Pirates, mermaids, and more mystery in this satisfying return to Pumpkin Falls.
In this latest Pumpkin Falls Mystery, Truly Lovejoy reprises her role as a “middle school private eye.”
Anticipating a “perfect New Hampshire summer in Pumpkin Falls spent bird-watching, bike riding, swimming, working in her family’s bookstore, and hanging out with friends—especially crush Calhoun—Truly survives her family reunion and the town’s 4K race only to find herself unexpectedly exiled to Sirena’s Sea Siren Academy on Cape Cod. Here, she’s immersed in all things mermaid, learns to swim wearing a sparkly tail—and discovers a possible link between a real pirate and one of her Lovejoy ancestors. Returning to Pumpkin Falls, Truly alerts fellow sleuths in the Pumpkin Falls Private Eyes to the possibility of pirate treasure buried locally. Splitting time among investigating the pirate mystery, finding the town’s missing silver pumpkin trophy, and a summer production of The Pirates of Penzance, spunky Truly proves she’s up for just about anything. Her vulnerable, humorous first-person narration reveals minor family frustrations, her attraction to Calhoun, and her resolve when faced with a challenge. The pace drags during the opening family reunion sequence but accelerates at mermaid camp and culminates in an action-packed finale. Eccentric new and returning characters and the mermaid/pirate theme add spice to this family-oriented adventure. Truly and her family are white; diversity in Pumpkin Falls is mostly suggested via naming convention.
Pirates, mermaids, and more mystery in this satisfying return to Pumpkin Falls. (recipe, suggested reading) (Mystery. 10-14)Pub Date: June 30, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-1437-2
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
Some readers may feel that the resolution comes a mite too easily, but most will enjoy the journey and be pleased when...
Two sisters make an unauthorized expedition to their former hometown and in the process bring together the two parts of their divided family.
Dooley packs plenty of emotion into this eventful road trip, which takes place over the course of less than 24 hours. Twelve-year-old Ophelia, nicknamed Fella, and her 16-year-old sister, Zoey Grace, aka Zany, are the daughters of a lesbian couple, Shannon and Lacy, who could not legally marry. The two white girls squabble and share memories as they travel from West Virginia to Asheville, North Carolina, where Zany is determined to scatter Mama Lacy’s ashes in accordance with her wishes. The year is 2004, before the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage, and the girls have been separated by hostile, antediluvian custodial laws. Fella’s present-tense narration paints pictures not just of the difficulties they face on the trip (a snowstorm, car trouble, and an unlikely thief among them), but also of their lives before Mama Lacy’s illness and of the ways that things have changed since then. Breathless and engaging, Fella’s distinctive voice is convincingly childlike. The conversations she has with her sister, as well as her insights about their relationship, likewise ring true. While the girls face serious issues, amusing details and the caring adults in their lives keep the tone relatively light.
Some readers may feel that the resolution comes a mite too easily, but most will enjoy the journey and be pleased when Fella’s family figures out how to come together in a new way . (Historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-16504-7
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 31, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick.
An elderly witch, a magical girl, a brave carpenter, a wise monster, a tiny dragon, paper birds, and a madwoman converge to thwart a magician who feeds on sorrow.
Every year Elders of the Protectorate leave a baby in the forest, warning everyone an evil Witch demands this sacrifice. In reality, every year, a kind witch named Xan rescues the babies and find families for them. One year Xan saves a baby girl with a crescent birthmark who accidentally feeds on moonlight and becomes “enmagicked.” Magic babies can be tricky, so Xan adopts little Luna herself and lovingly raises her, with help from an ancient swamp monster and a chatty, wee dragon. Luna’s magical powers emerge as her 13th birthday approaches. Meanwhile, Luna’s deranged real mother enters the forest to find her daughter. Simultaneously, a young carpenter from the Protectorate enters the forest to kill the Witch and end the sacrifices. Xan also enters the forest to rescue the next sacrificed child, and Luna, the monster, and the dragon enter the forest to protect Xan. In the dramatic denouement, a volcano erupts, the real villain attempts to destroy all, and love prevails. Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces. Luna has black eyes, curly, black hair, and “amber” skin.
Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick. (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61620-567-6
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Algonquin
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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