An action-packed animal tale with three-dimensional characters, dynamic plotting, and a satisfying, suspenseful struggle...
Three hares and their allies must stop venomous creatures bent on conquest in this debut middle-grade fantasy adventure.
A brutal attack on benevolent eagles King Aridin and Queen Sparra—and the kidnapping of their unhatched prince for nefarious purposes—catapults the peaceful Desert Realm into war with venomous frogs, scorpions, snakes, wasps, and bats controlled by vile lizard Hillmaken. As more and more desert inhabitants—including wild pigs and coyotes—mutate into poisonous evildoers under the influence of the mysterious Venom Stone that fell “from the heavens,” Hillmaken’s army swells. The Realm’s only hope to defeat it is a trio of seemingly ordinary hares. According to ancient tortoise Honu, brothers Nick, Cade, and Sam must risk their lives to fulfill a prophecy and prevent the “Venomous Ones” from bringing all creatures under their “cold and cruel” rule. In their quest to fulfill their destiny, the young hares encounter life-threatening dangers and unexpected (and imaginatively conceived) magical aid. Their close friend Olivia the owl has her own brave role to play in the fight, involving in part Baumann’s enjoyable strategy featuring spiderwebs. Readers afraid of creepy-crawlies should be aware that there are heaps of them here, and the author doesn’t stint on gruesomeness. In Hillmaken’s subterranean lair, reeking of death and “littered with the skeletons of various creatures he had devoured,” the pulsing Venom Stone’s function is grisly indeed. Shaped by well-timed scene shifts and smartly balanced action and suspense—and complemented by Negali’s rich, painterly illustrations—Baumann’s narrative of imperiled royals, malevolent villains, ferocious battles, a magical prophecy, and Everyman heroes gives readers of all ages ample reasons to stay hooked, despite a few rough spots. (For example, at the top of a giant mesa are “torches hung near the opening” and a “hollow” that seems in the next sentence to become a “cavern.”) Although Baumann’s fantasy animal world lacks the depth of Brian Jacques’ Redwall universe and can use a bit of polish, it is still substantive.
An action-packed animal tale with three-dimensional characters, dynamic plotting, and a satisfying, suspenseful struggle between good and evil.Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5468-3595-0
Page Count: 200
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Four fifth-graders are recruited by a scheming magician in this hefty bonbon from the author of the Fablehaven tales. At first, Nate, Summer, Trevor and Pigeon think they have it good. Having asked them to help her recover a hidden treasure that (she says) belongs to her, Belinda White, friendly proprietor of a sweets shop that has just opened in their small town, provides some uncommon candies—like Moon Rocks, that give them the ability to jump like grasshoppers, and literally electrifying Shock Bits. When she begins asking them to commit certain burglaries, though, their exhilaration turns to unease, and rightly so; Mrs. White is actually after a draft from the Fountain of Youth that will make her the world’s most powerful magician. And, as it turns out, she isn’t the only magician who’s come to town—not even the only one whose magic is tied to sweets. Filling out the supporting cast with the requisite trio of bullies, plus magical minions of various (and sometimes gross) abilities, Mull trots his twist-laden plot forward to a well set-up climax. Leaving the door open an inch for sequels, he dishes up a crowd-pleaser as delicious—if not so weird—as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . (Fantasy. 10-13)
Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-59038-783-2
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2007
An artfully crafted tale with mesmerizing details and a subtle exploration of free will and good versus evil.
A fan of magic and her reluctant companion embark on an adventure when the mysterious Blue Man charges them with a mission.
Little Katherine contemplates what exists behind the scrim of the sky, and she gets her answer after she meets a boy named Charlie, who literally runs into her upon fleeing a blue man and a talking salamander he encounters in the nearby forest. The man is non-threatening, and asks the two to help him recover some lost items, to which Katherine heartily agrees. He doesn’t provide much information, however, so once she and Charlie enter this enchanted universe, they must take it upon themselves to figure out what the Blue Man has lost and how to go about helping him find it. With the help of guides like snarky, enigmatic Gerald and good-natured Frank, the children travel through very deep puddles to different realms behind the clouds, learning about the Blue Man’s nemesis, Grey Lady, who may have snatched his magical dragon stones. Schilling’s well drawn, vibrant world elevates his story above the standard adventure quest. His lively, amusing dialogue complements a fantastical world where fish flit through the air like bees (and may accidentally transport you elsewhere), manta rays make shy cabbies, crushed flowers pop back to life and magic permeates everything. While adults will find the narrative captivating, this book is tailor-made for storytime read-alouds.
An artfully crafted tale with mesmerizing details and a subtle exploration of free will and good versus evil.Pub Date: July 15, 2005
ISBN: 0-595-36189-7
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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