A lightning strike and a reanimated corpse make for an unusually lively Halloween in this hilariously headlong caper. When the ancient Greek mummy in his father’s basement museum of oddities gets up and begs for help, Alex and his more-loyal-than-bright sidekick Freddie not only find themselves tackling a brutal local bully, but also taking unexpected trips. First, they go to the Underworld for encounters with Charon, Hades and various monsters; then to Greece, on a mission to change the past by rescuing an infant prince. Stirring a few Dantean details and themes into her mythological tour, Falcone equips Alex with both a working cell phone, so that he can call home for background information, and an active conscience that may sometimes get him into pickles, but also keeps him in dogged pursuit of the Right Thing To Do. With plenty of misadventures along the way, Alex and Freddie surmount numerous challenges to their courage and cleverness, ultimately sending the restless shade on its way to the Elysian Fields, and returning to their own time—and a conveniently chastened bully—as heroes. A delight for Time Warp Trio fans. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: March 1, 2005
ISBN: 1-55337-708-7
Page Count: 200
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2005
Thirteen-year-old Cesa, who prefers horseback riding and playing with her brothers to housework, finds her life changed forever by the Mexican-American War and the California Gold Rush of 1848. The story centers on her love for the family’s extensive property—the Rancho del Valle de la Madrugada—and the struggles of her Mexican family to retain this land in the face of the desertion of the servants and workers to the gold fields, the movement of increasing numbers of Americans into the area, and the rulings of an unsympathetic new government. Vividly realized scenes, rich in the details of daily life, convey a strong sense of time and place from a perspective not often found in American children’s literature. The author’s sympathy is clearly with the Mexican landowners who are faced with the loss of their property, although their own stealing of this land from the Indians (now their servants and workers) is mentioned in a historical note. Unfortunately, a weak plot fails to provide coherence and a sense of direction to the seemingly random events and underdeveloped subplots, many of which are, like the characters, nevertheless interesting and memorable. Readers may find themselves wondering where the story is going as it jumps from tomboy versus ladylike behavior to economic and political issues, to first love and family relationships. Too bad since this period is so underrepresented in historical fiction for children. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: May 14, 2002
ISBN: 0-385-32719-6
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
When he is 15 or 16, Jem Bridwell marches off to the Civil War in search of “the glory” he believes battle brings to warriors. Predictably, after many of these battles, the boy realizes that “glory is a fool’s dream.” His family of Marylanders holds slaves but he joins the Union, as had his father, and like Henry in Crane’s Red Badge of Courage, learns that soldiering can be tedious, horrifying, and full of blood and death. Severance gives sharp sketches of daily life and real battles, hours of boredom and minutes of frightening horror. Jem and his best friend Hank enlist and go through the army experiences together until Jem may or may not have killed Hank in the smoke and fatigue of a battle. Readers may not be certain that Hank is dead because Jem, who has been wounded, is rescued in a serendipitous coincidence (perhaps too coincidental) by one of his family’s runaway slaves and thus can only assume he has killed his friend. Severance (Skyscrapers, 2000, etc.) has heretofore written nonfiction and his first attempt at fiction finds him working too hard to be descriptive. Plainly a solid researcher, he is still finding his way into presenting his findings without forcing them on the reader. Still, a carefully told story about this period of time is always welcome and it is to be hoped that Jem’s story will be continued. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2002
ISBN: 0-618-22999-X
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2002
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
