An enchanting, gently humorous all-ages family read-aloud.
A young witch makes her way in the world, encountering adventure and friendship along the way.
On her coming-of-age day, 13-year-old Kiki and her talking black cat, Jiji, fly on her broom to find a town in need of a witch. Kiki settles in Koriko, a busy, seaside city. The citizens aren’t used to witches, but Kiki’s charming, helpful nature eventually wins them over as they come to rely on her titular business. Whether she’s saving swimmers at the beach, delivering a secret love note, or ensuring the success of the New Year’s celebration, Kiki’s first year in Koriko is anything but dull! Readers may already be familiar with Kiki from Hayao Miyazaki’s 1989 film version. Originally published in Japan in 1985, the book first appeared in the U.S. with illustrations by Akiko Hayashi and in a translation by Lynne E. Riggs. This new translation from Balistrieri is descriptive and whimsical, and both characters’ names and their appearances in Onoda’s anime-inflected illustrations create a Japanese-inspired fantasy world. The characters’ quirkiness creates the feeling that Kiki’s future will be filled with countless friends and adventures. There are mishaps galore but never any real danger, as Kiki always finds a solution using creativity, intelligence, and a dash of magic. Families looking for a book to share will appreciate the episodic chapters.
An enchanting, gently humorous all-ages family read-aloud. (Fantasy. 5-12)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9666-7
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
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
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun
It’s been 42 days since the Monster Apocalypse began, and 13-year-old Jack Sullivan, a self-proclaimed “zombie-fighting, monster-slaying tornado of cool” is on a quest to find and rescue his not-so-secret crush, June Del Toro, whether she needs it, wants it, or not.
Jack cobbles together an unlikely but endearing crew, including his scientist best friend, Quint Baker; Dirk Savage, Parker Middle School’s biggest bully; and a pet monster named Rover, to help him save the damsel in distress and complete the “ULTIMATE Feat of Apocalyptic Success.” Middle-grade readers, particularly boys, will find Jack’s pitch-perfect mix of humor, bravado, and self-professed geekiness impossible to resist. His sidekicks are equally entertaining, and it doesn’t hurt that there are also plenty of oozing, drooling, sharp-toothed monsters and zombies and a host of gizmos and gadgets to hook readers and keep them cheering with every turn of the page. Holgate’s illustrations play an integral role in the novel’s success. They not only bring Brallier’s characters to life, but also add depth and detail to the story, making plain just exactly how big Rover is and giving the lie to Jack’s “killer driving.” The marriage of text and illustration serves as a perfect example of what an illustrated novel can and should be.
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun (. (Graphic/horror hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-670-01661-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
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