by Elaine Russell illustrated by Jackie Pope ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 3, 2012
A middle-grade adventure story with plenty of action and an engaging plot, which may appeal to fans of the Indiana Jones...
Russell (Across the Mekong River, 2012, etc.) returns with her second middle-grade adventure story about the teen hero of Martin McMillan and the Lost Inca City (2005), who this time finds himself tracking down criminals in Thailand.
Martin McMillan’s father works at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, where he is about to open the “Treasures of Thailand” exhibition, featuring an enigmatic statue known as Ruby Elephant, which is rumored to hold the key to a long-lost hoard of treasure belonging to a 16th-century Thai prince. Martin and his friends get caught up in the disappearance of the elephant, and the trail leads them to Thailand, where—despite the misgivings of their parents—they vow to unravel the clues and find the missing treasure. Their adventure includes details of dynastic battles between Thai rulers and descriptions of ancient temples that are at times intrusive, breaking up the narrative flow, but the action is fast-paced as Martin and his friends plunge deeper and deeper into danger. In attempting to provide excitement, the story sometimes goes too far, such as when Martin, who has just turned 13, and his friend Isabel find themselves taken hostage by a dangerous gang, gagged and bound, only to escape in an abandoned car, despite having next to no driving experience. The book also offers an inconsistent characterization of Junya, a Thai girl with a less than perfect command of English, who at one point relates the complicated history of King Naresuan’s nephew Prince Luang without stumbling and at other moments has difficulty finding simple words. The text has occasional typos, such as spelling a character’s name “Sofia” and “Sophia” on the same page, but the story is engaging and peppered with surprises, and the background of Thailand is well-drawn.
A middle-grade adventure story with plenty of action and an engaging plot, which may appeal to fans of the Indiana Jones movies.Pub Date: July 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-1475149807
Page Count: 216
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 23, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Pete Seeger & Paul Dubois Jacobs & illustrated by Michael Hays ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2001
The seemingly ageless Seeger brings back his renowned giant for another go in a tuneful tale that, like the art, is a bit sketchy, but chockful of worthy messages. Faced with yearly floods and droughts since they’ve cut down all their trees, the townsfolk decide to build a dam—but the project is stymied by a boulder that is too huge to move. Call on Abiyoyo, suggests the granddaughter of the man with the magic wand, then just “Zoop Zoop” him away again. But the rock that Abiyoyo obligingly flings aside smashes the wand. How to avoid Abiyoyo’s destruction now? Sing the monster to sleep, then make it a peaceful, tree-planting member of the community, of course. Seeger sums it up in a postscript: “every community must learn to manage its giants.” Hays, who illustrated the original (1986), creates colorful, if unfinished-looking, scenes featuring a notably multicultural human cast and a towering Cubist fantasy of a giant. The song, based on a Xhosa lullaby, still has that hard-to-resist sing-along potential, and the themes of waging peace, collective action, and the benefits of sound ecological practices are presented in ways that children will both appreciate and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-83271-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
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by Pete Seeger & Paul Dubois Jacobs & illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
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by Janice Boland & illustrated by G. Brian Karas ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1996
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
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