Young readers will likely appreciate the twists, turns and touches of humor in this episodic adventure tale.
Mitchell’s middle-grade fantasy novel offers a little bit of everything, including intergalactic travel, talking animals, an evil witch and swashbuckling pirates.
When the evil sorceress Zerolan invades the peaceful kingdom of Harmonicas, Princess Alanna makes a daring escape and sends her pet owl, Twig, off into the unknown to find help. Twig ends up on Earth, where he meets three boys on a camping trip and takes them back with him to help rescue Harmonicas from Zerolan’s clutches. The boys team up with the princess and pick up a few more helpers along the way. Together, they use magic, cunning and some luck to defeat their foes as they travel across the land by owl, kayak and hot air balloon. The book is suited to young readers; although there are hints of developing romances, they go no farther than some hand-holding and a peck on the cheek. Older teens and adults may sometimes have difficulty suspending their disbelief; for example, they may question the fact that the residents of Harmonicas speak English but have their own words for terms of measurement, as noted in ongoing parenthetical asides: “I'm afraid you are yulhydrons (billions) of space-likets (light-years) away from your planet.” There are a few violent scenes that may be too much for very young readers: “The sword sliced through their midsections like a knife cuts through jelly.” Also, although the boys from Earth are described as modern-day teens, they tend to talk in a hokey, old-fashioned way, using phrases such as “jumpin’ jackfish” and “[m]y Dad’s going to tan my hide.” By the novel’s end, the three boys make it back to Earth, but they aren’t alone: Friends and foes from Harmonicas have joined them, setting the stage for a possible sequel.
Young readers will likely appreciate the twists, turns and touches of humor in this episodic adventure tale.Pub Date: Dec. 5, 2013
ISBN: 978-1489594433
Page Count: 328
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 7, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Brilliant.
Young heroes rise to the challenge of protecting their home, family, and world when a new villain threatens the Glimouria Archipelago and the Immortal in this third series entry.
“New trouble” comes to the sanctuary of Glimt when Irian Guinne is kidnapped and Teren, the young Immortal, is threatened. Christopher Forrester, former princess Anya, jaculus dragon Jacques, and ratatoska navigator Ratwin undertake a series of herculean tasks to fulfill the kidnappers’ demands and free Irian, all without Nighthand’s knowledge or help. Christopher seeks knowledge from Naravirala the sphinx to understand his new, deeper connection to creatures (“It is the people you love who anchor you”), while Anya leans into her warrior nature (“What if I was born to be brave?”). Meanwhile, bandits with ouroboros bracelets pillage and burn across the Archipelago at the command of Astor Morax, and a fearsome tiger spies through mirrors. The white-presenting leads’ quest to save Irian is central, but brief sections visit Irian, Nighthand, and beautiful, deadly Carla Venasque. The climactic Battle of Glimt features ferocity, cleverness, sacrifice, and bravery, and the ending is more Shakespearean comedy than tragedy—but the danger to Teren is not over, leaving eager readers to await the fourth installment. This is a perfectly paced, mythology-laced tale of action, adventure, and heart that reminds readers that “the only thing stronger than fear is love, unceasingly and exultantly given.” Final art not seen.
Brilliant. (map, bestiary) (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9780593809945
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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