Severely overstuffed with themes and subplots but will nonetheless stretch readers’ imaginations.
Thwarting a sinister time traveler’s ingenious scheme to steal great art gives two young strangers a common cause.
Struggling to care for his mom, who’s suffering from serious and undiagnosed health issues, as well as dealing with being lonely and bullied, 12-year-old Maximum Rose-Rodriguez finds himself on an urgent mission. First he finds a cryptic note—in his own handwriting—inside a sandwich from a neighbor. Then he meets mysterious art historian Dr. Syzygy (“but you can call me DZ”), who tells him that Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, which is slated for exhibit at Los Angeles’ nearby Griffith Park Observatory, is in danger—and that saving the painting would also help his mother. Max’s adventures take him on a wild ride that includes multiple trips back to 1889 for meetings with van Gogh himself. Briner packs in so many underdeveloped subplots that her main storyline struggles for visibility. Fortunately, the book includes numerous scene-stealers, including Max’s new friend and ally, Maybe Wells, an exuberant, blue-haired trans girl, as well as a rescued pet octopus and a memorable villain. Even if the baddie’s scheme collapses with convenient ease, the ending will leave art lovers pleased and reassured. Brown-skinned Max’s name cues some Latine heritage, and Maybe presents white.
Severely overstuffed with themes and subplots but will nonetheless stretch readers’ imaginations. (Science fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: March 18, 2025
ISBN: 9780823456444
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at and references to children’s book titles, this solid, tightly plotted read...
When a lock-in becomes a reality game, 12-year-old Kyle Keeley and his friends use library resources to find their way out of Alexandriaville’s new public library.
The author of numerous mysteries for children and adults turns his hand to a puzzle adventure with great success. Starting with the premise that billionaire game-maker Luigi Lemoncello has donated a fortune to building a library in a town that went without for 12 years, Grabenstein cleverly uses the tools of board and video games—hints and tricks and escape hatches—to enhance this intricate and suspenseful story. Twelve 12-year-old winners of an essay contest get to be the first to see the new facility and, as a bonus, to play his new escape game. Lemoncello’s gratitude to the library of his childhood extends to providing a helpful holographic image of his 1968 librarian, but his modern version also includes changing video screens, touch-screen computers in the reading desks and an Electronic Learning Center as well as floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stretching up three stories. Although the characters, from gamer Kyle to schemer Charles Chiltington, are lightly developed, the benefits of pooling strengths to work together are clear.
Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at and references to children’s book titles, this solid, tightly plotted read is a winner for readers and game-players alike. (Mystery. 9-13)Pub Date: June 25, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-87089-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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