A stirring yet comedic look at the importance of family.
A young, biracial wizard struggles between fighting for her dreams and cheering on her family in this humorous and stirring fantasy.
With a Filipino father and a white (and magic-working) mother, 12-year-old Lennie Mercado has worked all her life to strengthen her magic, while her younger brother, Michael, just likes to goof around. She finally gets a chance at her dream of magic without limitations when her eccentric and impulsive grandfather Poppop steps down as Prime Wizard of the family and hosts a Wizardmatch competition among his grandchildren. Poppop surprises the entire family when he announces that only one sibling from each family can compete. Then Lennie overhears him tell her mother she doesn’t have the Prime Wizard look. Changed by these words, she faces an emotionally difficult journey through favoritism, sibling rivalry, and self-doubt. Magaziner creates an amusing wizard world with wacky settings and characters. She introduces a multiracial female protagonist and culture without overexplaining Filipino words, so there is no interruption to the narrative. She also weaves in themes of gender and racial equality, ultimately affirming the possibility of changing others’ mindsets by speaking up. Overall, it’s a heartwarming, often funny fantasy that balances magic and whimsy with topics all youth can relate to.
A stirring yet comedic look at the importance of family. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7352-2778-1
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2018
Happily, Kerley’s execution matches her ambition, resulting in a highly readable story that pairs a rapid-fire plot with a...
There is a lot going on in this mystery/sci-fi/coming-of-age adventure about a girl and the charismatic dog next door.
When Professor Reese moves in with her giant, gray, shaggy dog, Baxter, next door to 11-year-old Jordie Marie Wallace, Jordie’s life changes in a number of ways: she’s always wanted a dog; she awakens to the lure of scientific discovery; and she experiences a number of “opportunities to be more dependable.” Dense plotlines weave together many intertwining threads, but it all fits together. A subplot about Jordie’s participation in a “Study Buddies” project and one about her circle of friends’ plan to open a hairdresser/vet/day care both turn out to be key to the development of her self-awareness. This is all back story to the main storyline: Jordie volunteers to walk Baxter while Professor Reese works on her research into the possibility of teleportation. When Professor Reese disappears, Jordie, her brother, and “magical” Baxter work together to solve the case. Clues to Jordie’s strengths and challenges are not explicitly articulated but are aptly shown through other characters’ reactions. Her relationships with friends and family are realistic, which juxtaposes cleverly with the speculative aspect of the plot. The book subscribes to the white default, with racial diversity hinted at in supporting characters’ names.
Happily, Kerley’s execution matches her ambition, resulting in a highly readable story that pairs a rapid-fire plot with a likable protagonist. (Science fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249978-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
A fascinating, touching story of an off-the-grid family facing changes and the invisible threads that connect people.
Juniper Berry lives in the California woods with her family, but when her brother gets sick, they have to leave to get help.
Eleven-year-old Juniper is perfectly happy in the woods, where she learns from mom Clara and dad Zephyr in “earth school” alongside older sister Skylark and younger brother Hawk. But when Hawk becomes dangerously ill, the family goes with him to the hospital. While he recovers, they’re stuck in what Clara calls “society,” where the kids encounter cars, refrigerators, the internet, and public school. Sky and Juniper meet their uncle Parker and cousins Kori and Alayna for the first time—and move in with them. Juniper and Alayna clash: Alayna finds Juniper embarrassing, while Juniper wonders, “Why would it be bad if I acted differently from other people?” Juniper aims to make money to help pay for Hawk’s care so they can all go home to the woods, but she only succeeds once friends help. Juniper is a marvelously developed character navigating extremely uncomfortable situations. Alayna, too, is developed with depth and care; she and Clara have their “storms” (panic attacks) in common, for which they eventually get help. The family members are racially ambiguous: Juniper has light skin and light brown hair and takes after her mother; Sky and Hawk have their dad’s light brown skin and curly dark hair.
A fascinating, touching story of an off-the-grid family facing changes and the invisible threads that connect people. (Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2023
ISBN: 9781639930999
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
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