Here’s hoping new books will arrive before the current intended audience moves on to larger tomes.
A resilient and self-reliant young princess must save her kingdom from nefarious forces in the first installment of a new chapter-book series.
Princess Jesireen’s parents, King Willem and Queen Eris of East Waveborn, and her older sister, Princess Alex, have been called away, leaving Jes in the care of a stranger called Lady Umber. If “anything comes up” while the king and queen are away, this stern, sharp-featured woman will rule as regent. When Jes discovers Lady Umber’s plot to assassinate the royal family, the intrepid 9-year-old springs into action. She can’t allow this evil woman to control her country! As Jes meets with royal children from the other Waveborn islands, she finds out the other kings and queens are dead and have been replaced with regents—all of whom, although their names differ, look and sound like Lady Umber. Who’s behind this plan to take over the islands? A short-tempered, physically active princess in boy’s clothing; a woman pirate–turned-housekeeper; a just and democratic monarchy; and energy produced by volcanic steam—this ambitious chapter book packs a punch. The character development and neatly structured world with a fleshed-out history are accompanied by lots of action and humor. Most characters, including Jes, her family, and Lady Umber, are assumed white; Jes’ booby-trap–happy fellow royal, Princess Amalia, has brown skin, as does Jes’ parents’ airship captain.
Here’s hoping new books will arrive before the current intended audience moves on to larger tomes. (Fantasy. 6-10)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-944821-32-6
Page Count: 96
Publisher: CBAY
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Dizzyingly silly.
The famous superhero returns to fight another villain with all the trademark wit and humor the series is known for.
Despite the title, Captain Underpants is bizarrely absent from most of this adventure. His school-age companions, George and Harold, maintain most of the spotlight. The creative chums fool around with time travel and several wacky inventions before coming upon the evil Turbo Toilet 2000, making its return for vengeance after sitting out a few of the previous books. When the good Captain shows up to save the day, he brings with him dynamic action and wordplay that meet the series’ standards. The Captain Underpants saga maintains its charm even into this, the 11th volume. The epic is filled to the brim with sight gags, toilet humor, flip-o-ramas and anarchic glee. Holding all this nonsense together is the author’s good-natured sense of harmless fun. The humor is never gross or over-the-top, just loud and innocuous. Adults may roll their eyes here and there, but youngsters will eat this up just as quickly as they devoured every other Underpants episode.
Dizzyingly silly. (Humor. 8-10)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-50490-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
With plenty left to be resolved, the next entry will be eagerly sought after.
Drake has been selected by the king to serve as a Dragon Master, quite a change for an 8-year-old farmer boy.
The dragons are a secret, and the reason King Roland has them is a mystery, but what is clear is that the Dragon Stone has identified Drake as one of the rare few children who have a special connection with dragons and the ability to serve as a trainer. Drake’s dragon is a long brown creature with, at first, no particular talents that Drake can identify. He calls the dragon Worm. It isn’t long before Drake begins to realize he has a very strong connection with Worm and can share what seem to be his dragon’s thoughts. After one of the other Dragon Masters decides to illicitly take the dragons outside, disaster strikes. The cave they are passing through collapses, blocking the passageway, and then Worm’s special talent becomes evident. The first of a new series of early chapter books, this entry is sure to attract fans. Brief chapters, large print, lots of action, attractive illustrations in every spread, including a maplike panorama, an enviable protagonist—who wouldn’t want to be a Dragon Master?—all combine to make an entertaining read.
With plenty left to be resolved, the next entry will be eagerly sought after. (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-64624-6
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Branches/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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