A sublime coming-of-age tale that oscillates between real-world hurdles and gleeful surrealism.
In Orlowski’s middle-grade fantasy, a girl struggles with being different.
Luminara is a world built on imagination. Each one of its people, the “Lumies,” has their own “Phanta,” a small, winged being that helps manifest their thoughts into reality. Young Ayla, however, is the exception. She was born without a Phanta, making her a target of ridicule by kids who claim she has no imagination. Her only recourse is a long shot: finding the legendary Phanta Tree, the place where Phantas are born. With her parents’ reluctant consent, Ayla heads into the forest. She encounters several otherworldly “guardians” (one with silvery, sapphire-blue fur) who take her to such fantastic sites as the River of Imagination. While she hopes to find her own Phanta at the fabled tree, Ayla herself may be a guide; a big change is coming for the Lumies, and this unique girl will use her foresight and whatever confidence she can muster to help them through it. Orlowski’s novella overflows with charm and emotion. Ayla unquestionably goes through a lot, but also learns inspiring lessons (being different is okay; acknowledging fear can bring out the courage to overcome it). The author doesn’t linger on the bullies’ cruelty, shifting focus instead to uplifting characters including Ayla’s empathetic parents, her gadget-tinkering great-grandfather, and her only friend, Elior, a boy who listens as often as he encourages. Characters flaunt their “imaginara,” inspiring dreamlike imagery like illuminated threads that form shapes. Ayla’s journey into the forest is the highlight: “Trees stretched in impossible ways, their branches looping like ribbons in the breeze… Floating lantern-fish bobbed lazily in the air, their bellies glowing with tiny constellations.” Most readers will be able to knock this story out in an afternoon—and find that it’s definitely one worth reading again.
A sublime coming-of-age tale that oscillates between real-world hurdles and gleeful surrealism.Pub Date: Nov. 20, 2025
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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