A likable protagonist and fantasy elements make this well-trod ground feel fairly fresh
A fledgling Latina fairy learns she must use her magic responsibly.
Quintessential preteen Cici is trying to make sense of a turbulent time in her life: her dad has moved out, she's lost her best friend to the popular clique, and she's learning to control her nascent fairy powers. She has the "fairy sight," which means she sees people with a sort of enhanced vision that helps her understand them (for example, she sees her harried mother as a multitasking octopus). One day at school she finds popular white classmate Kendra's beloved princess doll (fairy sight reveals Kendra to be something of a princess as well). Cici, seizing the opportunity to use her powers, chooses to wield them in an unkind way. When Abuela, also a fairy, finds out what she has done, Cici must own up to her wrongdoings. The plot—a friendship-tinged riff on the "with great power comes great responsibility" theme—is instantly familiar, even with the fantasy elements. Doused liberally with a comely array of warm pinks and purples, the panels have a keen focus on facial elements and hold a high visual appeal. Though this series outing doesn’t explore its issues with much real depth, the pleasing style and familiar subject matter help to compensate, leaving this with a very episodic, sitcomlike feel.
A likable protagonist and fantasy elements make this well-trod ground feel fairly fresh . (Graphic fantasy. 7-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4677-6153-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
A witty addition to the long-running series.
The Wimpy Kid hits the road.
The Heffley clan has been stuck living together in Gramma’s basement for two months, waiting for the family home to be repaired, and the constant togetherness has been getting on everybody’s nerves. Luckily Greg’s Uncle Gary has a camper waiting for someone to use it, and so the Heffleys set off on the open road looking for an adventurous vacation, hoping the changing scenery will bring a spark back to the family unit. The winding road leads the Heffleys to a sprawling RV park, a setting teeming with possibilities for Greg to get up to his usual shenanigans. Greg’s snarky asides and misadventures continue to entertain. At this point the Wimpy Kid books run like a well-oiled machine, paced perfectly with witty lines, smart gags, and charming cartoons. Kinney knows just where to put a joke, the precise moment to give a character shading, and exactly how to get the narrative rolling, spinning out the oddest plot developments. The appreciation Kinney has for these characters seeps through the novels, endearing the Heffleys to readers even through this title, the 15th installment in a franchise boasting spinoffs, movies, and merchandise. There may come a time when Greg and his family overstay their welcome, but thankfully that day still seems far off.
A witty addition to the long-running series. (Humor. 7-12)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4868-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
SEEN & HEARD
Triumphs, mishaps, and revelations kick this adventure into high gear.
Two young superheroes start a search for their missing mom at a summer camp built next to a volcano. What could go wrong?
Enlisting their friends Beto Moreno and Nara Jenkins—respectively, an aspiring magician and a medal-winning wrestler—to help, fledgling secret super sibs Adeline and Wyatt Flynn enroll at Camp Igneous, conveniently situated at the base of the volcano where their mom might have disappeared four years before. Along with pursuing an investigation, though, the team faces serious competition vying for the titular cup in a series of mentally and physically demanding obstacle courses and other challenges, all while keeping their special powers hidden. The art’s bright colors, overlapping panels, and expressively posed cartoon figures ramp up the pacing and visual energy for a plot that features a series of suspenseful contests capped by encounters with “radioactive goop” and other surprises in the volcano’s crater and hints of a connection between the missing parent and a clandestine group of bad actors called the Quadrant. Stay tuned. Gapstur builds preteen banter, team building, frustrated romance, and even a nearly catastrophic eruption that tests the superkids’ abilities to the utmost into this lively sequel. Wyatt and Adeline are White; the supporting cast includes racial diversity.
Triumphs, mishaps, and revelations kick this adventure into high gear. (Graphic adventure. 8-12)Pub Date: July 18, 2023
ISBN: 9781534480322
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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