An entertaining patchwork of classic fairy-tale lore conveyed by an engaging feline narrator.
In Sommer’s middle-grade novel, a thoughtful cat helps out when a kingdom is afflicted by fairy mischief and enchantments.
What should a queen do when she gives birth to an eighth daughter, but her royal husband wants a male heir? In this clever and humorous fairy-tale pastiche, Queen Eglantine bargains with Oona, Queen of the Fairies, to secretly exchange her baby princess with a peasant couple’s baby boy. The tiny princess becomes an enchanted flower in Oona’s garden; the stolen baby, Malachy, is diverted into the clutches of wicked fairy Carabosse, who holds a long-standing grudge against the king. Carabosse, unaware that Malachy is not the real royal heir, magically entraps the infant at the bottom of a lake. The author enjoyably incorporates numerous fairy-tale elements in her narrative, including a grumpy but helpful leprechaun, a handsome prince, a book of spells, and tales-within-tales. Throughout, a cat named Smokey draws readers in as the story’s first-person narrator, wry observer, active participant, and believable feline (the author clearly knows cats). Smokey’s descriptions of the fairy-tale world around him are satisfyingly picturesque and occasionally poetic (he looks up to see “the last eye wink of the waning moon greet the rising sun”). The comedy arises organically from the story: Peasant mother Maeve (one of several strong female characters in addition to the eldest princess, Rose) doesn’t realize that her baby has been replaced with a changeling—an unsavory prankster fairy known as a “wagwit” who comically enjoys Maeve’s pampering while taunting Smokey behind her back. Carabosse makes the king’s servants invisible but for their white gloves and turns members of the court into cats. Things look dire for the future of the kingdom, but readers can be assured of an inclusive happily-ever-after.
An entertaining patchwork of classic fairy-tale lore conveyed by an engaging feline narrator.Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2026
ISBN: 9798893900989
Page Count: 216
Publisher: Braughler Books LLC
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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 deeply imaginative journey that puts the “cat” in cathartic.
A loyal black kitten’s boy is under supernatural attack.
Eleven-month-old Nimbus loves Fletcher, the boy who nursed her back to health following life-threatening injuries. When Fletcher becomes curious about a strange jar and opens it, releasing a terrible goblin, loyal Nim protects Fletcher, taking heavy damage in the process. But Fletcher’s aunt, who’s caring for him over spring break, believes Nim attacked Fletcher and dumps her far from home. Rhett, a stylish rat with star quality, befriends injured Nim and leads her to a witch’s house. While the witch cares for Nim, the witch’s cats (maternal Fern, bookish Rochester, standoffish Bianca, and openly hostile Abraxas) teach Nim important cat skills. She also discovers she has a supernatural ability: In destroying one eye of the nightmare demon in the fight to protect Fletcher, Nim gained its “dream sight.” But she also learns it might come back for Fletcher, who no longer has Nim to protect him, posing a time-sensitive, high-stakes threat. Even though the witch’s home is nice and magic itself seems to be telling her to stay put, Nim wants to find a way back to Fletcher. As a hero, Nimbus is as gritty and determined as she is adorable. Tear-jerker moments explore pet abandonment—readers may want their own pets on hand to hug—all the way through the magical, action-packed finale. Fletcher and the witch read white.
A deeply imaginative journey that puts the “cat” in cathartic. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780062680372
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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