This series opener is definitely not for arachnophobes or those easily frightened, but stouthearted readers happy to suspend...
People who can commune with animals populate this urban fantasy for middle-grade readers.
Homeless 13-year-old Caw lives with his three loyal crows in a city called Blackstone. A recurring dream torments him: Caw’s parents fling him out of his bedroom window into the air, where he’s caught by crows and carried to safety. Eight years after this expulsion, Caw still doesn’t understand, but a new element to the dream—an evil man with a spider ring—offers a clue. While searching for answers with his new human friend, Lydia, Caw meets a homeless man called Crumb, who informs Caw that the boy is a feral, like him: a person who can talk to and control a certain type of animal. Through Crumb and other ferals, Caw learns that the man from his dreams, the Spinning Man, is determined to return from the Land of the Dead and needs Caw as well as a band of renegade ferals to do so. It’s pushing credulity that the Spinning Man’s minions are as thoroughly inept as they turn out to be, and while the dangers Caw faces—and his responses to their outcomes—are believable, his ability to learn new skills (literally overnight) and succeed against those with many more years of experience may confound readers.
This series opener is definitely not for arachnophobes or those easily frightened, but stouthearted readers happy to suspend their disbelief may enjoy the urban setting and fast-paced plot. (Fantasy. 9-14)Pub Date: April 28, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-232103-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at and references to children’s book titles, this solid, tightly plotted read...
When a lock-in becomes a reality game, 12-year-old Kyle Keeley and his friends use library resources to find their way out of Alexandriaville’s new public library.
The author of numerous mysteries for children and adults turns his hand to a puzzle adventure with great success. Starting with the premise that billionaire game-maker Luigi Lemoncello has donated a fortune to building a library in a town that went without for 12 years, Grabenstein cleverly uses the tools of board and video games—hints and tricks and escape hatches—to enhance this intricate and suspenseful story. Twelve 12-year-old winners of an essay contest get to be the first to see the new facility and, as a bonus, to play his new escape game. Lemoncello’s gratitude to the library of his childhood extends to providing a helpful holographic image of his 1968 librarian, but his modern version also includes changing video screens, touch-screen computers in the reading desks and an Electronic Learning Center as well as floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stretching up three stories. Although the characters, from gamer Kyle to schemer Charles Chiltington, are lightly developed, the benefits of pooling strengths to work together are clear.
Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at and references to children’s book titles, this solid, tightly plotted read is a winner for readers and game-players alike. (Mystery. 9-13)Pub Date: June 25, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-87089-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An action-packed story of legacy, identity, and the enduring spirit of Puerto Rico.
Cousins team up for a summer of discovery.
Nico’s summer plans for a family trip from New York to Puerto Rico, where he was born, are upended when his parents decide to stay behind to “work things out”—it will be Trial Separation Number Two. Instead, Nico travels solo to stay with Abuela. He reunites with cousins Kira and Nessie, who are also spending the summer there without their parents. Still reeling from being wait-listed by LaGuardia, a prestigious arts high school, Nico hopes to redeem himself by winning a prize at a film festival with an entry that celebrates the magic of Puerto Rico and could earn him admission. But when the cousins spot a shadowy creature on the island, their project takes a supernatural turn. As they investigate the mysterious presence, they uncover connections to Taíno mythology, deeply buried family secrets, and some very real dangers. With richly detailed writing, heartfelt and comedic dialogue, and an honest spotlight on Puerto Rico’s real-life struggles (including the impact of natural disasters and economic woes), Piñeiro’s latest is a vibrant blend of contemporary coming of age with mythological adventure. Nico’s unforgettable summer is deeply rooted in love for family, storytelling, and the history of a place that is both magical and real.
An action-packed story of legacy, identity, and the enduring spirit of Puerto Rico. (map, author’s note, glossary) (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9781728230559
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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