A classic, satisfying adventure tale packed with magical beings.
A Hmong American girl sets out on a quest to save her little brother from an angry spirit.
Pahua, the only Asian American in sixth grade at her Wisconsin school, spends most of her time with her little brother, Matt, and Miv, a cat spirit only she can see. Trying to fit in with the other girls at summer school, Pahua ignores her misgivings and follows them to a forbidden bridge in the woods. She quickly learns why it’s so dangerous: The ghost of a lost little girl inhabits it—and she is angry. When Pahua accidentally releases her, the ghost attaches herself to Matt, trapping him in the Spirit Realm. Luckily, Zhong, another Hmong girl, is sent by the School for Shamanic Arts and Spiritual Mastery to make sure the bridge spirit ends up on the proper path for reincarnation—a trial to prove that she deserves to complete her training. The two begin a journey to save Matt, equipped only with Pahua’s unusual ability to see spirits, Zhong’s apprentice training, and Miv. As they encounter tree spirits, dragons, angry Hmong gods, and more, Pahua learns secrets about her family and her past and grapples with what lies at the core of identity. This is a fun adventure through a world inspired by Hmong mythology, full of imagination and featuring characters whose concerns are both modern and timeless.
A classic, satisfying adventure tale packed with magical beings. (glossary, author’s note) (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-368-06824-6
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents/Disney
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Quirky and imaginative—postmodern storytelling at its best.
Friendly curiosity and a gift for naming earn a polar bear an assortment of (mostly animal) friends, adventures, mishaps, and discoveries.
Arriving at a northern ocean, Duane spies a shipwreck. Swimming out to investigate, he meets its lone occupant, C.C., a learned snowy owl whose noble goal is acquiring knowledge to apply “toward the benefit of all.” Informing Duane that he’s a polar bear, she points out a nearby cave that might suit him—it even has a mattress. Adding furnishings from the wreck—the grandfather clock’s handless, but who needs to tell time when it’s always now?—he meets a self-involved musk ox, entranced by his own reflection, who’s delighted when Duane names him “Handsome.” As he comes to understand, then appreciate their considerable diversity, Duane brings out the best in his new friends. C.C., who has difficulty reading emotions and dislikes being touched, evokes the autism spectrum. Magic, a bouncy, impulsive arctic fox, manifests ADHD. Major Puff, whose proud puffin ancestry involves courageous retreats from danger, finds a perfect companion in Twitch, a risk-aware, common-sensical hare. As illustrated, Sun Girl, a human child, appears vaguely Native, and Squint, a painter, white, but they’re sui generis: The Canadian author avoids referencing human culture. The art conveys warmth in an icy setting; animal characters suggest beloved stuffed toys, gently reinforcing the message that friendship founded on tolerance breeds comfort and safety.
Quirky and imaginative—postmodern storytelling at its best. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3341-0
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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