A bright seasonal offering, with action and humor enough to carry the earnest messaging.
Super-powered Hilo and friends have work to do after a construction crew frees a long-buried monster just as everyone’s gearing up for the winter holidays.
After putting in a personal appearance to introduce his racially diverse central cast and explain where this episode falls in the popular series (between Books 3 and 4), Winick dishes up an entry that, despite some religious and cultural symbols in the art (including crosses and Christmas trees, Stars of David and menorahs, crescent moons with stars, and kinaras for Kwanzaa) focuses on gaudy decorations, celebrating together, and giving gifts both tangible and intangible. There’s a frantic, goofy scramble after a roaring monster rears up from a construction pit to occupy the balloon figure of a giant maneki neko, or Japanese beckoning cat, along with a mix of daring wintry exploits, snarky dialogue, and frantic food prep that culminates in a festive get-together for the town. Warm feelings carry the story to the cozy, closing scene proclaiming, “Happy Holidays!” Laiho’s bright color palette is the ideal complement for Winick’s cheery illustrations. Some readers may feel uncomfortable when Japanese American Buddhists who don’t celebrate Christmas but own a tree farm explain that “lots of people get our trees. Some even if Christmas isn’t their holiday,” before a panel showing three families: the possibly Jewish Shaimans, the Muslim-presenting Mokris, and the brown-skinned Coopers.
A bright seasonal offering, with action and humor enough to carry the earnest messaging. (Graphic science fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9780593807170
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
An effort as insubstantial as any spirit.
Eleven-year-old Maria Russo helps her charlatan mother hoodwink customers, but Maria has a spirited secret.
Maria’s mother, the psychic Madame Destine, cons widows out of their valuables with the assistance of their apartment building’s super, Mr. Fox. Madame Destine home-schools Maria, and because Destine is afraid of unwanted attention, she forbids Maria from talking to others. Maria is allowed to go to the library, where new librarian Ms. Madigan takes an interest in Maria that may cause her trouble. Meanwhile, Sebastian, Maria’s new upstairs neighbor, would like to be friends. All this interaction makes it hard for Maria to keep her secret: that she is visited by Edward, a spirit who tells her the actual secrets of Madame Destine’s clients via spirit writing. When Edward urges Maria to help Mrs. Fisher, Madame Destine’s most recent mark, Maria must overcome her shyness and her fear of her mother—helping Mrs. Fisher may be the key to the mysterious past Maria uncovers and a brighter future. Alas, picture-book–creator Ford’s middle-grade debut is a muddled, melodramatic mystery with something of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink feel: In addition to the premise, there’s a tragically dead father, a mysterious family tree, and the Beat poets. Sluggish pacing; stilted, unrealistic dialogue; cartoonishly stock characters; and unattractive, flat illustrations make this one to miss. Maria and Sebastian are both depicted with brown skin, hers lighter than his; the other principals appear to be white.
An effort as insubstantial as any spirit. (author’s note) (Paranormal mystery. 7-10)Pub Date: July 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-20567-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Good-hearted fun—great for fans of Kit Feeny and Babymouse.
It’s a Bigfeet family reunion!
Everyone’s favorite frosty, furry cryptid, the yeti, actually has a name: Blizz Richards. From his supersecret HQ in Nepal he keeps in touch with his fellow cryptids, all of whom have sworn an oath to keep themselves hidden. That’s not always easy, especially when there are cryptozoologists, like the nasty (but bumbling) George Vanquist, who are always trying to expose the secretive creatures. Vanquist got a picture of Blizz’s cousin Brian near his home in British Columbia, causing the mortified Brian to disappear entirely. When Blizz receives an invitation to a Bigfeet family reunion in Canada, he calls his buddies Alexander (one of Santa’s elves), Gunthar (a goblin) and Frank the Arctic fox to help him get ready. When they arrive in Canada, Brian is still nowhere to be seen. Can Blizz and his skunk ape and other sasquatch cousins find Brian, have the reunion and evade Vanquist? If anyone can, the Bigfeet clan can. Illustrator Sherry’s first volume in the Yeti Files is a fast and funny graphic-prose tale full of labeled pictures and comic-style panels. Those just starting chapter books may have some trouble with a few big words, but they’ll enjoy the big friendly monsters and immediately ask for the next tale—which looks to be about the Loch Ness monster.
Good-hearted fun—great for fans of Kit Feeny and Babymouse. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 7-10)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-55617-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
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