A coming-of-age story of friendships young, old, and canine.
Two classmates set off to save the dog next door.
Hank Hudson has his strategies for keeping the a’a at bay. A’a, a Hawaiian word he happened upon that describes a type of lava flow, perfectly captures the “worst feeling ever” and “the thing he didn’t like about having autism.” The giant Holocaust tome that his class is reading aloud is just so sad, so terribly sad, that it ignites in Hank the urge to take a bold action. The scheme (which involves literal ignition) doesn’t quite go as planned, but it does catch the attention of his classmate Maisie Huang. Maisie is adamant about freeing Booler, a pit bull with “a lolling, happy tongue,” from a life tethered to a tree. Hesitant but empathetic, Hank embarks on a series of misfires and misadventures with Maisie to permanently untether Booler, including a made-up school project to get close to Frank Jorgensen, Booler’s human companion and Maisie’s elderly neighbor. With each attempt, the pair realizes not all is what it seems and matters are much more complicated than they thought. Debut author Finnegan explores the many facets of the characters’ situations and mindsets, including those of the secondary cast of older, mostly presumed white characters. In addition to Hank’s autism, Maisie, who is Asian, takes medicine for a condition disclosed later on in the book, and an aging body affects Frank. At times, the tension simmers, but readers will be invested in the resolution of the Booler story and the community’s human residents’ growing understanding of themselves and one another.
A coming-of-age story of friendships young, old, and canine. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-4525-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new...
How Ivan confronts his harrowing past yet stays true to his nature exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.
Living in a "domain" of glass, metal and cement at the Big Top Mall, Ivan sometimes forgets whether to act like a gorilla or a human—except Ivan does not think much of humans. He describes their behavior as frantic, whereas he is a peaceful artist. Fittingly, Ivan narrates his tale in short, image-rich sentences and acute, sometimes humorous, observations that are all the more heartbreaking for their simple delivery. His sorrow is palpable, but he stoically endures the cruelty of humans until Ruby the baby elephant is abused. In a pivotal scene, Ivan finally admits his domain is a cage, and rather than let Ruby live and die in grim circumstances, he promises to save her. In order to express his plea in a painting, Ivan must bravely face buried memories of the lush jungle, his family and their brutal murder, which is recounted in a brief, powerful chapter sure to arouse readers’ passions. In a compelling ending, the more challenging question Applegate poses is whether or not Ivan will remember what it was like to be a gorilla. Spot art captures poignant moments throughout.
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new generation of advocates. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-199225-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
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