Stays true to the Disney canon while adding depth and maturity.
Mulan ascends to the role of empress and continues to fight against self-doubt and sexism.
After helping defeat the invading Hun army, Mulan has returned to her home village and formed an all-female militia. Her life is forever changed when the emperor unexpectedly announces that she will be his heir. Mulan struggles with balancing her prevailing sense of duty to China against the loss of a future of her own choosing. This internal conflict is compounded by her feelings of insecurity and unworthiness. The emperor’s sudden passing thrusts Mulan into the role of empress far sooner than expected, and she faces challenges from the existing leadership and another potential war. With the aid of her ancestors and the Queen’s Council—spirits of female warriors who came before her—Mulan begins to trust herself and her leadership abilities. Quickly paced and full of action, this fantasy adventure includes numerous fight scenes and battles. Mulan’s empowering journey is believable and, while readers may not be in doubt of the ending, still satisfies. Familiar events from the animated movie are revisited, such as her romantic connection with fellow soldier Li Shang and her male alter ego disguise, Ping. The story highlights real ancient Chinese heroes, such as Fu Hao and Xun Guan, even as the initial premise of Mulan’s being named heir is only possible in fiction.
Stays true to the Disney canon while adding depth and maturity. (Historical adventure. 12-18)Pub Date: Nov. 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-368-04822-4
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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