A fun, quick dip.
Deep under the sea, a tempestuous squid must contend with his temper.
Following the events of Fish Feud (2020), Squizzard Silvershell, a hotheaded, tomato-red squid, is mad. After submitting his comics to a magazine contest, he learns he has lost, and his anger is festering. Deciding mischief will cheer him up, he pulls a prank on his teacher, Mr. Cuker. He is immediately sent to Principal Kraken and put in detention for a week, which causes him to miss the Coral Carnival. In detention, he and sea urchin Annie, a fellow student under punishment, help crossing guard Mr. Jaleel, an eel, clean the basement. Squizzard eventually comes to understand why his behavior was inappropriate, coming to a simply reasoned contrition. Sherry’s oceanic graphic offering is high on pep and alluring, vibrantly colored art, threading information about marine life throughout the narrative. This second volume in the series loses a bit of momentum, though; those who enjoyed Squizzard’s previous benign naughtiness may find his rapid repentance a bit hurried. Multiple plot threads are easy enough to follow but seem a bit cramped. Sherry’s illustrations are bright and expressive, with more flashy colors than a well-stocked aquarium carrying the short chapters; economically worded panels keep the pages moving along swimmingly. Quibbles aside, with its buoyant pacing and intriguing facts, it offers much to appreciate. Further facts on coral and instructions on making a newsletter follow the story.
A fun, quick dip. (Graphic fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-63670-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
A little ruff around the edges.
A new series features puppies with magical unicorn horns.
The Cutiecorns are thrilled when they learn that they’re about to have their Enchanted Jubilee, which means they’re ready to start learning how to use their magic. Golden retriever puppy Sparkle gets an extra surprise—her parents celebrate her Jubilee by gifting her a locket that’s a precious family heirloom. As with any book for this age group, as soon as an important item is introduced it’s guaranteed to be promptly lost; poor Sparkle is robbed of it by a mysterious stranger. While investigating, the Cutiecorns overhear a scary story about a bad cat wizard, Claw—and the description fits that of Sparkle’s assailant. They venture off into the Furbidden Forest to find the cat and retrieve the locket. The narration is filled with entertaining wordplay for young pun lovers (“pawsome”; “furever”), and the concept of magical puppies is an appealingly childcentric one. The art is a mixed bag—enormous-eyed puppies with shapes that highlight the various breeds (even Claw, despite pointy claws and teeth, is adorable in a chubby way), but the vaunted horns distractingly look an awful lot like party hats. The story really goes to the dogs and falls apart in a confusing climax that relies on deus ex machina magic and an on-the-spot plan that’s perfectly coordinated without any communication among the Cutiecorns. Book 2, Purrfect Pranksters, publishes simultaneously.
A little ruff around the edges. (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-54036-9
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
A feel-good tale of a clever and determined stallion set against a well-developed landscape.
In mid-19th-century Nevada, a colt named Sky grows up to lead his band of wild horses.
Parry’s moving story follows the pattern of her recent animal tales, A Wolf Called Wander (2019) and A Whale of the Wild (2020), chronicling a wild animal’s life in the first person, imagining its point of view, and detailing and appreciating the natural world it inhabits. As Sky grows from wobbly newborn to leader of his family, he faces more than the usual challenges for colts who must fight their stallions or leave their herds when they are grown up. Fagan’s appealing black-and-white illustrations help readers envision this survival story. Sky’s adventures include forced service with the Pony Express; being befriended by an enslaved Paiute boy; escaping to find his now-captured band; and helping them escape the silver miners who’d destroyed their world. Animal lovers will applaud his ingenuity and stubbornness. Although Sky’s band has suffered serious injuries (his mother is blind), he and Storm, a mare who was his childhood companion, lead them toward safety in a new wilderness. The writer’s admiration for these wild horses and her concerns about human destruction of their environment come through even more clearly in a series of concluding expository essays discussing the wild horses, the Indigenous Americans, the natural history of the Great Basin, silver mining, and the Pony Express.
A feel-good tale of a clever and determined stallion set against a well-developed landscape. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023
ISBN: 9780062995957
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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