An amusing enough diversion.
Stopping a prankster results in a science-versus-magic showdown.
Freddy, the son of Victor von Frankenstein, and his family live in a palace above a Nepalese village. Having sneaked away to the village for the Biska Jatra festival celebrating the new year, Freddy is busted skipping chores; the sindoor, the red-orange powder that’s a part of the celebration, on his face gives him away. But when a disaster in the lab leaves Freddy’s parents covered in orange goo, it’s Freddy (already in hot water) who takes the blame—and who has to help clean the mess. After another messy prank, Freddy decides to clear his name by finding the real culprit. He uses logic to exclude some members of the family and teams with his brother, F.M. (Frankenstein’s creation), and his adopted sister, Riya (a werecat with supersenses), to follow clues. But when superscience fails, Freddy must concede that it’s the work of another magic-using “fantastical.” The hunt—and Freddy’s opponent’s traps—provide tension through the mystery and age-appropriate mild danger. Finally, Freddy finds and confronts the perpetrator. It takes teamwork to overwhelm the prankster in a slightly underwhelming conclusion. However, a loose end from one prank, in tying itself up, circles back neatly to the opening, making for a more satisfying story shape. Freddy is biracial (Victor presents White; his mother, Shan, is Chinese), Riya is Indian, and F.M. is a Frankenstein’s monster–esque figure.
An amusing enough diversion. (Fantasy. 6-8)Pub Date: July 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1296-1
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A warmly reassuring tale for those who prefer their scares on the lighter side.
Bash is back for another session of Scare School.
This second series installment sees the young ghost tasked with completing a group project that requires him to learn about a terrifying place in or around the school. Bash is assigned to work with Wes, a shy but gentle and artistic werewolf, and Vicky and Vlad, two prickly vampires. The group decides to research the spooky forest. Bash is nervous about exploring the forest; plus, he must contend with teammates who don’t pull their own weight (Vicky and Vlad goof off in the gym while Bash and Wes wait for them in the library). But Bash eventually finds a way to confront his fears as he and the others complete their project. Despite the premise, this tale’s more sweet than spooky. Endearing Bash frets about new experiences but proves eager to jump in. He has a delightful, supportive friend in his roommate, Itsy the spider; her tiny knitted socks are an especially charming detail. The characters’ realization that fear can sometimes hold us back will resonate with readers. The plot moves at a steady clip, while stick figure illustrations and comic panels break up the text, giving the tale an appealing, Wimpy Kid–esque vibe.
A warmly reassuring tale for those who prefer their scares on the lighter side. (Fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781665922128
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
Series fans won’t be disappointed, but young readers and listeners who know only the original ditty may find this a touch...
Having eaten pretty much everything on land in 13 previous versions of the classic song, Colandro’s capaciously stomached oldster goes to sea.
Once again the original cumulative rhyme’s naturalistic aspects are dispensed with, so that not only doesn’t the old lady die, but neither do any of the creatures she consumes. Instead, the titular shark “left no mark,” a squid follows down the hatch to “float with the shark,” a fish to “dance with the squid,” an eel to “brighten the fish” (with “fluorescent light!” as a subsequent line explains), and so on—until at the end it’s revealed to be all pretending anyway on a visit to an aquarium. Likewise, though Lee outfits the bespectacled binge-eater with a finny tail and the requisite bra for most of the extended episode, she regains human feet and garb at the end. In the illustrations, the old lady and one of the two children who accompany her are pink-skinned; the other has frizzy hair and an amber complexion. A set of nature notes on the featured victims and a nautical seek-and-find that will send viewers back to the earlier pictures modestly enhance this latest iteration.
Series fans won’t be disappointed, but young readers and listeners who know only the original ditty may find this a touch bland. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-12993-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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