In an alternate future, the Samurai Empire has taken over most of the world. The only hope for the United States, one of the few remaining independent countries, rests with a trio of kids and a secret organization of ninjas.
Ghost, a dark-skinned Brazilian, can turn himself invisible. Cormac, a redheaded white Irish boy, has incredible speed and endurance, and Kate, a blonde, white New Yorker, can communicate with animals. All three are recruited by Makoto to join the ranks of the Black Lotus, a group of multicultural, multiracial ninjas charged with protecting the Moon Sword from the evil President Goda, leader of the Samurai Empire. Goda seeks to reunite the Swords of Sarumara, releasing their power. When Ghost is tricked into stealing the Moon Sword, he, Cormac, and Kate must travel through time to ancient Japan and retrieve the powerful weapon. While the premise is intriguing, the execution is poor. It is unclear why some possess special abilities or why neophyte ninjas are sent to save the world instead of seasoned warriors. A disorganized plot, cringeworthy scenes (Kate leads an army of zoo animals through New York), and poor pacing are more than frustrating. And then there’s the questionable premise; despite the prominence of Makoto, the demonization of the Japanese is unfortunate.
This is one ninja story that should have remained a secret. (Adventure. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-94028-3
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Chicken House/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
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Zipping back and forth in time atop outsized robo–bell bottoms, mad inventor Tippy Tinkletrousers (aka Professor Poopypants) legs his way to center stage in this slightly less-labored continuation of episode 9.
The action commences after a rambling recap and a warning not to laugh or smile on pain of being forced to read Sarah Plain and Tall. Pilkey first sends his peevish protagonist back a short while to save the Earth (destroyed in the previous episode), then on to various prehistoric eras in pursuit of George, Harold and the Captain. It’s all pretty much an excuse for many butt jokes, dashes of off-color humor (“Tippy pressed the button on his Freezy-Beam 4000, causing it to rise from the depths of his Robo-Pants”), a lengthy wordless comic and two tussles in “Flip-o-rama.” Still, the chase kicks off an ice age, the extinction of the dinosaurs and the Big Bang (here the Big “Ka-Bloosh!”). It ends with a harrowing glimpse of what George and Harold would become if they decided to go straight. The author also chucks in a poopy-doo-doo song with musical notation (credited to Albert P. Einstein) and plenty of ink-and-wash cartoon illustrations to crank up the ongoing frenzy.
Series fans, at least, will take this outing (and clear evidence of more to come) in stride. (Fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-545-17536-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013
Categories: CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION
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Inventively tweaking a popular premise, Jensen pits two Incredibles-style families with superpowers against each other—until a new challenge rises to unite them.
The Johnsons invariably spit at the mere mention of their hated rivals, the Baileys. Likewise, all Baileys habitually shake their fists when referring to the Johnsons. Having long looked forward to getting a superpower so that he too can battle his clan’s nemeses, Rafter Bailey is devastated when, instead of being able to fly or something else cool, he acquires the “power” to strike a match on soft polyester. But when hated classmate Juanita Johnson turns up newly endowed with a similarly bogus power and, against all family tradition, they compare notes, it becomes clear that something fishy is going on. Both families regard themselves as the heroes and their rivals as the villains. Someone has been inciting them to fight each other. Worse yet, that someone has apparently developed a device that turns real superpowers into silly ones. Teaching themselves on the fly how to get past their prejudice and work together, Rafter, his little brother, Benny, and Juanita follow a well-laid-out chain of clues and deductions to the climactic discovery of a third, genuinely nefarious family, the Joneses, and a fiendishly clever scheme to dispose of all the Baileys and Johnsons at once. Can they carry the day?
A solid debut: fluent, funny and eminently sequel-worthy. (Adventure. 10-12)Pub Date: Jan. 21, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-06-220961-0
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2013
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