Wildly original and very funny.
Meet the Bolds: Fred, Amelia, and their children, Bobby and Betty; as nice a suburban family of hyenas posing as humans as one could ask for, they should rehabilitate the scavenger’s tattered, post–Lion King reputation among the younger set.
They move to an English suburb, Teddington, which has a comfortable climate; moreover, here, instead of engaging in the hyena dinnertime free-for-all on the savannah, humans line up politely. These pluses aside, the long learning curve tests Fred and Amelia, requiring the utmost ingenuity and adaptability, especially after the pups are born. They’re up to the challenge. Shocked to discover water and food aren’t free, Fred lands a job writing the silly jokes inserted in Christmas crackers. Hats make good disguises, but how are the pups to hide their tails at school? Certain cherished hyena habits are hard to break (laughing raucously in class, rummaging through garbage, gnawing on chairs). Misanthropic Mr. McNumpty next door becomes suspicious, especially after the family starts visiting the safari park and learns an elderly hyena’s in mortal danger. Published first in the U.K., the book’s hilarious plot and abundant illustrations make it a top choice for reluctant readers. The art brilliantly reflects the many twists and turns of plot and emotion, among them the Bolds’ (mostly) staid suburban home life, their sinister neighbor, and other wild animals—fox, hippo, gazelle—possibly living the human life incognito.
Wildly original and very funny. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5124-0440-1
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: Nov. 24, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A kid adventurer with a disability makes this steampunk offering stand out.
Orphaned twins, an adventurer dad lost to an ice monster, and an airship race around the world.
In Lontown, 12-year-old twins Arthur and Maudie learn that their explorer father has gone missing on his quest to reach South Polaris, the crew of his sky-ship apparently eaten by monsters. As he’s accused of sabotage, their father’s property is forfeit. The disgraced twins are sent off to live in a garret in a scene straight out of an Edwardian novel à la A Little Princess. Maudie has the consolation of her engineering skills, but all Arthur wants is to be an adventurer like his father. A chance to join Harriet Culpepper’s journey to South Polaris might offer excitement and let him clear his father’s name—if only he can avoid getting eaten by intelligent ice monsters. Though some steampunk set dressing is appropriately over-the-top (such as a flying house, thinly depicted but charming), adaptive tools for Arthur’s disability are wonderfully realistic. His iron arm is a standard, sometimes painful passive prosthesis. The crew adapts the airship galley for Arthur’s needs, even creating a spiked chopping board. Off the ship, Arthur and Maudie meet people and animals in vignettes that are appealingly rendered but slight. Harriet teaches the white twins respect for the cultures they encounter on these travels, though they are never more than observers of non-Lontowners’ different ways.
A kid adventurer with a disability makes this steampunk offering stand out. (Steampunk. 9-11)Pub Date: March 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-324-00564-3
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
An exciting tale of friendship, family, and embracing the magic of our imagination.
What would you draw if your brush had the power to bring your art to life?
Seventh grader Amy Li has always loved drawing, but things haven’t been the same since she decided to “take art seriously.” Her old creations now feel embarrassingly childish, and she struggles to find her own style. While staying with Lao Lao, her maternal grandmother, in Queens over spring break, Amy discovers a magic jade and gold paintbrush that has the power to make whatever she paints come alive. But even as Luna, her imaginary friend who has a tiger’s body with a feathered head and toucan’s beak, springs from her sketchbook, something sinister awakens in the mountains surrounding Guilin, China. Amy soon recognizes the brush’s dangerous potential. With the support of Lao Lao, Luna, and best friend Diego (who’s cued Latine), she must fight to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. This fast-paced, action-packed reimagining of a classic Chinese tale features compelling prose and heartwarming relationships. Chapters from the antagonist’s point of view create suspense and a real sense of danger as readers learn the extent of his selfishness and greed. Many readers who grapple with their own insecurities will relate to Amy’s pervasive self-doubts. Zhong’s illustrations add flavor to the story, breaking up the text to support young readers while leaving room for the imagination.
An exciting tale of friendship, family, and embracing the magic of our imagination. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 21, 2024
ISBN: 9780593179932
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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