An engaging mix of history and fantasy that shows the importance of listening, learning, and holding on to the past.
In LaRoche’s illustrated middle-grade novel, three friends go on a time-travel mission to uncover and share a story that’s at risk of being forgotten.
Spider, Micha, and T.O. (all portrayed as characters of color in Collins’ accompanying illustrations) are out riding their bikes when they stumble across a mysterious drum shop, where they meet Brother Sage, who seems to have been waiting for them. After listening to the drums and learning about their respective cultural backgrounds, they decide to participate in an archaeological field day, during which T.O.’s dog, Sparky, digs up a glowing Sankofa stone, which transports the trio through timeto witness Black abolitionist Henry Highland Garnet’s real-life story. Tasked with listening, learning, and remembering Henry’s life before it’s forgotten, they listen to him tell his story and observe his and his family’s hardships and sacrifices, and they share his determination to bring change as he fights to reshape history. The three friends develop a deeper understanding of the challenges he faced while living through slavery and racial injustice and learn about the power of education and the necessity of using one’s voice to bring about change. They also learn the importance of helping others understand why change is necessary. Overall, LaRoche’s story effectively emphasizes the importance of comprehending the past and preserving history in order to keep inspiring future generations. Although some plot points are predictable due to heavy foreshadowing, the commentary of the three main characters centers an attitude of empathy and models critical thinking skills as they process difficult topics. Henry’s story feels much more personal and intimate than a more standard history-textbook lesson, allowing readers to have an emotional connection to the material, and the time-travel aspect shows how the fight for equality continues across generations. Collins’ full-color cartoon illustrations portrays various scenes throughout the narrative.
An engaging mix of history and fantasy that shows the importance of listening, learning, and holding on to the past.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.
In Florence’s middle-grade fantasy novel, a young girl’s heart is tested in the face of an evil, spreading Darkness.
Eleven-year-old Lydia, “freckle-cheeked and round-eyed, with hair the color of pine bark and fair skin,” is struggling with the knowledge that she has reached the age to apprentice as an herbalist. Lydia is reluctant to leave her beloved, magical Mulberry Glen and her cozy Housetree in the woods—she’ll miss Garder, the Glen’s respected philosopher; her fairy guardian Pit; her human friend Livy; and even the mischievous part-elf, part-imp, part-human twins Zale and Zamilla. But the twins go missing after hearing of a soul-sapping Darkness that has swallowed a forest and is creeping into minds and engulfing entire towns. They have secretly left to find a rare fruit that, it is said, will stop the Darkness if thrown into the heart of the mountain that rises out of the lethal forest. Lydia follows, determined to find the twins before they, too, fall victim to the Darkness. During her journey, accompanied by new friends, she gradually realizes that she herself has a dangerous role to play in the quest to stop the Darkness. In this well-crafted fantasy, Florence skillfully equates the physical manifestation of Darkness with the feelings of insecurity and powerlessness that Lydia first struggles with when thinking of leaving the Glen. Such negative thoughts grow more intrusive the closer she and her friends come to the Darkness—and to Lydia’s ultimate, powerfully rendered test of character, which leads to a satisfyingly realistic, not quite happily-ever-after ending. Highlights include a delightfully haunting, reality-shifting library and a deft sprinkling of Latin throughout the text; Pit’s pet name for Lydia is mea flosculus (“my little flower”). Fine-lined ink drawings introducing each chapter add a pleasing visual element to this well-grounded fairy tale.
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781956393095
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Waxwing Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel.
Sandy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.
Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel. (afterword, further resources) (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0334-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
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