Solid worldbuilding makes this a believable, page-turning adventure
The son of a fantasy novelist finds himself in an adventure worthy of one of his mother’s plots.
When his author mother dies, William Poppy, a 12-year-old white boy, is forced to live with his last living relative, eccentric, stingy Aunt Mauve. She abruptly moves them from London into a hauntingly magical castle, Sparrowhawk Hall, staffed with two suspicious servants who greet its new residents with nothing but a bad attitude. Desperate to escape both his aunt and the servants, he finds his way into the tiny cobblestone village, where he meets friends (all white): an aspiring acrobat named Emma; a baker and animal empath named Thom; and Mr. Fabian, the owner of the village’s fantasy bookstore, Ex Libris. Though the quirky village inhabitants initially reject Will’s presence, they slowly become his allies and turn their metaphysical talents to helping him. Will quickly stumbles upon the secrets of the castle, exploring winding tunnels and spying mystical Muses that follow him, appearing and disappearing like ghosts. Slowly, his discoveries lead him to a dark past connection hidden in the forests of Darkwood. In modern preteen Will, Citra creates an enchanting character full of spunk, and she paces this story with an ease that lulls readers right into this suspenseful, moment-to-moment journey as Will transitions back and forth between the human world and the supernatural.
Solid worldbuilding makes this a believable, page-turning adventure . (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-55050-691-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Coteau Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2016
A vividly told narrative.
Award winner Brosgol’s latest is a wish-fulfillment tale that follows Oliver Bakh, a long-haired fifth grade boy whose life is upended.
After Oliver’s father, a cook who emigrated from the country of Georgia, passes away, Oliver and his mom, who presents white, bounce around among relatives’ homes. Financially strained and emotionally overwhelmed, Oliver’s mother falls into a deep depression, leaving him to take on responsibilities far beyond his years. Just when things seem hopeless, their luck takes an unexpected turn: Oliver’s 96-year-old great-aunt Barb dies, leaving them her Manhattan apartment. Oliver and his father dreamed of opening a restaurant together, one built around their love of traditional Georgian food. Now Oliver has cherished memories, his dad’s recipe book, and a small, frozen batch of his special khinkali, or dumplings. Their new home comes with a magical mail slot that communicates via typewritten notes and grants wishes, but each wish comes with unpredictable consequences. Oliver’s wishes are small at first, but as he navigates the competitive environment of his new private school and befriends Colette, a spirited fourth grader who’s eager for adventure, his wishes grow bolder. With each one, the consequences spiral further out of control. The story’s playful yet darkly humorous tone is enhanced by black-and-white illustrations that add depth and meaning to the fantastical elements. The absurd situations, unexpected twists, and colorful, exaggerated villain add to the tale’s appeal.
A vividly told narrative. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781250292186
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
A vibrant celebration of art’s power to console and heal.
Zora, 12, shares her mother’s artistic gifts, but when grief and guilt lead her to destroy years of drawings, the results are astonishing.
Voom is Zora and her mom’s word for the artistic impulse that bubbles up inside. After disclosing her leukemia diagnosis to Zora and her sister, Frankie, Mom promised the girls she’d beat it. Ten months later, their far sicker mom is hospitalized in Pittsburgh, where the girls share their bus driver grandmother’s basement apartment. Mom continues to be optimistic and avoid acknowledging the possibility of death. Frustrated and needing to hear a realistic prognosis, Zora uses her art to show her mother the truth of how ill she looks. Later that night her mom dies—and Zora’s Voom goes away. When Grandma Wren disappoints Frankie on her seventh birthday, Zora’s guilt-fueled anger erupts. Over Frankie’s protests, Zora scribbles out her drawings until the scribbles fight back, pulling the girls into Pencilvania, a world where each of Zora’s creations lives. Most of her now-animated drawings welcome her—except for one scribbled-out horse who kidnaps Frankie. Guided by a seven-legged horse, the Zoracle (a composite of her early self-portraits), and other charming creations, Zora sets out to rescue Frankie and rediscover the wellspring of creativity that forms her mother’s legacy. Presumed White, the humans are well rounded and believable. Pencilvania’s inhabitants, conceived with humorous, metafictional whimsy, are enlivened with copious, inventive illustrations.
A vibrant celebration of art’s power to console and heal. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-72821-590-7
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
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