An imaginative coming-of-age quest tale with a compelling hook.
A boy discovers that his epilepsy gives him special powers in this YA SF/fantasy novel.
For sixth grader Chance Dawson, 12, avoiding stress is essential to staving off epileptic seizures. But anxiety is inevitable when soldiers come to his school and round up teenage athletes, including Chance’s older brother, Paul. The official explanation is that terrorists have overrun an important research facility, and the invaders could be supersoldiers created through “self-directed evolutionary techniques.” Two years ago, all United States teenagers 15 years old and over were required to register for the draft. Now, a test group of draftees will undergo the same techniques. Though authorities urge calm, Chance is consumed with worry. He seeks tranquility in his treehouse but has a new stressor when a strangely attired man suddenly appears. His name is Esri, an Omnituen, and he’s here to help Chance harness his epilepsy—not a disorder but a gift that can help him rescue his brother and benefit the whole world. Doubtful but desperate, Chance is trained in navigating the Unseen dimension and connecting with people in the Seen, his own realm. Though barely ready, Chance must find the strength to pull off a daring rescue. The youngster with extraordinary abilities and a special destiny is a common theme, but Carter freshens the concept in this inventive series opener. As a still-mysterious, incurable, and often debilitating disorder, epilepsy is a fitting, intriguing choice for the kind of challenge that becomes a hero’s strongest asset. The complications of the Unseen world—not all of its inhabitants are as benign as Esri—present obstacles that heighten the urgency. Though Esri’s lore can become somewhat dry, a final action sequence is exciting and well described.
An imaginative coming-of-age quest tale with a compelling hook. (YA science-fiction novel, 10-18)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-08-794063-2
Page Count: 258
Publisher: Indy Pub
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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