Schoolteachers Flinn and Fleury use a story of princes and princesses to introduce children to tuberous sclerosis complex in this child-friendly debut.
Princess Katie lives with her younger sister, Princess Sydney; her father, the King; and her mother, the Queen. Her life is mostly normal for a fairy-tale princess, as she lives in a castle, rides a pony and has tea parties. She also goes to school at the Royal Academy with many other princes and princesses, and takes part in fun extracurricular activities, such as swimming and ballet. But unlike her friends, Katie has to go to the doctor’s office frequently to get blood tests, ultrasounds and MRIs. Her parents explain to her that the reason for the visits is tuberous sclerosis complex, a disease she was born with that causes her body to work differently than other kids’. Although the symptoms vary, Princess Katie sometimes has seizures, which she likens to scary, unpredictable dragon attacks. She also needs extra help at school sometimes, and although she likes to play with other children, she occasionally has a hard time understanding her peers. A picnic with other kids who have TSC helps Katie understand that her disease isn’t something to worry about—it’s just something that makes her special. Flinn’s use of princes and princesses to stand in for ordinary girls and boys wears a bit thin, as she changes little about her characters’ world aside from adding the title “Royal” to the hospital and school settings. However, the conceit may work for children who gravitate toward princess stories and fairy tales. Fleury’s sweet illustrations present a range of skin tones and positive depictions of differently abled children. Although the pages are text-heavy, the vocabulary is manageable for newly independent readers. Overall, this depiction of TSC will help children to gain a sympathetic understanding of a rare disease.
An appealing introduction to TSC through a fairy-tale lens.
Pub Date: June 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-1499296563
Page Count: 32
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 31, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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Gray’s (A Delightful Arrangement, 2011, etc.) young-adult novel offers a unique twist on a classic.
Lizzie Egmont has her entire life planned out. A junior at the Jane Austen Academy, she plans to become managing editor of the school’s paper, graduate at the top of her class and receive an acceptance letter from Georgetown University—until her school goes coed, that is. When the first male student steps on campus, Lizzie’s dream scuttles off trajectory. Her classmates succumb to boisterous flirtations with the opposite sex, but Lizzie sees trouble. The academy has been sold and the owner’s identity carefully concealed by the new trustees and headmistress. When Lizzie overhears a conversation about plans to change the name of the school, she leaps into action. In the process, she discovers that the truth may cost her friendships and love. As expected from a “modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice,” the book retains the essence of its original cast: Lizzie is bold and beautiful beyond her own good; her love interest, Dante, is stunningly attractive and irresistibly brooding. Fans of Bingley, Jane and Wickham will not be disappointed since the author has taken great care to not only preserve their essences, but also relay them as believable, lovable and flawed teenagers. Dialogue is contemporary, hilarious and honest to Austen’s original characters—just reincarnated in 21st century California. Action and exposition fiercely move readers through a landscape of wealth and ambition, where literature comes to life as readers face contemporary YA issues of conformity, loyalty and identity. Despite its brevity, the novel presents a world just as resonating as those created in some novels triple the size.
A compelling mix of action, drama and love.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2012
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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