Marvelously clever and cool.
“Plus Ultra!” The young Pathfinders—Kyle, Beth, Vic, Harry, and Nate—push forward to unravel the mysteries of Windrose Valley and its enigmatic protector, Henry Merriweather.
The adventure resumes where it left off at the end of series opener The Mystery of the Moon Tower (2020). Having uncovered a secret staircase in a forbidding cave, the Pathfinders descend into an immense crystal cavern and follow the pawprints of Merriweather’s faithful pup, Asher. With the treasures they’ve discovered in hand, including Merriweather’s journal, the five explorers navigate an underground trail network in search of Windrose’s mythic treasure. Danger lurks in every nook: towering, threatening waves, weird weather, onerous puffs of noxious air, and a fearsome creature known as Creeper. As the Pathfinders solve Merriweather’s riddles and scour the local historical society’s archives for more clues, they unearth a sinister plot to exploit Windrose’s minerals (and perhaps more). Like its predecessor, Sedita and Seraydarian’s plot packs a ton of humor, mystery, and action to enthrall fans of fantastical fun adventures. A diverse set of characters—new and old—as well as a commitment to the series’ weirdness, magical forays into time warps, and an appreciation for historical curiosities continue to make this tale a worthwhile endeavor. Hamaker’s artwork, meanwhile, offers just the right amount of zany energy in its paneling and its eye-catching use of colors and secondary details. A fabulous cliffhanger ending will leave readers wanting more.
Marvelously clever and cool. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: July 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-425-29189-4
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A fun little adventure brimming with Disney intellectual-property synergy.
A young mouse earns her place among a secret society of world-savers.
Bernadette is a small rodent with big ambitions: joining the Mouse Watch, an elite team of mice that protect the world from evil while keeping themselves secret from humans. Bernie has long dreamed of joining her idol, Gadget Hackwrench (the female lead of Disney’s popular cartoon Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers), and going on gizmo-filled, adrenaline-fueled adventures. As a new recruit of the Watch, Bernie befriends Jarvis, a sensitive rat with puzzle-solving skills to spare. The two rodents flit from set piece to set piece, uncovering a dastardly plot concocted by the devilish Dr. Thornpaw that could turn the world upside down. Readers familiar with Rescue Rangers will find similar rhythms here: a precise blend of jokes, action, and plucky young heroes ambitious to prove themselves. The novel is smartly paced, keeping readers pushing forward but with just enough assurance that everything will turn out OK in the end. It’s a comfort read, one that tees up a sequel in its final pages and points back just enough to Rescue Rangers that young readers interested in exploring more of this world won’t be disappointed (provided their families have subscribed to Disney +).
A fun little adventure brimming with Disney intellectual-property synergy. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: April 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-368-05218-4
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Wholesome shading to bland, but well-stocked with exotic creatures and locales, plus an agreeable cast headed by a child...
A San Diego preteen learns that she’s an elf, with a place in magic school if she moves to the elves’ hidden realm.
Having felt like an outsider since a knock on the head at age 5 left her able to read minds, Sophie is thrilled when hunky teen stranger Fitz convinces her that she’s not human at all and transports her to the land of Lumenaria, where the ageless elves live. Taken in by a loving couple who run a sanctuary for extinct and mythical animals, Sophie quickly gathers friends and rivals at Foxfire, a distinctly Hogwarts-style school. She also uncovers both clues to her mysterious origins and hints that a rash of strangely hard-to-quench wildfires back on Earth are signs of some dark scheme at work. Though Messenger introduces several characters with inner conflicts and ambiguous agendas, Sophie herself is more simply drawn as a smart, radiant newcomer who unwillingly becomes the center of attention while developing what turn out to be uncommonly powerful magical abilities—reminiscent of the younger Harry Potter, though lacking that streak of mischievousness that rescues Harry from seeming a little too perfect. The author puts her through a kidnapping and several close brushes with death before leaving her poised, amid hints of a higher destiny and still-anonymous enemies, for sequels.
Wholesome shading to bland, but well-stocked with exotic creatures and locales, plus an agreeable cast headed by a child who, while overly fond of screaming, rises to every challenge. (Fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-4593-2
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: July 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2012
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