A compelling fantasy adventure with intriguing self-help elements.
Cheverton’s middle-grade fantasy series starter shares a timely tale of childhood anxiety about a young camper assisting in a battle to save Earth.
Cameron Poole has only two real friends at Camp Pontchartrain, where he’s the “smallest sixth-grader”: self-confident, tech-oriented Bobby and the always-encouraging archery enthusiast Elisa Jarreau. His bullies include new kid and baseball team captain Karl Macarthur, among others. However, Cameron finds an unlikely ally in football team captain Leonard O’Malley, who comes to his aid when hassled by soccer players. Mrs. Chakoté, the camp director, shares that the campers will soon witness a “Super Blood Moon” eclipse; around the same time, Cameron sees a “creature no bigger than a small child…its skin dark red. Tiny wings stuck out from its back, short stubby horns jutting up from its head, and its eyes glowing like two burning embers.” It isn’t long before Cameron learns that Camp Pontchartrain is not what it seems; in fact, it contains a doorway to a parallel universe known as Agartha—and Mrs. Chakoté is on a mission to stop Malphas, Agartha’s Demon Lord leader, and his minions from invading Earth. The anxious Cameron and his friends soon find themselves helping Mrs. Chakoté to stop the Agarthan threat. Over the course of Cheverton’s well-crafted story, he offers engaging insights into childhood anxiety and strategies for working through anxious moments, including helpful exercises such as box breathing (“breathing in for five counts, waiting for five counts, exhaling for five counts, then waiting again for five counts before repeating”). And there’s evocative imagery that draws readers into Cameron’s world: “The buzzing in my head morphed from a collection of bees to a hive of angry hornets.” The protagonist’s internal struggle and the battle against the Agarthans are seamlessly intertwined; the tale may give hope to young readers that they, too, can successfully deal with anxiety.
A compelling fantasy adventure with intriguing self-help elements.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 205
Publisher: Gameknight Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tremendous return.
Several months have passed since the events of The Rise of the Jumbies (2017), when Corinne La Mer faced her mother’s sister, Severine, and the mighty Mama D’Leau, the jumbies of forest and sea.
Corinne anxiously awaits her father’s yellow fishing boat every day, scanning the sea for trouble, afraid that Severine will come back for revenge. Her friends encourage her to keep her mind on land rather than the waters. One day, an out-of-season hurricane suddenly turns the island upside down. As the hurricane rips the island apart, the villagers take to the mountains for shelter. There, Corinne finds Papa Bois, guardian jumbie of the forest. He tells her the storm is the work of the jumbie god, Huracan. Even though she’s half jumbie herself, Corinne isn’t sure how to stop the mighty god from destroying the island. What could cause such fury? With the help of her friends, human and jumbie, Corinne sets out to fix things once and for all and to face Huracan himself. With this strong return to the Jumbies series, Baptiste engages all the senses, from the taste of sweet oranges to the scent of salty air. Corinne strengthens her relationships with the island, the people, and all the creatures within. Her determination, compassion, and bravery will inspire readers to face down any challenges crossing their paths. Baptiste carefully represents Caribbean diversity; most characters are Afro Caribbean like Corinne, but friend Dru’s heritage is South Asian.
A tremendous return. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-61620-891-2
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Algonquin
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
PERSPECTIVES
A delectable treat for food and literary connoisseurs alike
Eleven-year-old Mira “Mimi” Mackson is a baking prodigy from a small Massachusetts town called Comity (a thinly disguised Concord).
Mimi is the youngest member of a large family: Her Indian American mom is a successful software consultant, her white dad is a renowned food writer and critic, and her three older siblings (all biracial, like Mimi) excel at acting, dance, and soccer. Although Mimi enjoys creating new treats for her family and experimenting with uncommon flavors, she sometimes feels out of place and invisible amid her accomplished siblings. When a new bakery in town, the While Away Bakery and Café, announces a baking contest for children, Mimi is excited to compete and show off her talents. Things get complicated, however, when Mimi’s father falls under an enchantment that causes him to not only lose his refined sense of taste, but also eat everything in sight. Loosely based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream and inspired by TV shows like The Great British Baking Show, LaRocca’s debut is original and compelling. The realistic characters and complex family dynamics augment the tightly knit plot, and the mouthwatering descriptions of food are guaranteed to make readers hungry. Three recipes at the end of the novel (based on the characters’ concoctions) are an added bonus for those interested in developing their culinary skills.
A delectable treat for food and literary connoisseurs alike . (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0888-9
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
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