A fun, frightening, and unfortunately not-so-futuristic techno-horror.
The latest in Kelly and Schrefer’s Black Mirror–esque series sees artificial intelligence wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting boy’s life.
Being the new kid at school is never easy, but Lewis is lucky to have met his popular neighbor Maia before the end of summer break. The Pandamonium his parents got him, an AI-powered stuffed panda, is less helpful—Panda Mo, as the toy calls himself, quickly begins pressuring Lewis into playing mean tricks on his elderly landlady/babysitter, Mrs. Bailey. The toy craze spreads to Maia and Lewis’ friend group, with each kid (except one) getting one of the plush creatures; each bears a different name, but they all have similar goals. Outspoken Maia’s resistance to the manipulative toys leads to her ostracization from the group; meanwhile, Panda Mo’s controlling behavior intensifies, and all the Pandamoniums begin adding parts to themselves to grow bigger for terrifyingly malevolent reasons. The weight of manipulative influence and the perils of peer pressure slowly build as Lewis and his friends come face-to-face with an AI-driven nightmare of monster proportions. A smooth, swift pace combines with abundant illustrations that drive home the creepy-cute combination; very real social fears amplify the emotional context. Lewis presents white; diversity is cued in the artwork and characters’ names.
A fun, frightening, and unfortunately not-so-futuristic techno-horror. (Horror. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9781464241079
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Stonefruit Studio/Sourcebooks
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
PERSPECTIVES
A deeply imaginative journey that puts the “cat” in cathartic.
A loyal black kitten’s boy is under supernatural attack.
Eleven-month-old Nimbus loves Fletcher, the boy who nursed her back to health following life-threatening injuries. When Fletcher becomes curious about a strange jar and opens it, releasing a terrible goblin, loyal Nim protects Fletcher, taking heavy damage in the process. But Fletcher’s aunt, who’s caring for him over spring break, believes Nim attacked Fletcher and dumps her far from home. Rhett, a stylish rat with star quality, befriends injured Nim and leads her to a witch’s house. While the witch cares for Nim, the witch’s cats (maternal Fern, bookish Rochester, standoffish Bianca, and openly hostile Abraxas) teach Nim important cat skills. She also discovers she has a supernatural ability: In destroying one eye of the nightmare demon in the fight to protect Fletcher, Nim gained its “dream sight.” But she also learns it might come back for Fletcher, who no longer has Nim to protect him, posing a time-sensitive, high-stakes threat. Even though the witch’s home is nice and magic itself seems to be telling her to stay put, Nim wants to find a way back to Fletcher. As a hero, Nimbus is as gritty and determined as she is adorable. Tear-jerker moments explore pet abandonment—readers may want their own pets on hand to hug—all the way through the magical, action-packed finale. Fletcher and the witch read white.
A deeply imaginative journey that puts the “cat” in cathartic. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780062680372
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Supernatural mystery meets generational drama with hopeful endings for all.
Eleven-year-old Frank must solve a supernatural mystery to save his new home.
As fifth grade comes to an end, Frank Fernández is looking forward to finally staying put in Alabama for a second year, as promised, after a childhood spent following his parents’ home renovation work all across the country. Frequent relocation has made Frank wary of forming friendships or making plans, but his hopes for more stability are temporarily dashed when his parents announce plans to renovate a lighthouse in the Florida Keys, near where his mother grew up and his father’s home country of Cuba. Papi promises this will be their last move, though: The lighthouse will be theirs. But from their first day on Spectacle Key, things seem to go wrong: Tensions rise between his parents, and Frank’s hopes of a forever home are under threat from seemingly supernatural forces. In order to put down roots, Frank and new ghostly friend Connie, a White girl with freckles, must discover what secrets the island is hiding, uncovering Frank’s own family roots along the way. Frank is a fan of horror—he names his new Great Dane puppy Mary Shelley. But though there is some mild peril to be found, rather than a ghostly thriller, this is an appealing, lightly spooky family drama with valuable lessons for those who would hide from a difficult past instead of confronting and healing generational trauma.
Supernatural mystery meets generational drama with hopeful endings for all. (Supernatural. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-313481-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
