A wholly absorbing story of intriguing magic, harrowing adventure, and delightful fauna.
In Buechner, Mueller, and Ward’s middle-grade fantasy, anthropomorphic animals battle tyranny in a world with no humans.
Black-capped chickadee Twig, like others in his village, is taken by surprise when the Fortress Crows attack. During their rampage, they seem to specifically target Twig, who narrowly evades their clutches. Unexpectedly, it’s another crow (who goes by “Scarecrow” and is not currently associated with the marauders) who provides refuge. He hides away with Twig in a scarecrow’s head that’s magically bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside. It’s there that Twig learns some of the history of this world, which was once overrun by cruel bipeds. The figure allegedly behind the bipeds’ ultimate extinction is Koshmara, a sorceress crow with various animals at her rancorous command. Elsewhere, a trio of traveling performers make their way to Sky Village. Bozwell the Bard, a groundhog, along with twin-sister acrobats Eca and Ayu, who are sugar gliders, witness a vicious strike against the woodland creatures of Sky Village by the Fortress Crows. While Bozwell prefers feasting over fighting, he still offers to help rescue Sky Village’s abducted queen. He joins Evelyn, captain of the Sky Guard, and the twins, who are usually armed to their tiny teeth (and revel in combat), to travel across the Woodland Realm to Koshmara’s Fortress. Along the way, they encounter all sorts, including a warmhearted family and an outright creepy individual. They might even get a helping talon from Twig, as Scarecrow teaches him the martial art of Clawgra. But will they all be enough against Koshmara and her massive, seemingly unstoppable army?
There’s a lot of information to absorb in Buechner, Mueller, and Ward’s enthralling tale—Twig eases readers into it, as he doesn’t know much more than they do. He picks up details about the bipeds as well as the enigmatic crystal shard in the scarecrow, which grants certain powers and enhances others. Twig is even shocked to learn that he apparently has magical abilities of his own—he’s able to communicate telepathically and see played-out events from the past. The characters are sensational, from the irresistible Eca and Ayu to the callous Fortress Crows’ General Traeton. Koshmara is just as ruthless as the vanished bipeds, but a glimpse into her past gives her a touch of sympathy, too. There’s impressive nuance to the storytelling, most noticeably the intermittent signs of the bipeds’ tenure in the world. Full-bodied descriptions enhance the narrative, particularly the environment: Scarecrow flies over “gently rolling hills” and the rocky terrain of the Saber Claw Mountains, and Koshmara’s “ghastly” throne is “composed of the bent metal bars of cages, chains, collars, wire snares, and the jagged jaws of metal traps.” Similarly, Rachman’s crisp black-and-white artwork depicts unforgettable imagery throughout, from the Fortress Crows’ assault midthunderstorm to Bozwell and company in various stages of peril and ever-diabolical Koshmara on her throne. This series-starting installment ends on a worthy cliffhanger.
A wholly absorbing story of intriguing magic, harrowing adventure, and delightful fauna.Pub Date: tomorrow
ISBN: 9781956694178
Page Count: 296
Publisher: Th3rd World Studios
Review Posted Online: May 6, 2025
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 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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
