Possibly unpalatable for general magical-adventure fans but appealing to readers who relish all things icky.
Evil fairies sure do love hair. To eat.
Page 1 displays a contract in which Alison Butler promises to grow 100 fairies, pass on two flock-starters to another child and follow all the rules. In return, she’ll receive one wish. Ali’s hard at work growing those fairies in her backyard and raiding her house’s shower drain for hair to feed them, while coiffing herself in a hair-sprayed bun for safety. Sure, a couple of kids in town have disappeared due to breach of fairy contract, but Ali intends to follow the rules. Although many of Thompson’s ingredients are classic—the fairy contract; tricky rules that change along the way; kids knowing the truth while adults are oblivious—the unique details she mixes in make for a decidedly peculiar flavor. These 2-inch-tall fairies not only gobble human locks insatiably, but they can’t stop murmuring the word “hair.” As Ali and other kids unearth the fairies’ identities and unsavory plan, magical rules shift and sway almost improvisationally. The text shows fairy speech printed in tiny font until Ali herself shrinks, at which point fairy speech is standard size while human speech enlarges. The uber-normalized small-town setting emphasizes families headed by both mom and dad, a hairdresser who’s styled these kids their whole lives, and an unfriendly (eventually partly upended) implication that kids held back a grade are bullies and smokers.
Possibly unpalatable for general magical-adventure fans but appealing to readers who relish all things icky. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-547-85903-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
It has been three months since Homer Winslow Pudding (Smells Like Dog, 2010) discovered the meaning of the initials L.O.S.T. and learned the truth about his treasure-sniffing pooch Dog. Homer and Dog are off on another adventure when the boy receives a letter that says, “Your time has come.” The vague message could only mean one thing: that finally the secret society of L.O.S.T. (Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures) is offering Homer the chance to take the seat of his beloved treasure-hunting uncle, Drake Pudding, and become a professional treasure hunter. Familiar characters make an appearance, including the giant Zelda and pink-haired Lorelei, who challenges Homer for Drake’s chair. Lorelei and Homer are given a challenge that, if Homer loses, will change the course of his life forever. The author weaves in enough details of the earlier book to refresh readers’ memories in this droll, satisfying sequel. The suspense of the challenge—will Homer's knowledge of maps and treasure hunting enable him to best Lorelei?—will keep readers turning the pages. The truth about the great treasure hunter Rumpold Smeller, whose treasure Uncle Drake spent his life looking for, is revealed in alternating chapters. There is plenty of rip-roaring fun here; fans will applaud Homer and Dog's return. (Adventure. 8-12)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-316-04399-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
A simple tale of family, friendship, and the magic of reading.
All bookshops feel magical, but even so, Rhyme and Reason is special.
Thirteen-year-old Poppy Fulbright is lucky enough to work in and live above one of the most magical bookshops of all time. In fact, time is precisely why it is unique. Sutton, New York, in 1944 isn’t the only time and place in which Rhyme and Reason exists: Poppy’s family’s magical bookshop appears to patrons whenever they need it most, regardless of the year or where they are located. The magic that exists within the shop comes with its own set of rules, and they’re strictly enforced by the Council. When Carl, the best friend of Poppy’s older brother, Al, dies while fighting in World War II, Al wants to break the rules and use the time-traveling magic of the bookshop to save his life. This historical fantasy is whimsical yet bittersweet given the subject matter. While the premise is engaging, the lackluster plot would have benefited from deeper character development and more expansive worldbuilding. Despite this, the book could appeal to readers who understand the magic that a dusty old bookshop can contain and who appreciate the power of the perfect book. Most characters are cued as White; the shop courier and the Council Leader have brown skin.
A simple tale of family, friendship, and the magic of reading. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11037-9
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
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