An uplifting middle-grade story that meets sadness head-on and cuddles up to what’s important in life.
A girl whose parents are going through a breakup clings to the belief that her rescue dog has psychic powers in Katz’s middle-grade novel.
Twelve-year-old Georgia wants a dog. She always has, but even more so now that her best friend, Emma, is away and her parents are fighting all the time. With her dad absent at work, Georgia convinces her mom to check out the dogs at the Humane Society. They fall in love with Chester, a gentle, affectionate, toothless schnoodle (a cross between a schnauzer and a poodle), but don’t consult Georgia’s dad before signing the adoption papers. Her dad promptly dubs Chester “Last Straw” and walks out on them. Georgia is distraught. She takes comfort in Chester but can’t help feeling that bringing him home drove her dad away. Then she discovers that Chester is psychic: Using Georgia’s Magic 8 Ball toy to give answers, he can predict the future—an ability that Georgia hopes to make use of in bringing her parents back together. But Georgia has other problems. Not only is Emma drifting into the friendship circle of Reagan (Georgia’s elementary school ex-friend and nemesis), she is also diagnosed with cancer. Can Georgia cope with both losing her best friend and her parents’ split? Does she even want to know the future? The author imbues Georgia with an upbeat voice and wild, fluctuating hopes (“I need a dog to love, to play with, a dog who will listen to me, and hang out with me, and maybe a dog who will stop my parents from arguing so much and bring us all together”) but also the doubts, insecurities, and moody despair one might expect from a 12-year-old going through tough times. The prose is a polished mix of dialogue, inner voice, and narrative. The characters all feel authentic (children and adults alike), and the story rattles along at a good pace through a series of short chapters, drawing the reader into Georgia’s world. While Katz tackles difficult issues of relevance to young readers—neither shying away from Georgia’s pain nor offering a trite, happy ending—Chester’s presence is a constant reassurance both to the characters and readers.
An uplifting middle-grade story that meets sadness head-on and cuddles up to what’s important in life.Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2023
ISBN: 9781685131340
Page Count: 209
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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
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