A treat for proto–Percy Jackson fans.
A center for rescued pets becomes the stage for adventures of literally mythical import in this series opener.
Convinced that they’re the gods after whom they’ve been named by the Mount Olympus Pet Center’s myth-loving owner (and Boyer drops hints that they’re not wrong), Zeus, a rescued hamster, and allies Demeter, Athena, and Ares—respectively a cricket, a tabby cat, and a scene-stealing pug of big stomach but little brain—get out at night to face such challenges as the deadly whirlpool of Charybdis (a stuck toilet). After listening (not very attentively) to a podcast version of “Jason and the Argonauts,” Zeus decides to settle a long-standing rivalry with a pufferfish named Poseidon by returning in triumph with the “Golden Fleas.” Little does he know that the quest will take him into Uncharted Territory (the empty store next door) where shrieking harpies (bats) lurk….While all of this doesn’t map very closely on the original yarn, it does offer opportunities aplenty for displays of courage, cleverness, and loyalty…as well as lots of comical byplay. Elkerton adds to both the comedy and the drama with vignettes and larger scenes of partly anthropomorphic animals in chitons and divine regalia, often looking dismayed or, in Ares’ case, ever on the lookout for Mutt Nuggets. A closing section includes further information on the source story and Greek myths in general.
A treat for proto–Percy Jackson fans. (map, floor plan) (Animal fantasy. 8-10)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4263-3547-1
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Under the Stars
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Thompson uses the time of the Roman Empire as the setting for another horse story for younger readers (Highway Robbery, 2009). Young Marcus recounts the adventure that begins when a hurried slave abruptly turns over care of Emperor Caligula's horse, "Consul" Incitatus, to him. Although there's an undeniable thrill to having the responsibility for such a fine steed, Marcus, a baker's boy, is all too aware of the consequences that could befall his entire family if he should manage this wrong. But he's clever, resourceful and observant, and by paying attention to all the clues of daily life, he manages beautifully. The short page count, fast-paced plot and spot illustrations (not seen) should make this a great title for readers not yet ready for longer fiction. Although Marcus is not quite as unreliable as the earlier book’s narrator, this tale is significantly more sophisticated in both writing and plot than the common chapter-book ruck. Horse lovers will appreciate Incitatus’s horse sense, and fans of such other wily protagonists as Moxy Maxwell and Ivy + Bean will cheer Marcus’s solution. (Historical fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-06-173037-5
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2010
Resilient Emma has had to solve more than one predicament in her young life, often creating misunderstandings with her large family, lovable pets and favorite nanny—Annie. This time Emma’s dilemma involves losing the two of the most important things in her life—her best friend Luisa is moving and her favorite horse Rooney, whom she visits often at the riding stable, is about to be sold by its owner. Coming up with ways to prevent or change these two events is easier said than done, even for the resourcefully positive Annie, who can usually hatch a “splendid idea.” Emma comes up with several schemes, from buying the horse herself to warding off a prospective wealthy buyer by purposely causing some ferret-induced horse hysteria at the stable. In the end, Emma’s realization that kindness and love sometimes necessitate difficult decisions helps her solve both issues with true altruism. Hermes’ latest installment in her winning series provides the right amount of humor, suspense and pathos as her young protagonist reaches a new level of emotional growth. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5905-7
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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