A great selection for readers in search of a fun animal fantasy.
A small rat with a big heart makes his way from Brooklyn to Central Park West to bring his little brother home.
Raffie is a young rat who lives in Brooklyn’s Bergen Street subway station with his family, and when his little brother, Oggie, is captured by a human boy for a school pet competition, Raffie, who loves nothing more than a good “aged” pizza, finds a clue in the boy’s abandoned backpack. The problem: Raffie knows where he needs to go but not how to get there. Joined by Kaz, a claustrophobic pigeon who’s lost half of one wing, Raffie goes on the adventure of a lifetime. He dodges broom-wielding humans, a flock of hostile pigeons, and a vicious dog. They hitch a ride in a limo whose sole occupant is the Paris Hilton of poodles: a vain reality star who’s just come from a day at the spa. They also meet Walter, king of the cockroaches, and the flamboyant but not-too-friendly YouTube star Sparkle the Sassy Squirrel, who lands Raffie and Kaz in cages at animal control. Their dialogue-driven escape from captivity will launch readers quickly through to the happy ending. For all that he’s a rat and has perfectly ratlike proclivities with regard to food, Raffie is both literate and a bit of a pedant, correcting the good-natured Kaz’s grammar along the way.
A great selection for readers in search of a fun animal fantasy. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-62672-866-0
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun
It’s been 42 days since the Monster Apocalypse began, and 13-year-old Jack Sullivan, a self-proclaimed “zombie-fighting, monster-slaying tornado of cool” is on a quest to find and rescue his not-so-secret crush, June Del Toro, whether she needs it, wants it, or not.
Jack cobbles together an unlikely but endearing crew, including his scientist best friend, Quint Baker; Dirk Savage, Parker Middle School’s biggest bully; and a pet monster named Rover, to help him save the damsel in distress and complete the “ULTIMATE Feat of Apocalyptic Success.” Middle-grade readers, particularly boys, will find Jack’s pitch-perfect mix of humor, bravado, and self-professed geekiness impossible to resist. His sidekicks are equally entertaining, and it doesn’t hurt that there are also plenty of oozing, drooling, sharp-toothed monsters and zombies and a host of gizmos and gadgets to hook readers and keep them cheering with every turn of the page. Holgate’s illustrations play an integral role in the novel’s success. They not only bring Brallier’s characters to life, but also add depth and detail to the story, making plain just exactly how big Rover is and giving the lie to Jack’s “killer driving.” The marriage of text and illustration serves as a perfect example of what an illustrated novel can and should be.
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun (. (Graphic/horror hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-670-01661-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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