Full of emotional truth and connection. (Fantasy. 9-13)
The painting of a Newfoundland lighthouse that Annie finds in her attic becomes a portal to the place itself and the lonely girl who lives there.
Claire, 12, white, a serious student and avid reader, lives with her mother, Maisie, a fiercely self-sufficient painter, in an old lighthouse on the coast of Newfoundland. Claire longs to move back to their home in St. John’s, where her younger sister died. Annie, also 12, white, and a gifted artist, lives in Toronto with her accomplished parents. The night her mother is injured in a car accident Annie finds herself falling into the real world of the lighthouse, where Claire immediately recognizes her as an older version of her sister, Annie. Claire blames herself for young Annie’s death and believes that her mother does, too. Alternating subchapters in Claire’s and Annie’s voices weave a cleverly constructed, compellingly paced mystery that’s part time-slip story, part ghost story, part meditation on the power of dreaming. Epigraphs drawn from Through the Looking Glass and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland about the nature of dreams and reality preface each of the nine chapters. As Annie begins to realize who she and Claire might be to each other, Claire and Maisie clash over a series of portraits imagining the young Annie growing older.
Full of emotional truth and connection. (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-10191-887-6
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Bold and nuanced, this intercultural “cook book” dishes up hearty morsels well worth savoring.
An aspiring young chef discovers her innate resourcefulness and the courage of her convictions.
In this contemporary immigrant story, 12-year-old Cici moves from Taiwan to Seattle with her professional parents, who promote a straightforward formula for success: “good grades, good college, good job.” Cici, however, is sad to leave her grandmother and is determined to bring A-má to the United States for her 70th birthday. When a junior cooking contest presents the prospect of funding A-má’s airfare, Cici, an able chef, aims to win and begins making “American” foods. Working with her in-contest partner Miranda, Cici learns to make porcini risotto, not to overcook pasta, and that she is a super taster. This revelation reminds readers of the secret spice mixture that A-má taught Cici when she was little—will it help her win the contest? Similar hints of superhero identity lurk throughout this textured graphic novel filled with heart and humor, centering girls with budding ambitions, subverting tropes, and celebrating everyday heroes—including the librarian who introduces Cici to Julia Child. Word to the wise: Readers should not pick up this book while hungry unless they have treats nearby such as Taiwanese minced pork over rice, or at least a bubble tea to go with that pineapple cake and zucchini chocolate cookie.
Bold and nuanced, this intercultural “cook book” dishes up hearty morsels well worth savoring. (Graphic fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-297387-0
Page Count: 208
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A thrilling, action-packed journey filled with heart, bravery, and ghostly exploits.
An ocean-dwelling ghost girl confronts powerful forces.
Graciela is dead. She fell from a cliff into the ocean in a terrible accident, only to awaken as a ghost in an underwater community of spirits—souls of those who have died at sea. Her Guide and friend, Amina, teaches her how to navigate this new existence, from performing duties that make “the living world more bearable by keeping the sea in a delicate balance,” to the rules that protect them from the living. Amina dreams of joining the Almas, powerful spirits who guard the ocean’s secrets from the castle Salemúria, but Graciela is desperate for Amina to stay with her. Meanwhile, Jorge Leon, a boy from a long line of blacksmiths, is trapped by his brutish parents in a life of cruelty. His only joy is crafting whimsical toys from metal scraps. When Jorge discovers a sinister harpoon forged by his treasure-hunting ancestor—one capable of killing sea ghosts—he attempts to render it harmless but accidentally sets off a dangerous chain of events. When Graciela’s and Jorge’s paths cross, they must work together to confront and defeat evil forces. With breathtaking underwater worldbuilding and eerie details, Medina’s latest immerses readers in Graciela’s ghostly realm, and they’ll root for the unlikely duo on their perilous quest. The Balbussos’ hauntingly beautiful illustrations enhance the story. The characters and setting evoke Spanish and Portuguese cultural influences.
A thrilling, action-packed journey filled with heart, bravery, and ghostly exploits. (map, color guide, glossary) (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: July 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781536219456
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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