by J. Clarke ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 28, 1991
In an engaging sequel to The Heroic Life of Al Capsella (1990), Al continues his affectionate sparring with parents who are almost as outlandish as they seem to his embarrassed 15-year- old eyes. Mrs. Capsella, successful author of romances, has given Al a notably lumpy, badly sewn, homemade beanbag chair that proves to contain all the ``Home Duties presents'' (apron, egg- timer, etc.) her mother had forced on her. Worse, she and his friends' parents are forever observing their young, resorting to ruses like borrowing each other's dogs in order to spy on unsupervised parties; they are also taking courses on how to deal with adolescents, resulting in transparently uncharacteristic tact and sympathetic concern. Meanwhile, Mrs. Capsella's truly bizarre parents come to stay and comment on her every move, precipitating the two younger generations into an alliance of sorts. The flavor here may be Australian, but the anxieties and fencing between parent and child are universal. What's special is Al's mellow tone: he may find his parents inconvenient or incomprehensible, but he views them with an amused tolerance that's both hilarious and endearing (and, one hopes, contagious). (Fiction. 11-15)
Pub Date: June 28, 1991
ISBN: 0-8050-1598-1
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1991
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by Bill Martin Jr & John Archambault & J. Clarke illustrated by Ted Rand
by Rae Carson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2011
Despite the stale fat-to-curvy pattern, compelling world building with a Southern European, pseudo-Christian feel,...
Adventure drags our heroine all over the map of fantasyland while giving her the opportunity to use her smarts.
Elisa—Princess Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza of Orovalle—has been chosen for Service since the day she was born, when a beam of holy light put a Godstone in her navel. She's a devout reader of holy books and is well-versed in the military strategy text Belleza Guerra, but she has been kept in ignorance of world affairs. With no warning, this fat, self-loathing princess is married off to a distant king and is embroiled in political and spiritual intrigue. War is coming, and perhaps only Elisa's Godstone—and knowledge from the Belleza Guerra—can save them. Elisa uses her untried strategic knowledge to always-good effect. With a character so smart that she doesn't have much to learn, body size is stereotypically substituted for character development. Elisa’s "mountainous" body shrivels away when she spends a month on forced march eating rat, and thus she is a better person. Still, it's wonderfully refreshing to see a heroine using her brain to win a war rather than strapping on a sword and charging into battle.
Despite the stale fat-to-curvy pattern, compelling world building with a Southern European, pseudo-Christian feel, reminiscent of Naomi Kritzer's Fires of the Faithful (2002), keeps this entry fresh. (Fantasy. 12-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-202648-4
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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by Laura Resau ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2006
When Clara Luna, 14, visits rural Mexico for the summer to visit the paternal grandparents she has never met, she cannot know her trip will involve an emotional and spiritual journey into her family’s past and a deep connection to a rich heritage of which she was barely aware. Long estranged from his parents, Clara’s father had entered the U.S. illegally years before, subsequently becoming a successful business owner who never spoke about what he left behind. Clara’s journey into her grandmother’s history (told in alternating chapters with Clara’s own first-person narrative) and her discovery that she, like her grandmother and ancestors, has a gift for healing, awakens her to the simple, mystical joys of a rural lifestyle she comes to love and wholly embrace. Painfully aware of not fitting into suburban teen life in her native Maryland, Clara awakens to feeling alive in Mexico and realizes a sweet first love with Pedro, a charming goat herder. Beautifully written, this is filled with evocative language that is rich in imagery and nuance and speaks to the connections that bind us all. Add a thrilling adventure and all the makings of an entrancing read are here. (glossaries) (Fiction. 12-14)
Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2006
ISBN: 0-385-73343-7
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2006
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by Patricia Gualinga & Laura Resau ; illustrated by Vanessa Jaramillo
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