In this paint-by-numbers spin-off from the popular Dragonology (2003) and its many progeny, Steer pitches two young apprentice dragonologists into a struggle between scientific dragon researcher Dr. Ernest Drake and his unscrupulous rival, Ignatius Crook, for control of a powerful talisman. Thrilled to discover not only that dragons exist, but that their absent parents have actually been off in India for the past four years on a secret dragon rescue project, impulsive Daniel and his spunky sister Beatrice are repeatedly ambushed, captured, threatened and tricked by Crook and his evil Russian ally Alexandra Gorynytchka, while trailing Dr. Drake in search of a gem that’s one of 12 hidden “treasures” with assorted magical properties. Unabashedly pandering to rabid dracophiles, the author has dragons, though supposedly rare, popping up continually in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and also gives his learned Doctor no compunctions about taking timeouts for lectures on dragon lore. Though illustrated with full-page, elaborately detailed views of characters and creatures, this outing is not only trite, it lacks the visual appeal of its “nonfictional” predecessors. (Fantasy. 10-12)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-7636-2810-7
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2006
BOOK REVIEW
Twenty-four 12-year-olds take off on a million-dollar race around the world in this unlikely adventure. Adam Story, recruited by a mysterious stranger on his school playground, is only too happy to avoid going to soccer camp and take on the challenge of circling the globe in less than 40 days. Adam’s willingness to trust a stranger and deceive his mother is only the first unsettling (and improbable) detail in this deliberately madcap romp. Throne-less royalty, teenagers with blowguns, elaborate rules, well-appointed detention centers, and a parade of sketchily drawn traveling companions are all jumbled together as Adam catalogues the time zones he travels through. Shelley’s cartoon-style black-and-white illustrations highlight details but don’t add much appeal. Adam, in particular, looks younger than his years, making the action seem even more unbelievable. Evans works hard to create suspense but most readers guess the outcome—and aren’t likely to slog through the whole story to find out how Adam succeeds. Fast-paced, but not a real contender. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2004
ISBN: 1-932425-13-6
Page Count: 232
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2004
A handsomely repackaged edition of a WWII-era pastoral fantasy, with Watkins-Pitchford/BB’s witty white-on-black illustrations. The plot, involving three gnomes who set off upstream in search of a fourth who went a-questing two years earlier, is thoroughly wrapped in rhapsodic descriptions of bird song and nodding wildflowers, bubbling waters, breezes and storms, grassy pastures, the pleasures of angling, and nature observed from ground level. For all the idyllic passages, though, there’s a surprising amount of danger, as the gnomes barely survive stoat and fox attacks, shipwreck, near-starvation, and other hazards—while giving as good as many of their animal friends have gotten along the way by engineering the death of a feared, gun-happy human gamekeeper. The casual attitude toward violence, plus the strong tendency of female characters, human or otherwise, to be foolish homebodies, give the tale’s attitudes an antique flavor, but fans of Wind in the Willows will feel right at home—the cloven-hoofed Pan even makes an appearance. The story winds down to a happy twist at the end. Given patient listeners, this Carnegie Medal–winner makes a leisurely but finally engaging read-aloud. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-06-055448-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2004
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