Sweet, exciting, and immersive: This exceptional fantasy has it all.
A demon and a hero forge an unlikely association.
Once a peaceful pastoral kingdom overseen by a benevolent monarch, Valcrest is now ruled by the villainous Lady Renova, Mother of Evil, and her demon son and heir, Maelstrom, who has limited magic but can shape-shift. Valcrest’s denizens live a miserable, impoverished existence, suffering at Renova’s hand and waiting for the prophesied Hero of Virtue to arrive with the aptly named Sword of Virtue to end Lady Renova’s nefarious rule. Brown-skinned Twigs, a new Hero, seeks to assassinate Maelstrom, but it all goes awry, Maelstrom infiltrates the resistance (claiming to be on their side), and the two end up on the run from Renova’s soldiers together. As fate would have it, the improbable pair become close during their journey, which is replete with a glamorous ball (and the lush accompanying costuming), thrilling battles, double-crosses, and heart-fluttering romance. As feelings—and secrets—grow, Twigs and Maelstrom, who has pale peach-toned skin and blue hair, must confront their own truths before the kingdom disintegrates under Renova’s command. Fans of ND Stevenson’s Nimona will adore Merriman’s graphic novel debut, which is a sheer delight that mixes a wholly original and cleverly wrought fantasy with deeper issues of self-acceptance, friendship, found family, and identity. The book’s illustrations are striking, with a muted palette using splashes of color for dramatic, cinematic effect.
Sweet, exciting, and immersive: This exceptional fantasy has it all. (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: May 28, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822840
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
A sweet, romantic visit to the iconic Disney Fairies world.
The Pixie Dust Root is in danger, and one fairy is determined to save it—and the Pixie Dust Tree that all of Pixie Hollow depends upon.
In this stand-alone story set in the same world as Allison Saft’s Wings of Starlight (2025), Periwinkle, a frost-talent who has a gift for finding things—or maybe they have a way of finding her?—discovers a lost thread of magic that grants her the ability to dream. But not all dreams are as sparkly as Periwinkle. One night, she awakens from a nightmare to find herself in the Winter Woods with a fairy she’s never met, a sparrow man named Weaver, who claims to be a rare dream-talent. Disconcertingly, Weaver knows her—he calls her “perfect Periwinkle” and for some reason doesn’t seem to like her very much. Nevertheless, Periwinkle finds herself drawn to Weaver. When he tells her he can save the Pixie Dust Root by spinning her dreams into thread if she helps him find the magic tools he needs, Periwinkle agrees. Their journey leads the pair, who are pale-skinned, to discover things they like about each other, too. This is an opposites-attract adventure with romantic tension, a high-stakes quest, personal discovery, and betrayal. The characters struggle with inner turmoil while also adjusting their understanding of each other. Bright balances the fun with explorations of themes of snap judgments, labels, and weaponizing fear.
A sweet, romantic visit to the iconic Disney Fairies world. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
ISBN: 9780736447362
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Disney/Random House
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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