A fun, instructive eco-adventure for young readers.
Young Izzy, Sam, and Joey are back with another ecological adventure in Florida’s Everglades.
In Book 1 of the author’s series, siblings Izzy and Sam and their friend Joey save some alligator hatchlings in Everglade Glenn, a neighborhood abutting Florida’s Wilde Animal Sanctuary in the Everglades. The latest visitors to the sanctuary are several cassowary chicks hatched from eggs taken from an illegal pet dealer. The three youngsters (all 10 or 11) are trying to raise money to return the cassowaries to their natural habitat in New Guinea, with Izzy cat sitting for a neighbor, Sam attempting to win a video game competition, and Joey trying to win a dirt-bike race. At the same time, real estate agent Ashley Homes is trying her best to rezone the neighborhood so she can raze the sanctuary and build condos. She’s also threatening the sanctuary with legal action on behalf of the illegal pet owners’ attorneys, who don’t know the eggs have hatched and want them returned. In the end, the young trio may very well complete their mission and more. Though the Ashley Homes storyline isn’t ever resolved, the rest of the book is as charming and inviting as the first in the series. Siblings Izzy and Sam are thoughtful eco-champions and nuanced characters, as is Joey, though he has very little to do in this volume. The book abounds with environmental and animal info; the author slides a lot of that knowledge about rainforests, tigers, and, of course, cassowaries (large, flightless birds) into an entertaining adventure. Ramsey’s drawings of flora and fauna add interest and detail (though some images are repeated). Young readers will be captivated by this book, and probably won’t mind the lack of resolution of the Ashley Homes storyline. Maybe she’ll return in Book 3?
A fun, instructive eco-adventure for young readers.Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2024
ISBN: 9798822934023
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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