This hope-filled book is a beautiful picture of broken humanity, a storytelling wonder.
“There is such a thing as honorable lying,” declares 11-year-old Lyndie B. Hawkins, who has a keen eye for history, research, and the truth.
It’s 1985. Lyndie and her parents have moved into her grandparents’ home in Love’s Forge, Tennessee. Her dad is a Vietnam War veteran who drinks in his car and disappears for days. Her classmates taunt her about her “Hippie Commie Alabama Trash” mother, who stays locked in her room with headaches. What really sticks in her craw, though, is her grandma Lady, who is determined to mold her into a well-mannered Southern girl, demanding silence about their family secrets. But a newfound friendship with a boy named D.B. from the frightful Pure Visions juvenile detention center sparks in her the courage to find and speak the truth. The hills and valleys of the Smoky Mountains mirror this prideful Southern family, full of pain and loyalty and the importance of appearances. Teasing out the details of D.B.’s troubled life allows Lyndie to re-evaluate the varnished truth of both her own family and that of where she lives. Were her white ancestors really the first to settle Love’s Forge? More immediately, what happened to Daddy in Vietnam? Why does Lady keep secrets? Daddy says, “You’d best take care, what you lend your heart to.” Readers will lose their hearts to this sassy and aching heroine. Full of Southern toughness and mountain charm, her fierce and funny voice fills the pages with fine storytelling.
This hope-filled book is a beautiful picture of broken humanity, a storytelling wonder. (Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-525-42845-9
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Kathy Dawson/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Dec. 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
An intriguing, fast-paced fantasy adventure.
A Korean American tween unlocks hidden magical powers to fulfill her destiny and save her family from a vengeful ancient spirit.
Twelve-year-old Lia Park aspires to one day work at the International Magic Agency, fighting monsters and protecting the world. But Lia’s unsure about her future because, unlike best friend Joon, she hasn’t yet manifested any magical abilities. Before she can take the annual entrance exam for the IMA school, her skills are unexpectedly tested when she discovers her California home ransacked and her parents missing. A message to bring Gaya the missing jewel in exchange for her parents leaves her confused and bewildered: She has no idea who Gaya is or what jewel the kidnapper is talking about. Following clues left by her parents, Lia travels with Joon to Korea to find the jewel that will save her family. While motivated to solve the mystery, Lia also becomes frustrated that her parents’ overprotectiveness kept her from knowing the truth about her powers and the threat Gaya poses. Tense scenes set up the high stakes involved in her quest. This contemporary tale incorporates Korean history, national landmarks, and mythology in an engaging way. Korean words and phrases are also woven throughout the text, reinforcing Lia’s connection to her culture and its integral role in the story.
An intriguing, fast-paced fantasy adventure. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-8793-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
On equal footing with a garden-variety potato.
The new kid in school endures becoming the school mascot.
Ben Hardy has never cared for potatoes, and this distaste has become a barrier to adjusting to life in his new Idaho town. His school’s mascot is the Spud, and after a series of misfortunes, Ben is enlisted to don the potato costume and cheer on his school’s team. Ben balances his duties as a life-sized potato against his desperate desire to hide the fact that he’s the dork in the suit. After all, his cute new crush, Jayla, wouldn’t be too impressed to discover Ben’s secret. The ensuing novel is a fairly boilerplate middle–grade narrative: snarky tween protagonist, the crush that isn’t quite what she seems, and a pair of best friends that have more going on than our hero initially believes. The author keeps the novel moving quickly, pushing forward with witty asides and narrative momentum so fast that readers won’t really mind that the plot’s spine is one they’ve encountered many times before. Once finished, readers will feel little resonance and move on to the next book in their to-read piles, but in the moment the novel is pleasant enough. Ben, Jayla, and Ben’s friend Hunter are white while Ellie, Ben’s other good pal, is Latina.
On equal footing with a garden-variety potato. (Fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: March 24, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-11866-5
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
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