A thought-provoking environmental tale featuring a lovable hero.
A debut middle-grade novel chronicles the adventures of a seventh grader who, while solving crimes against nature, embarks on a painful but revelatory journey of self-discovery.
Set in near future Venice Beach, the story revolves around KyRose Sanchez, a student at a STEM-focused school who has an uncanny ability to communicate with animals. Although she loves creatures of all kinds and is involved in local animal welfare issues (such as saving an injured dolphin she calls Misty and helping a pair of eagles named Gabriella and Merlin, whose ecosystem has been destroyed), her biggest wish is to be one of the popular kids, like Georgia Alister Schmidt. An archetypal mean girl, Georgia is captain of the soccer team. But while students compete in a contest creating innovative gadgets to potentially help astronauts about to land on Mars, KyRose decides that she’ll do anything to be popular—and get invited to one of Georgia’s exclusive parties. Yet in her quest to join Georgia’s circle—and not be a “freak” who talks to animals—KyRose jeopardizes her relationship with her best friend, Cora Lee, and loses focus on everything that makes her uniquely herself. The environmental thread of the engaging narrative is obviously a strength—KyRose’s own mother works for a developer who wants to forcibly relocate an animal sanctuary. But the ingenuity and groundbreaking ideas that the students come up with (like echolocation vests) are worthy of mention, and wildly empowering to young readers. Also of note are Bricault’s appealing protagonist and the subtle social commentary throughout. In one instance, KyRose’s obsession with her “digi-bracelet” (a highly advanced smartphone) makes her unaware of a significant event happening right next to her: “I was staring at my bracelet the whole time.” This story could mark the start of an entertaining series for middle-grade readers.
A thought-provoking environmental tale featuring a lovable hero.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-0-578-38232-6
Page Count: 276
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Adventure, humor, and smart, likable characters make for a winning chapter book.
Ada Twist’s incessant stream of questions leads to answers that help solve a neighborhood crisis.
Ada conducts experiments at home to answer questions such as, why does Mom’s coffee smell stronger than Dad’s coffee? Each answer leads to another question, another hypothesis, and another experiment, which is how she goes from collecting data on backyard birds for a citizen-science project to helping Rosie Revere figure out how to get her uncle Ned down from the sky, where his helium-filled “perilous pants” are keeping him afloat. The Questioneers—Rosie the engineer, Iggy Peck the architect, and Ada the scientist—work together, asking questions like scientists. Armed with knowledge (of molecules and air pressure, force and temperature) but more importantly, with curiosity, Ada works out a solution. Ada is a recognizable, three-dimensional girl in this delightfully silly chapter book: tirelessly curious and determined yet easily excited and still learning to express herself. If science concepts aren’t completely clear in this romp, relationships and emotions certainly are. In playful full- and half-page illustrations that break up the text, Ada is black with Afro-textured hair; Rosie and Iggy are white. A closing section on citizen science may inspire readers to get involved in science too; on the other hand, the “Ode to a Gas!” may just puzzle them. Other backmatter topics include the importance of bird study and the threat palm-oil use poses to rainforests.
Adventure, humor, and smart, likable characters make for a winning chapter book. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: April 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3422-9
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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