Latest and 113th recruit, at a school for wizards, Henry is given a new name (Thornmallow: prickly outside but "squishy within") and is soon making friends and discovering that—despite a becoming humility and lamentable tone-deafness—he has an unusual, as yet uncharted, power to make magical things occur. This is fortunate, because the school is under threat from a disaffected wizard who used to be the 14th "magister" (teacher) and his monster, a patchwork dragon constructed from negative traits and entire personalities. Piecing together information from the library with his other scant knowledge, Thornmallow manages to stop the beast just before it adds him to its grisly bulk, then rescue the rest of the already-devoured school. Yolen skillfully blends the traditions of fantasy and school story, giving her theme a special twist: Thornmallow is not the expected powerful enchanter but an "enhancer" who makes his contribution as a catalyst for others' magic and whose heroism consists of trying hard and not giving up. Briskly told, with plenty of engaging humor and wordplay—plus the unique, truly gruesome beast (splendidly colorful on Trina Schart Hyman's jacket, but not nearly so scary as in the text). Good, imaginative fun. (Fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: May 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-15-298132-2
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1991
Third entry in the “Tartan Magic” series (behind Wizard’s Map and The Pictish Child, both 1999), this carries vacationing American twins Peter and Jennifer into a Scottish graveyard for encounters with not one ghost, but three. Having acquired a talking dog and a talking horse to go with their witch Gran in previous adventures, the two teenagers are terrified but not surprised when spectral Mary MacFadden rises up from her tomb one midnight, sobbing for her sweetheart Ewan. He, though killed at Culloden, still stands outside the cemetery’s iron gate, piping mournfully. The plot thickens when Peter is suddenly possessed by the raving spirit of Mary’s twin brother Andrew, still obsessed after two and a half centuries with keeping the lovers apart. Yolen strews the dialogue with thick dialect and makes a clumsy but well-intentioned effort to lighten the tone by having Peter and the garrulous canine bicker incessantly. After giving Gran a chance to fill in some historical and magical background, she expertly brings all the players together for a climactic confrontation that allows Jennifer to exercise her nascent magical talents. Despite frequent references to earlier episodes, the story stands alone, and is rich enough in ghosts and magic to please readers of Susan Cooper’s Boggart tales, or younger Betty Ren Wright fans. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: April 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-15-202310-0
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2002
Bertie and his best friend—or more accurately stated, toy rabbit, named Small—are inseparable, embarking upon innumerable adventures together. Through the inventiveness of this small child, a simple box stuffed with a few toys becomes a variety of things: a house, a car, a perfect hiding spot. When further inspiration strikes, the box becomes a seagoing vessel for Bertie and Small. While using straightforward language, Cabban eloquently captures a toddler’s innate ability to transform nearly every environment through the imagination, and when the father joins Bertie’s playtime, readers gain a tender glimpse at a loving relationship. A cozy book, ideal for story time. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-7636-0878-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
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