A deliciously atmospheric tale of family and friendship.
A Victorian London girl discovers magic, monsters, and family secrets when she attends a frightful fair.
Though 12-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives a cozy life with her adoptive parents, who are bakers, her orphan status causes other children to ostracize her, and she hides the mysterious silver-colored horse-shaped birthmark on her wrist for fear of being called “a freak.” Her only friends are Arthur Green, a claustrophobic aspiring explorer, and the sky itself, with which Nancy, a self-dubbed Skyreader, can converse. When Skelter Tombola’s Scareground comes to Greenwich, Nancy and Arthur eagerly nab tickets. The Crumpets, however, have forbidden Nancy to attend, but their cryptic, frightened comments about a fairground tragedy and an abandoned carriage from a ghost train only fuel her curiosity. To learn more, she joins Arthur at the Scareground, encountering thrilling rides and illusions and whimsically named workers, including Racer, a nonspeaking boy. But Nancy’s discoveries may destroy her relationships with both Arthur and the Crumpets; a nefarious plan is also brewing. Though experienced genre readers may anticipate many plot elements, Kecojevic’s vivid descriptions will immerse them in the creepy, sinister setting. The author thoughtfully explores trust, loneliness, empathy, and the fine line between excitement and fear. Nancy’s Skyreader abilities go unexplained, but an open ending teases further developments. Nancy clearly regards the Crumpets as family, but the book several times uses the phrase “real parents” to describe her birth parents. Characters read white.
A deliciously atmospheric tale of family and friendship. (map) (Paranormal suspense. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781915584625
Page Count: 354
Publisher: Neem Tree Press
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
An accessible, engaging read for those who love adventure, space, and mysteries.
A murder on a lunar colony turns a bored 12-year-old into a master sleuth in this graphic adaptation of Gibbs’ 2014 novel.
Dashiell Gibson, who has a Black mom and white dad, lives with his family on Moon Base Alpha, where life is actually pretty dull. Dash must contend with terrible food and an obnoxious billionaire tourist family. While using the annoying space toilet one night, he overhears scientist Dr. Holtz discussing a history-making project with an unseen person; it’s to be announced the next day. But Dr. Holtz dies that night in an apparent accident that Dash is convinced was murder. None of the adults believe him, so Dash takes it upon himself to investigate, leading him into a complex tangle of secrets. Base commander Nina Stack wants Dash to stop sharing his theories and even makes veiled threats against him. Fortunately, new arrivals Kira, a girl his age, and Zan, a security specialist, believe him and want to help. Ultimately, Dash and Kira end up in danger while trying to solve the mystery. Jenkins’ dynamic panel layouts, expressive character designs, and immersive depictions of life on the moon, combined with Gibbs’ crisp, fast-paced dialogue and well-timed humor, seamlessly translate the original into this visual medium. While some plot points feel condensed, this adaptation retains the original’s sharp wit, engaging mystery elements, and educational tidbits about space travel.
An accessible, engaging read for those who love adventure, space, and mysteries. (Graphic science-fiction mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2025
ISBN: 9781665934800
Page Count: 360
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Delightful fun for budding mystery fans.
Only children, rejoice! A cozy mystery just for you! (People with siblings will probably enjoy it too.)
Debut novelist Cornett introduces the One and Onlys, a trio of mystery-solving only kids: Gloria Longshanks “Shanks” Hill, Alexander “Peephole” Calloway, and narrator Paul (alas, no nickname) Marconi. The trio has a knack for finding and solving low-level mysteries, but they come up against a true head-scratcher when the yard of a resident of their small town is covered in rubber ducks overnight. Working ahead of Officer Portnoy, who’s a little on the slow side, can Paul, Shanks, and Peephole solve the mystery? Cornett has a lot of fun with this adventure, dropping additional side mysteries, a subplot about small businesses, big corporations, and economics, and a town’s love of bratwurst into the mix. Most importantly, he plays fair with the clues throughout, allowing astute readers to potentially solve the case ahead of the trio. The tone and mystery are perfect for younger readers who want to test their detective skills but are put off by anything scary or gory. The pacing would serve well for chapter-by-chapter read-alouds. If there are any quibbles, it’s the lack of diversity of the cast, as it defaults white. Diversity exists in small towns, and this one is crying out for more. Hopefully a sequel will introduce additional faces.
Delightful fun for budding mystery fans. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-3003-6
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
