An engaging condemnation of bigotry for young Christian readers.
In Richley’s novel, a mouse with a deep-seated hatred of rats learns a lesson in love and acceptance.
In this explicitly values-based, “Christ-centered” novel for middle school and teen readers, Rhubarb is a white mouse whose hatred for all rats comes to a boil when a black rat family moves into the same abandoned factory where Rhubarb and his family, including his strong-willed daughter, Strawberry, live. The rats turn out to be good neighbors, but Rhubarb refuses to see it—he not only takes credit when he and Strawberry are rescued by brave rat father Barnabas from a drainpipe, but he also deliberately leaves Barnabas gravely injured. (Barnabas, the book’s kindly evangelist, preaches messages of redemptive love: “When you need Him most, God fills you with the Holy Ghost.”) Rhubarb stokes his bitterness at a nearby mouse bar. Readers learn, in one of this fantasy tale’s many teachable moments, that Rhubarb’s bigotry and shame (“deep down, he knew alcohol was only worsening his pain”) are rooted in the loss of a ne’er-do-well brother and a childhood with a critical, prejudiced father. Soon, the mice and rats connect with Miley, a street cat, and her kittens, and stray dog Bailey and his pack—first as prey, then as friends after tough circumstances bring them to the kind, human veterinarian Bart. Their friendship is tested by a life-threatening storm and catastrophic flooding (portrayed with vivid urgency); in a somewhat awkward segue, the animals decide to live in a nearby mountain forest together. A cougar attack leads them back to Bart, his underfunded clinic, and an uncertain future, but Bart’s compassionate act of helping a wounded enemy soldier during wartime reaps a miraculous life-changing reward—thanks to the former enemy and his conversion to Christianity. This involving, redemptive narrative is likely to resonate with Christian readers. The author’s care for animals, evident in his sensitive observations of real animal behavior, is an admirable throughline. A welcome epilogue leavens the book’s moral tone, with Strawberry’s dream of doing brave deeds coming true in a lighthearted, fantastical twist.
An engaging condemnation of bigotry for young Christian readers.Pub Date: May 22, 2026
ISBN: 9781971072067
Page Count: 248
Publisher: Orison Publishers
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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