SEBASTIAN AND THE MIGHTY TOKEN

Two New York siblings find a magical object that might help them achieve their dreams in Day’s whimsical narrative for young readers.

Young Manhattanites Sebastian and Lilly Kemp have grown up knowing Central Park like their own backyard, exploring its expanses together on roller skates and scooters. While Lilly, a 10th grader, loves the zoo, studying the snow leopards for a science project, Sebastian, a seventh grader, prefers the Chess and Checkers House, where his friend Mr. Bernstein helps him polish his game in hopes of defeating his archenemy Warner, the school chess champion. One shadow falls over the kids’ happy explorations. Their father left the family some time ago and is “traveling around the world, searching for something.” Though his mother and sister seem resigned to his absence, Sebastian refuses to give up hope. He is a dreamer at heart even though his nightly dream escapades have stopped since his father’s departure. When his fear of facing another chess defeat by Warner threatens to sink Sebastian into permanent hopelessness, Mr. Bernstein decides that strong measures are called for. He gives Sebastian his prized possession, an old New York subway token on a neck chain, which has interesting powers. Skeptical but intrigued, Sebastian soon finds that the “mighty token” brings both great success and serious responsibility. Day has created a likably quirky protagonist in Sebastian, who is both kind and perceptive. He skillfully conveys the sarcastic vulnerability of the tweenager in such succinctly eloquent descriptions as “suit-job man” for a businessperson and Sebastian’s defensively sneering reaction to another student’s European vacation, “They’ll stay in duh-lux hotels and eat at duh-lux restaurants that probably don’t even serve pizza.” Though some plot elements seem derivative—the missing-father narrative is reminiscent of Suzanne Collins’ Underland Chronicles, for example—the overall story is compelling and empowering.

A fun, inspiring NYC folktale of achievement and redemption.