Catnip for established fans.
Feral felines face power struggles after a regime change.
In this full-color graphic adaptation of the popular Warriors series, brown tabby Mudclaw is the deputy for the WindClan, one of the many cat clans residing in a new territory uninhabited by the Twolegs. As second-in-command, Mudclaw is poised to take over for WindClan’s leader, Tallstar, but as Tallstar’s health declines, he names a different successor, known as Onewhisker, dividing the clan and angering Mudclaw. When he is approached by a cat from a neighboring clan, Mudclaw begins to worry that Onewhisker will steer the clan in a more collaborative direction, something that he vehemently opposes. Dissension grows amid the shifting dynamics, secret alliances are formed, and soon the politics have turned positively catty. An unexpected and shocking ending does not disappoint. Barry’s kinetic illustrations give a visual boost for tracking the large cast of characters, and his bright jewel tones and the cats’ expressive faces enhance the atmosphere. Jolley’s tale is extremely timely, shining a light on the dangers of political isolationism and how easily the seeds of mistrust are sowed. The intrigue runs at a four-pawed fever pitch; however, those unfamiliar with this broad and sweeping world may find themselves lost in the copious character name-drops, virtually nonexistent recaps, and series-specific lexicon.
Catnip for established fans. (Graphic fantasy. 8-11)Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-304323-7
Page Count: 224
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
An homage to classic fantasies for an audience willing to suspend all disbelief and just go along for the ride.
Miss Petitfour is a quirky, creative, charming, magical cat lover.
The narrator speaks directly to readers in a schoolmarmish sort of voice, first introducing the heroine and each of her 16 cats. Each odd, whimsical adventure involves Miss Petitfour’s ability to use carefully selected tablecloths as a means of flying around her village, with her cats forming a kind of kite tail or ballast. There is nothing normal about this village or any of its inhabitants. There are handsome, giant-sized shop signs and delightfully named villagers who are perfectly accepting of Miss Petitfour’s aeronautic abilities. Michaels employs a rhythmic syntax that provides long descriptive lists of everything from the items in a jumble sale through the rare stamps in an album to silly book titles. The names of each of the 16 cats are repeated again and again. Woven through the tales are instructions on the techniques of storytelling. Examples of digressions and key phrases that move the story along, such as “fortunately” and “then one day,” are explained and demonstrated. A multitude of words that tickle the tongue—“gesticulating,” “propitious”—are defined within the stories. These words and phrases are flagged with italics or uppercase letters and printed in colored ink. Block’s charming, full-color illustrations complement the tales in a decidedly mid-20th-century modern style.
An homage to classic fantasies for an audience willing to suspend all disbelief and just go along for the ride. (Fantasy. 8-11)Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-77049-500-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
Aswim with good feelings and cogent points to ponder.
A gregarious harbor porpoise gains an expanded circle of land-based friends and allies in this sequel to A Dog’s Porpoise (2019).
Into this second wholesome, joyfully splashy episode, the pun-loving author folds both sober concerns about the hazards of human–wild animal interactions and a cautionary subplot about being too quick to judge others. Lars the dog is delighted to dive in with Natalie, his adopted human, to play with finny, friendly harbor porpoise Bangor. But a likewise playful river otter, soon dubbed “Marina” by charmed observers, arrives to replace him as the center of attention. Worse yet (from Natalie’s point of view, anyway), the furry new visitor brings not only a fresh flood of reporters and tourists to sleepy Ogunquit, Maine, but also a standoffish stranger, formerly associated with an abusive roadside animal attraction, who asks ominously sharp questions about exactly where the otter and Bangor’s family pod are most often spotted. As it turns out, the stranger’s motives are actually benign, and no sooner does he voice warnings about how being too comfortable around humans can place wild animals in danger than Bangor is wounded in a collision with a boat and beached. This crisis sets the stage for both a dramatic rescue (in which even Lars and the otter play important roles) and better relations all round. The mildly anthropomorphic creature cast is joined by a human one that’s cued white.
Aswim with good feelings and cogent points to ponder. (Fiction. 8-11)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9781339019833
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
© Copyright 2025 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.
