After all, as Horn puts it in this winning debut, “where you found kids, you always found parents who needed some assistance...
Hey, kids, are you saddled with a waaay overprotective mother? A dad who picks his nose? Parents discussing a move to Alaska? See Dewey Fairchild!
Actually, that move to Alaska involves Dewey’s own parents, and as it turns out, he needs some grown-up help redirecting the impulse. Otherwise business is so good that he has an office with a secret entrance and satisfied clients not only from his own fifth-grade class, but even from other schools. He’s ably assisted in his methodical investigations and hilariously canny strategies by still-spry family friend Clara Cottonwood, an unfailing source of both wisdom and cookies, whose glib recitation of the themes of her last 93 birthday parties alone catapults her well over the threshold of awesome. With her help, along with that of several satisfied peer allies and customers rounding out the all-white cast, Dewey tackles parental challenges ranging from spying on the aforementioned nose picker (and seeing things no child should ever see, yuck) to derailing out-of-control cases of germophobia and addiction to practical jokes. His string of triumphs will have readers cheering him on, rolling in the aisles, and wishing they could line up for consultations.
After all, as Horn puts it in this winning debut, “where you found kids, you always found parents who needed some assistance to be, shall we say, their best selves.” Amen to that. (Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-944995-16-4
Page Count: 252
Publisher: Amberjack Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Poet Alexander deftly reveals the power of the format to pack an emotional punch.
Basketball-playing twins find challenges to their relationship on and off the court as they cope with changes in their lives.
Josh Bell and his twin, Jordan, aka JB, are stars of their school basketball team. They are also successful students, since their educator mother will stand for nothing else. As the two middle schoolers move to a successful season, readers can see their differences despite the sibling connection. After all, Josh has dreadlocks and is quiet on court, and JB is bald and a trash talker. Their love of the sport comes from their father, who had also excelled in the game, though his championship was achieved overseas. Now, however, he does not have a job and seems to have health problems the parents do not fully divulge to the boys. The twins experience their first major rift when JB is attracted to a new girl in their school, and Josh finds himself without his brother. This novel in verse is rich in character and relationships. Most interesting is the family dynamic that informs so much of the narrative, which always reveals, never tells. While Josh relates the story, readers get a full picture of major and minor players. The basketball action provides energy and rhythm for a moving story.
Poet Alexander deftly reveals the power of the format to pack an emotional punch. (Verse fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-10771-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
An intriguing, fast-paced fantasy adventure.
A Korean American tween unlocks hidden magical powers to fulfill her destiny and save her family from a vengeful ancient spirit.
Twelve-year-old Lia Park aspires to one day work at the International Magic Agency, fighting monsters and protecting the world. But Lia’s unsure about her future because, unlike best friend Joon, she hasn’t yet manifested any magical abilities. Before she can take the annual entrance exam for the IMA school, her skills are unexpectedly tested when she discovers her California home ransacked and her parents missing. A message to bring Gaya the missing jewel in exchange for her parents leaves her confused and bewildered: She has no idea who Gaya is or what jewel the kidnapper is talking about. Following clues left by her parents, Lia travels with Joon to Korea to find the jewel that will save her family. While motivated to solve the mystery, Lia also becomes frustrated that her parents’ overprotectiveness kept her from knowing the truth about her powers and the threat Gaya poses. Tense scenes set up the high stakes involved in her quest. This contemporary tale incorporates Korean history, national landmarks, and mythology in an engaging way. Korean words and phrases are also woven throughout the text, reinforcing Lia’s connection to her culture and its integral role in the story.
An intriguing, fast-paced fantasy adventure. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-8793-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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