Let’s hope for more from Domanska, as Emic the inventor is a very appealing invention herself.
In Domanska’s debut adventure for middle-grade readers, a gadget-loving girl discovers that her grandfather was a spy in World War II—and that he knew about a secret invention.
Emily Michael Rizzle, nicknamed “Emic,” loves to pull devices apart, see how they work, and make new ones. She takes after her beloved grandfather, Gregor Rizzle, who died four years ago, when Emic was 8. He was a colonel in World War II, spoke five languages, and said strange things about someone named Tesla and a “free-energy generator.” Emic still has the musty old journal that Gregor gave her with “Nikola Tesla” written on its inside cover. “Keep it safe, child,” he told her. “This book could change the world.” Since then, she’s kept her promise and continued tinkering; largely as a result of her efforts, her sixth-grade robotics team won first prize. But now her family is moving from Chicago to Flat Rock, North Carolina, and in the middle of the school year. Luckily, she meets some kindred spirits there, including the lanky, sarcastic Dublin, who loves British slang. Emic enlists his help in figuring out some strange items, such as a tiny camera from her grandfather’s cigar box, which was discovered in the recent move. Meanwhile, three men in dark suits seem to be following Emic. What are they after? Could her grandfather have been right? Domanska gives readers a delightful heroine in Emic: she’s warmhearted, loyal, smart, clever, and determined to be herself. She also dresses in a trademark mix of contrasting colors and patterns, mixed with vintage pieces, such as her grandfather’s Distinguished Service Cross. Emic knows she stands out, but she thinks, “This is me! This is what I like! Deal with it!” Domanska also provides nice details about Emic’s family situation and illustrates her tinkering well (drat that melted plastic capacitor!). Although spy-thriller plots in YA fiction usually beggar belief, this one is handled fairly realistically: Emic and Dublin have some exciting adventures with a great payoff, and the ending still leaves room for Emic to change the world.
Let’s hope for more from Domanska, as Emic the inventor is a very appealing invention herself.Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-59021-777-1
Page Count: 170
Publisher: Mnemosyne Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman (The Year of No More Corn, 1993, etc.) and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow; that she's so appealingly whimsical makes it easy to accept the classic tale's inversions. The protagonist is Bubba, appropriately downtrodden and overworked by his wicked stepdaddy and loathsome brothers Dwayne and Milton, who spend their days bossing him around. The other half of the happy couple is Miz Lurleen, who owns ``the biggest spread west of the Brazos.'' She craves male companionship to help her work the place, ``and it wouldn't hurt if he was cute as a cow's ear, either.'' There are no surprises in this version except in the hilarious way the premise plays itself out and in Warhola's delightful visual surprises. When Lurleen tracks the bootless Bubba down, ``Dwayne and Milton and their wicked daddy threw chicken fits.'' Bubba and babe, hair as big as a Texas sun, ride off to a life of happy ranching, and readers will be proud to have been along for the courtship. (Picture book/folklore. 6-8)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-590-25506-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Readers with maples get ready: kids are sure to want to try their hands at boiling their own syrup.
A group of family and friends performs the chores in the sugar bush that lead to fresh maple syrup.
It’s not just collecting sap and boiling it: bottles must be sterilized, wood gathered and stacked, the sugar content of the boiling syrup monitored, and the finished syrup filtered and bottled. As young Kelsey follows her father around the wood, it’s clear this isn’t her first exposure to this northeastern spring ritual, though this is belied by didactic and expository dialogue, as when Daddy explains how the trees have stored sugar over the winter. Kelsey’s chores are kid-appropriate: hammering spiles, hanging buckets, stacking and carrying wood, and curiously peeking and asking about the syrup’s readiness as it boils. The boiling goes on all night and into the next morning, when the family enjoys a maple syrup–centered breakfast while waiting for the sap buckets to fill again. Mitter’s illustrations play up the camaraderie of working together. Skin tones range from Kelsey’s own white skin to light and dark browns in this multiracial gathering. While the tractor and single storage tank indicate that this is not a large-scale operation, the evaporator and dedicated sugar shack mean this isn’t just a hobby, either. The final page includes more facts about maple syrup.
Readers with maples get ready: kids are sure to want to try their hands at boiling their own syrup. (Picture book. 3-9)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8075-7943-5
Page Count: 37
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Sept. 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
