Another stalwart mouse with a brave heart will win fans in this captivating underground adventure.
A naïve mouse discovers his true mettle when he’s accidentally plunged into a world of warring rats, mice and feral cats in Brooklyn’s underground transit tunnels.
An avowed coward, Hopper lives in a pet-shop cage with his sister and brother. After a dramatic escape, Hopper’s separated from his siblings and finds himself alone and terrified in dark tunnels, from which a wily rat named Zucker rescues him. Sympathetic and engaging, Zucker takes Hopper to the sprawling rat metropolis of Atlantia, where Zucker’s father, Titus, rules. Treated like royalty and initially impressed, Hopper gradually discovers that Atlantia hides dark secrets. When he’s captured by a band of rebel rats who deliver him to a tribe of mice called the Mus, Hopper learns he may be the son of Mus’ legendary leader and could indeed be their Chosen One, destined to lead them against their archenemy, Titus. Unsure if he should trust his friend Zucker or the Mus, a confused Hopper resolutely overcomes his fear to discover the real meaning of courage. Riddled with surprises, the fast-paced, complex plot features a host of vivid, memorable rodent and feline characters. Black-and-white illustrations capture key events.
Another stalwart mouse with a brave heart will win fans in this captivating underground adventure. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 20, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8781-9
Page Count: 336
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2014
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new...
How Ivan confronts his harrowing past yet stays true to his nature exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.
Living in a "domain" of glass, metal and cement at the Big Top Mall, Ivan sometimes forgets whether to act like a gorilla or a human—except Ivan does not think much of humans. He describes their behavior as frantic, whereas he is a peaceful artist. Fittingly, Ivan narrates his tale in short, image-rich sentences and acute, sometimes humorous, observations that are all the more heartbreaking for their simple delivery. His sorrow is palpable, but he stoically endures the cruelty of humans until Ruby the baby elephant is abused. In a pivotal scene, Ivan finally admits his domain is a cage, and rather than let Ruby live and die in grim circumstances, he promises to save her. In order to express his plea in a painting, Ivan must bravely face buried memories of the lush jungle, his family and their brutal murder, which is recounted in a brief, powerful chapter sure to arouse readers’ passions. In a compelling ending, the more challenging question Applegate poses is whether or not Ivan will remember what it was like to be a gorilla. Spot art captures poignant moments throughout.
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new generation of advocates. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-199225-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Certain to steal hearts.
In this follow-up to 2020’s The One and Only Bob, Ruby the elephant is still living at Wildworld Zoological Park and Sanctuary.
She’s apprehensive about her Tuskday, a rite of passage for young elephants when she’ll give a speech in front of the rest of the herd. Luckily, she can confide in her Uncle Ivan, who is next door in Gorilla World, and Uncle Bob, the dog who lives nearby with human friend Julia. Ruby was born in an unspecified part of Africa, later ending up on display in the mall, where she met Ivan, Bob, and Julia. The unexpected arrival of someone from Ruby’s past life on the savanna revives memories both warmly nostalgic and deeply traumatic. An elephant glossary and Castelao’s charming, illustrated guide to elephant body language help immerse readers in Ruby’s world. Goofy, playful, and mischievous Ruby is fully dimensional, as she has shown her bravery during the many hardships of her young life. Applegate deftly tempers themes of grief and loss with compassion and humor as Ruby finds her place in the herd. The author’s note touches on climate change, the illegal ivory trade, and conservation efforts, but the highly emotive framing of the story through the memories of a bewildered baby elephant emphasizes the impact of lines such as “ ‘in Africa,’ I say softly, ‘there were bad people,’ ” without offering readers a nuanced understanding of the broader context that drives poaching.
Certain to steal hearts. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780063080089
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
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