A dog lover’s delight with a chewy center.
A depressed sixth grader discovers what it means to have a dog’s life.
What with the recent death of his beloved Grandma Mimi, the departure of his supportive older half sister, Billie, to an arts school in Ireland, and the near continual chaos his African American family’s rambunctious goldendoodle, Boof, wreaks around the house, compulsive neat freak Parker Pitts is losing the battle to cope. School’s no haven either, considering the menacing attentions of outsized bully Deke Wightman and a likewise painful crush on classmate Gabriella Cortez. Literal new perspectives ensue for boy and dog both, however, after Parker finds Boof chewing on Mimi’s treasured wooden effigy of Eshu, the Yoruba trickster god, and the two wake up the next morning in switched bodies. Cue the steep learning curves, as Boof discovers all sorts of fun new capabilities while Parker, frantically searching for a way to switch back, also has to overcome his resistance to the less hygienic parts of life as a dog. Along with exploiting the comedic possibilities, Hale offers credible insights into how Boof’s forthright doggy nature might affect relationships at school (once he gets over the urge to sniff butts)…and also ways in which the freedom to act like a dog could work a sea change in Parker’s emotional landscape. The happy ending sees boy and dog restored and inseparable, having learned something about both being responsible and being too responsible.
A dog lover’s delight with a chewy center. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: April 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-64591-0
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Thrills galore for gamers willing to go along for the ride.
A new virtual-reality theme park goes haywire on a crowd of young victims, er, visitors in Alexander’s latest screamfest.
Having scored one of just 100 coveted preview tickets to a cutting-edge, kids-only venue dubbed ESCAPE, budding amusement park fan and designer Cody Baxter is looking forward to a life-changing experience. What he gets is more of a life-threatening one, as games and rides with names like Triassic Terror and Haunted Hillside not only pit him against a monster and then zombies—or sometimes a monster and zombies—as well as ruthless competing players, but seem tailored to play on individual personal terrors. And, in some never explained way, the VR quickly turns into real battles that inflict real wounds even as the real settings shift with sudden, dizzying unpredictability. Teaming up with loyal new friends Jayson Torn and Inga Andersdottir, the former described as being Japanese and White and the latter as Norwegian, Cody (who seems to default to White) struggles for survival, learning ultimately that ESCAPE was created by an evil genius with an ulterior motive who is convinced that he can teach children a salutary lesson. The plot’s no more logical in its twists and contrivances than the premise, but the author’s knack for spinning out nightmarish situations is definitely on display here as the tale careens toward a properly lurid outcome.
Thrills galore for gamers willing to go along for the ride. (Light horror. 9-12)Pub Date: June 7, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-26047-2
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2022
A strong start to a new series in the ever-popular Warriors world: Legions of fans will purr.
Increased evidence of encroachment by Twolegs and other ominous signs of change roil the five feline Clans of the lake territories in this kickoff of a new story arc.
In intertwined storylines, a distracting voice in a young apprentice’s head takes on increasingly scary strength, disturbing visions inform an experienced warrior that she’s been chosen by the spirit guides of StarClan to play an unwanted role in impending troubles, and a wise but weakening Clan leader faces being voted out of office due to her age. Meanwhile, the enigmatic Twolegs are tearing up a forested area, poisoning an important stream, and possibly threatening all the established territories of the five Clans. Avid series fans will welcome encounters with older versions of Leafstar, Tawnypelt, and other stalwarts whom they met in previous episodes. Detailed maps labeling the terrain in both cat and Twoleg terms appear at the beginning of the book, along with a cast list of truly imposing length, helping any readers who need reminders to keep track of the dozens of relationships and Clan affiliations. Better yet, expertly mixed in among dreams and discussions that crank up the general level of anxiety, the book has enough incidental action and individual wrestling with personal issues to help the main characters stand out from the furry crowd.
A strong start to a new series in the ever-popular Warriors world: Legions of fans will purr. (Animal fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780063357068
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
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