by Amy DeBellis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 9, 2012
This suspenseful sci-fi story packs the kind of energy and danger teen readers thrive on.
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Fifteen-year-old author DeBellis’ debut young adult novel is a futuristic, dystopian tale that pits a group of teens against a new virus.
This science fiction story opens as protagonist January makes one last desperate trip into the chaotic, decimated town of Dyruit. A bubonic plague–like disease has been tearing through the region in the wake of a devastating economic collapse that wore the country’s resources down to bare bones. January and her sister, Cara, are fleeing south to Traxa, the capital, where it’s said to be safe—and where they believe their parents have been living since they mysteriously left the girls seven years earlier. This sisterly bond and inevitable rivalry keeps these characters sympathetic and relatable throughout the book. As they drive south in one of the area’s few remaining cars, they see scenes of depleted natural resources and devastation. When their car dies, the girls pick up their belongings and begin to walk—a gun in easy reach. Soon they happen across a boy named Nev and coerce their way into his car. The close quarters make it easy for Cara to begin trusting Nev, but January’s suspicion takes longer to wear off. Upon arriving in Traxa, the sisters start the fearful search for their parents’ whereabouts. As the story progresses, readers see Nev become only the first of several friends for the girls; it’s these friendships that help the teens survive the challenges ahead and regain hope. The plot, characters and voice of DeBellis’ novel will engage teen readers from the very first page. The pacing is spot-on, keeping things moving without leaving readers in the dust. While the events are far from readers’ experiences, the characters’ emotions and interactions are relatable to today’s teens. Though the story doesn’t draw strict references to the present, some readers might consider it a disturbingly realistic vision of the future.
This suspenseful sci-fi story packs the kind of energy and danger teen readers thrive on.Pub Date: Jan. 9, 2012
ISBN: 2940013737808
Page Count: -
Publisher: Amy DeBellis
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Sandra Equihua ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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by Tom Fletcher ; illustrated by Greg Abbott ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2017
Playful, engaging, and full of opportunities for empathy—a raucous storytime hit.
Readers try to dislodge a monster from the pages of this emotive and interactive read-aloud.
“OH NO!” the story starts. “There’s a monster in your book!” The blue, round-headed monster with pink horns and a pink-tipped tail can be seen cheerfully munching on the opening page. “Let’s try to get him out,” declares the narrator. Readers are encouraged to shake, tilt, and spin the book around, while the monster careens around an empty background looking scared and lost. Viewers are exhorted to tickle the monster’s feet, blow on the page, and make a really loud noise. Finally, shockingly, it works: “Now he’s in your room!” But clearly a monster in your book is safer than a monster in your room, so he’s coaxed back into the illustrations and lulled to sleep, curled up under one page and cuddling a bit of another like a child with their blankie. The monster’s entirely cute appearance and clear emotional reactions to his treatment add to the interactive aspect, and some young readers might even resist the instructions to avoid hurting their new pal. Children will be brought along on the monster’s journey, going from excited, noisy, and wiggly to calm and steady (one can hope).
Playful, engaging, and full of opportunities for empathy—a raucous storytime hit. (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5247-6456-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
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