekicks—Grim and two gingerbread-made creatures, Nuss the squirrel and Florian the vulture—are utterly charming and full of personality. While most of the plot threads are tied together at the end, a few details are frustratingly left unresolved, possibly leaving room for a sequel. Although made from gingerbread, Maud is described as having white skin.
A modern reimagining that reads like a well-told fairy-tale classic. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-335-42686-4
Page Count: 286
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
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by Annie Matthew ; developed by Kobe Bryant ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 24, 2021
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship.
A young tennis champion becomes the target of revenge.
In this sequel to Legacy and the Queen (2019), Legacy Petrin and her friends Javi and Pippa have returned to Legacy’s home province and the orphanage run by her father. With her friends’ help, she is in training to defend her championship when they discover that another player, operating under the protection of High Consul Silla, is presenting herself as Legacy. She is so convincing that the real Legacy is accused of being an imitation. False Legacy has become a hero to the masses, further strengthening Silla’s hold, and it becomes imperative to uncover and defeat her. If Legacy is to win again, she must play her imposter while disguised as someone else. Winning at tennis is not just about money and fame, but resisting Silla’s plans to send more young people into brutal mines with little hope of better lives. Legacy will have to overcome her fears and find the magic that allowed her to claim victory in the past. This story, with its elements of sports, fantasy, and social consciousness that highlight tensions between the powerful and those they prey upon, successfully continues the series conceived by late basketball superstar Bryant. As before, the tennis matches are depicted with pace and spirit. Legacy and Javi have brown skin; most other characters default to White.
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949520-19-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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by Annie Matthew ; developed by Kobe Bryant
by Rajani LaRocca ; illustrated by Chloe Dijon ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 15, 2021
A moving tale of baseball, magic, and former rivals who come together to solve a problem.
A middle schooler struggles to adjust after moving to an idyllic Massachusetts town.
Trish Das is at a crossroads. Not only is the 12-year-old unhappy that her family has moved yet again due to her mother’s cardiology career, she also has to try out for a new baseball team. The fact that one of her new teammates is a former archrival further complicates matters. Math prodigy Ben Messina went head-to-head against fellow math whiz Trish at last spring’s Math Puzzlers Championship. When Trish emerged victorious, Ben was stunned. The two get closer when the team’s mysterious pregame snacks start making everyone play better while also causing magical side effects during games. Equally surprising are the cryptic puzzle booklets Trish and Ben receive in the mail that lead them to even more wins. But as the puzzles get harder to solve, the risk of failing to do so increases. Alternating between Trish’s and Ben’s perspectives, LaRocca’s novel—a companion to 2019’s Midsummer’s Mayhem—is a Much Ado About Nothing homage that explores parental expectations, complicated friendships, and teamwork. The protagonists’ love of problem-solving shines through, and the puzzles themselves are clearly explained. As a third-generation Indian American, Trish also has moving conversations about the circumstances that led her grandparents to emigrate and how those decisions still impact their lives. Ben is implied White. Final illustrations not seen.
A moving tale of baseball, magic, and former rivals who come together to solve a problem. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: June 15, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1101-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Yellow Jacket
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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by Rajani LaRocca ; illustrated by Kat Fajardo
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by Rajani LaRocca ; illustrated by Neha Rawat
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