A satisfying conclusion to a worthy series.
The conclusion of a trilogy that began with Bone’s Gift (2018).
It’s now December 1942, and the coal town of Big Vein, Virginia, is preparing for Christmas when the mine whistle blows, signaling disaster. This time, though, all the miners are safe and accounted for—but there’s a dead body in the mine, covered in rock dust, head crushed beyond recognition. When the corpse is discovered to be wearing a World War I dog tag that belonged to Bone’s uncle Ash, who’d left town a few weeks earlier, a black man named Tiny Sherman is arrested for his murder. Uncle Ash always forbade Bone to touch the two dog tags he wore, not wanting her psychic gifts to allow her to see the memories they contained, but now Uncle Junior asks her to. The memories she sees aren’t from Uncle Ash—whose are they? Bone seeks the truth while Mr. Hill, an African American attorney, works for Sherman’s release. Smibert packs a lot into the story, told, as always, in the third person from Bone’s perspective. Her characters—mostly white—and setting are fully evoked, and her language is both thoughtful and precise. The plot hinges on the presumption that the body is Uncle Ash’s, which doesn’t feel entirely believable—but the paranormal parts, including the appearance of a mysterious ghost dog, ring true. Smibert has a talent for ghost stories.
A satisfying conclusion to a worthy series. (historical notes) (Historical/paranormal fiction. 8-14)Pub Date: May 26, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-62979-852-3
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
Splendiferous—and sure to lead readers back to previous puzzle adventures.
Luigi Lemoncello gets inspiration from a master showman.
After writing five successful adventures starring legendary billionaire Prof. Lemoncello, Grabenstein looks back in time to 1968, when young Luigi, the seemingly talentless middle child in a large Italian American family, realizes that his love for puzzles and games is his personal gift. When the 13-year-old successfully solves the rebus puzzle and attracts more customers to the Balloon-centration booth at a summer carnival, barker Prof. Marvelmous offers him a job. Marvelmous becomes a mentor; his niece, Maggie, a friend. She and Luigi visit the library regularly, follow treasure hunts offered by a local radio station, and work together to discover the secrets of the elaborate puzzle box Marvelmous has created. The author offers hints and instructions for solving the puzzles and has left one more (plus his email address) for readers to solve on their own. The fast-paced narrative includes good reading suggestions, popular music from the ’60s, and occasional solid advice. As in earlier books, there’s stress on the importance of teamwork and empathy—young Luigi is as thoughtful and caring as a teenager as he is later as the donor of a splendid library and instigator of brain-teasing contests. Luigi’s bullying blond nemesis, Chadwick Chiltington, is likely the father of Charles from previous series entries.
Splendiferous—and sure to lead readers back to previous puzzle adventures. (excerpt from Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library) (Fiction. 8-14)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-48083-0
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
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A superb historical thriller.
Thirteen-year-old Paolo Crivelli dreams of being a hero in Nazi-occupied Florence.
It’s a tricky business living in an occupied city. The Allies are advancing from the south, Paolo’s father is missing (thought to be fighting for the Partisans), and the Crivelli family is caught between the Nazi occupiers and the sometimes ruthless Partisans. This first novel by acclaimed children’s picture-book writer and illustrator Hughes expertly captures the tension in the Crivelli home, as Rosemary tries to raise her two children and keep them safe while covertly supporting the Partisan cause. Not so easy with a son like Paolo, who risks sneaking out at night on his bicycle, looking for his own way to be a hero for the cause. There are plenty of heroes here, as layers of resistance to the Nazis are carefully delineated—the obvious bold resistance of the Partisans in the countryside, Rosemary’s agreement to house escaped prisoners of war in her cellar, a lifesaving tip from the captain of the local military police and even a sympathetic member of the Gestapo who conveniently finds nothing when searching the Crivellis’ cellar. The townspeople, a dog and even Paolo’s bicycle play a role in the resistance movement, though the dangers and the realities of war are always tangible in this fine novel.
A superb historical thriller. (Historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: April 23, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6037-6
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 15, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2013
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BOOK REVIEW
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