Profoundly, sincerely heartfelt.
The landscape of dreams sparks friendship between two boys, one living with anxiety and the other with depression.
Eleven-year-old Gustavo dreads his upcoming move from Puerto Rico to Yellowstone, thanks to his Ma’s new job at the national park: “Any rational human being would be scared to live in a forest full of wild animals!” His uber-realistic nightmares don’t alleviate his anxiety. But Pa, who’s staying behind (it’s a trial separation for Gustavo’s parents), believes that Yellowstone will help his son become a Machustavo—a macho Gustavo. Gustavo’s new life proves nerve-wracking at first. A mysterious boy starts appearing in his dreams; on the way to school one day, Gustavo realizes that “the only Black kid on the whole bus” is his dreamscape visitor in the flesh. A tentative friendship blossoms between Gustavo and the boy, who’s named Kordell. Gustavo is stunned by Kordell’s frankness about his depression and his parents’ divorce. As Gustavo tries to adjust to being away from his home island and everyone there, Kordell helps him take control of his dreams, bringing the dreamers together in unexpected ways. Centered on Gustavo’s burgeoning self-reflection and biting self-awareness, Arango’s latest explores boyhood with compassion. In a particularly inspired move, chapters in verse denoting scenes in the boys’ dreamscapes vividly contrast with the prose of the rest of the work. This nuanced look at mental health challenges and the bittersweet exhilaration of being vulnerable packs emotional wallops in spades.
Profoundly, sincerely heartfelt. (author’s note) (Magical realism. 10-14)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
ISBN: 9798217119431
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Brilliant.
Young heroes rise to the challenge of protecting their home, family, and world when a new villain threatens the Glimouria Archipelago and the Immortal in this third series entry.
“New trouble” comes to the sanctuary of Glimt when Irian Guinne is kidnapped and Teren, the young Immortal, is threatened. Christopher Forrester, former princess Anya, jaculus dragon Jacques, and ratatoska navigator Ratwin undertake a series of herculean tasks to fulfill the kidnappers’ demands and free Irian, all without Nighthand’s knowledge or help. Christopher seeks knowledge from Naravirala the sphinx to understand his new, deeper connection to creatures (“It is the people you love who anchor you”), while Anya leans into her warrior nature (“What if I was born to be brave?”). Meanwhile, bandits with ouroboros bracelets pillage and burn across the Archipelago at the command of Astor Morax, and a fearsome tiger spies through mirrors. The white-presenting leads’ quest to save Irian is central, but brief sections visit Irian, Nighthand, and beautiful, deadly Carla Venasque. The climactic Battle of Glimt features ferocity, cleverness, sacrifice, and bravery, and the ending is more Shakespearean comedy than tragedy—but the danger to Teren is not over, leaving eager readers to await the fourth installment. This is a perfectly paced, mythology-laced tale of action, adventure, and heart that reminds readers that “the only thing stronger than fear is love, unceasingly and exultantly given.” Final art not seen.
Brilliant. (map, bestiary) (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9780593809945
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic.
Chainani works an elaborate sea change akin to Gregory Maguire’s Wicked (1995), though he leaves the waters muddied.
Every four years, two children, one regarded as particularly nice and the other particularly nasty, are snatched from the village of Gavaldon by the shadowy School Master to attend the divided titular school. Those who survive to graduate become major or minor characters in fairy tales. When it happens to sweet, Disney princess–like Sophie and her friend Agatha, plain of features, sour of disposition and low of self-esteem, they are both horrified to discover that they’ve been dropped not where they expect but at Evil and at Good respectively. Gradually—too gradually, as the author strings out hundreds of pages of Hogwarts-style pranks, classroom mishaps and competitions both academic and romantic—it becomes clear that the placement wasn’t a mistake at all. Growing into their true natures amid revelations and marked physical changes, the two spark escalating rivalry between the wings of the school. This leads up to a vicious climactic fight that sees Good and Evil repeatedly switching sides. At this point, readers are likely to feel suddenly left behind, as, thanks to summary deus ex machina resolutions, everything turns out swell(ish).
Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic. (Fantasy. 11-13)Pub Date: May 14, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-210489-2
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
BOOK TO SCREEN
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