A quick-witted and amusing outer-space escapade.
In Horn’s debut children’s SF novel, a human third grader, adopted by aliens, has various adventures.
For young Eudora Jenkins, life aboard the spaceship Athenais a daily challenge to make mischief. During a class field trip, she seeks to fire the ship’s plasma cannons, perhaps the most important weapons in the entire space fleet. Her detailed plan includes the use of a hypersonic shocking device she invented, but its execution lands her in the brig and in trouble with her mother. Eudora and her conscientious older sister are human and were adopted at a young age by Wilma, a doglike alien from the planet Pox, and Max, from the planet Pow, who’s close to an octopus in appearance. Eudora’s next endeavor is to engineer the Athenato pass 10 on the HyperDrive-O-Meter, which has never been done before. However, she aspires to be an officer in the AstroFleet one day, and although her love of science and math are well suited for such a career, will her rebellious experiments keep her from her dreams? Horn’s fast-paced, space-themed drama will intrigue and entertain young readers. Eudora’s quirky but focused perspective allows curious kids to ponder the possibilities of life on a spaceship, and her authentic narration is quick and witty. The protagonist’s passion for knowledge is equaled by her energy and ambition, making her a strong role model. Shipman’s illustrations complement the story’s tone and ably portray its uncommon elements. The plot is lighthearted in its approach; however, as a result, Eudora faces few consequences for her pranks, and she seems to achieve her lofty goal a bit too easily. And although the swift pace will keep readers engaged, it leaves little room to explore Eudora’s thoughts about her relationship with her adoptive parents. Overall, this series starter leaves room for further character development and perhaps more serious adventures.
A quick-witted and amusing outer-space escapade.Pub Date: July 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73-667740-7
Page Count: 98
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Dizzyingly silly.
The famous superhero returns to fight another villain with all the trademark wit and humor the series is known for.
Despite the title, Captain Underpants is bizarrely absent from most of this adventure. His school-age companions, George and Harold, maintain most of the spotlight. The creative chums fool around with time travel and several wacky inventions before coming upon the evil Turbo Toilet 2000, making its return for vengeance after sitting out a few of the previous books. When the good Captain shows up to save the day, he brings with him dynamic action and wordplay that meet the series’ standards. The Captain Underpants saga maintains its charm even into this, the 11th volume. The epic is filled to the brim with sight gags, toilet humor, flip-o-ramas and anarchic glee. Holding all this nonsense together is the author’s good-natured sense of harmless fun. The humor is never gross or over-the-top, just loud and innocuous. Adults may roll their eyes here and there, but youngsters will eat this up just as quickly as they devoured every other Underpants episode.
Dizzyingly silly. (Humor. 8-10)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-50490-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale.
After a tsunami devastates their habitat in the Salish Sea, a young orca and her brother embark on a remarkable adventure.
Vega’s matriarchal family expects her to become a hunter and wayfinder, with her younger brother, Deneb, protecting and supporting her. Invited to guide her family to their Gathering Place to hunt salmon, Vega’s underwater miscalculations endanger them all, and an embarrassed Vega questions whether she should be a wayfinder. When the baby sister she hoped would become her life companion is stillborn, a distraught Vega carries the baby away to a special resting place, shocking her grieving family. Dispatched to find his missing sister, Deneb locates Vega in the midst of a terrible tsunami. To escape the waters polluted by shattered boats, Vega leads Deneb into unfamiliar open sea. Alone and hungry, the young siblings encounter a spectacular giant whale and travel briefly with shark-hunting orcas. Trusting her instincts and gaining emotional strength from contemplating the vastness of the sky, Vega knows she must lead her brother home and help save her surviving family. In alternating first-person voices, Vega and Deneb tell their harrowing story, engaging young readers while educating them about the marine ecosystem. Realistic black-and-white illustrations enhance the maritime setting.
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale. (maps, wildlife facts, tribes of the Salish Sea watershed, environmental and geographical information, how to help orcas, author’s note, artist’s note, resources) (Animal fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-299592-6
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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