Well-worn tropes but a charming adventure story with a resourceful heroine.
In this illustrated chapter book for middle-grade readers, a brave little sparrow agrees to go on a dangerous journey and free the fairy queen from her evil hawk captor.
Felicity is an ordinary brown sparrow who loves to read. She was taught by Augustus, an ivory-billed woodpecker, who took care of Felicity after a hawk killed her parents. One day, a tiny man dressed in leaves—a fairy named Colin, it turns out—shows up at Felicity’s nest, looking for the woodpecker, who’s needed by the fairy king. But Augustus hasn’t been around, and no one knows where he is. As Colin leaves in disappointment, he’s attacked by a hawk, Felicity warning him just in time (though his wings are damaged). A kind soul, Felicity offers to fly Colin home to the Wildwood. There, she learns that Colin is the son of King Taron and that his mother, Queen Lilia, has been imprisoned by evil sorcerer Grak, called the Night Hawk. An enchantment protects his lair from fairies; birds can enter, but getting past the stone door requires reading the password written there (fortunately, Augustus is literate, as is Felicity). Though frightened, Felicity takes on the quest to brave Grak’s enchantments and rescue Queen Lilia, an adventure that will take strength, smarts, and determination. Evans (The Shores of Bountiful, 2013, etc.) presents an appealing heroine in shy but courageous Felicity, who puzzles things out intelligently while taking bold risks. The fairyland setting is well-drawn, with notable details like the fairy guards’ rose-thorn spears. Many elements of the story feel familiar: the ordinary young person who has something special; the heroine who overcomes tragedy; a puzzle in three parts; the there-and-back-again structure. Also, while Evans generally portrays a sparrow’s point of view well, she can be inconsistent: why would a bird who has no word for automobile (“featherless two-foot’s cart”) be able to correctly name “telephone wire”? Overall, though, Felicity makes an appealing character; youngsters who love to read will feel especially drawn to her.
Well-worn tropes but a charming adventure story with a resourceful heroine.Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-692-30691-8
Page Count: 184
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 22, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
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