A tale about a perilous rescue operation that delivers a sweet, all-ages romp, leaving room for further escapades.
In this debut middle-grade fantasy, a teen prince and his beautiful young companion sneak off on an adventure to save a nearby village.
Thirteen-year-old Bennett is the son of Matthew Kladivo II, king of peaceful Ziemia. Bennett grows up safe and wealthy, but he longs for exploits like those enjoyed by the knights who visit the castle. One day, the knights mention that the people of the Southern Mountains struggle against invaders from the neighboring kingdom of Lomar. The largest village under siege, Cortus, owns an enchanted cylinder of stone called the Zoldox. The Zoldox possesses the power to keep away a savage troglodyte race called the Edu. When Bennett travels with his uncle and Ziemia’s soldiers to Cortus, they learn that the Zoldox has been stolen. Bennett also spies a lovely girl his age named Melissa, whose family has requested protection from the army. Eventually, Bennett gets to know Melissa, who reveals that her two younger cousins have vanished. The prince tells her: “If the Edu captured your cousins, they are probably already dead and eaten, but there is also a good chance that bandits captured [them].” As Melissa vows to take action, Bennett summons the courage to accompany her wherever the mission leads. Kucera builds a charming tale that should entice middle-grade and classical fantasy readers alike. He offers colorful descriptions (the Edu have “thick, tough, gray, almost bluish skin, which was sparsely covered with thick, dark gray bristles”) accompanied by spot-on illustrations by Cerv. In entertaining passages, the author creates fantasy situations that utilize genuine biology. When the kids sneak into the Edu caverns, they crush ladybugs on their bodies because “they would hide the scent of Bennett and Melissa and, at the same time, give off a natural smell the Edu would be familiar with.” Though the narrative is short, it includes the excellent lesson that “a clever mind can defeat more enemies than a sharp sword.” Kucera’s ending places his characters in an intriguing quandary.
A tale about a perilous rescue operation that delivers a sweet, all-ages romp, leaving room for further escapades.Pub Date: July 14, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5246-1835-3
Page Count: 146
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: Aug. 24, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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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