An appealing tale of fortitude with just the right amounts of spookiness, playfulness, and heart.
When alternate versions of her parents invade her home, a young English girl must find the strength to vanquish the demons.
Lily wishes things were how they used to be—before she got sick and before her mum got pregnant. When The Baby’s arrival is imminent, Lily is dropped off at Granny’s house. Missing the cuddly toy whale she sleeps with, Lily sneaks out at night and walks around the village toward home. There, she finds her mum and dad—but quickly realizes they aren’t her actual parents. They are cruel parent-things with strange eyes like lumps of coal, and they tell her this is no longer her house. Outside, Lily meets talking animals: Crow, Mouse, Mole, and Snake. Over the course of the night, they help her try to reclaim her home. Lily ultimately learns to accept her chronic illness and become a loving big sister. This story beautifully blends horror elements with animal fantasy and realistic issues. The replacement parents are creepy and reminiscent of those in Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, but there is plenty to differentiate the tales. The animals add humor and levity to the adventure, while Lily is believably frustrated with her sickness and scared that The Baby is taking over her place in the family. Gravett’s illustrations add to the magic and whimsy; they are particularly striking when showcasing the animals’ expressive features. Main characters read as White.
An appealing tale of fortitude with just the right amounts of spookiness, playfulness, and heart. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-9461-9
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
A shivery, ghostly mystery.
When looking for ghosts, be prepared for what you might find.
Josie and her best friends, Alison and Jackson, write “The Magnifiying Glass,” an investigative column for their school newspaper. It’s fine but not flashy enough to get them coveted editorial positions when they reach eighth grade next year. That’s how they find themselves on Halloween night with a plan to visit the local cemetery to find out whether the “super-famous ghost” known as the Lady in White is actually real—a topic that, if well executed, will make their column unforgettable. The three carefully plan a weekend unfettered by parental supervision in order to conduct their research. Their paranormal encounter begins with all three receiving unsettling, ominous text messages: “I’m watching” and “You have 2 days.” The haunting begins in earnest when the kids get home, intensifying from small, explainable things—dirt on the floor, a glitching computer—to clear signs that if the spirits aren’t put to rest, the consequences will be dire. Adults remain on the sidelines, raising the stakes and keeping the focus firmly on the relationship among the friends, which feels authentic. The scares feel real, and the central mystery becomes even more interesting from the elements that are rooted in reality and described in the author’s note, which includes photos. The three friends are coded white.
A shivery, ghostly mystery. (Supernatural. 9-12)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780593811634
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
Readers will gobble this down and look for more, make no mythtake.
Promising myth-adventures aplenty, this kickoff episode introduces young Zeus, “a very special, yet clueless godboy.”
After 10-year-old Zeus is plucked from his childhood cave in Crete by armed “Cronies” of the Titan king, Cronus, he is rescued by harpies. He then finds himself in a Grecian temple where he acquires a lightning bolt with the general personality of a puppy and receives hints of his destiny from an Oracle with fogged eyeglasses. Recaptured and about to be eaten by Cronus, Zeus hurls the bolt down the Titan’s throat—causing the king to choke and then, thanks to an alert Crony’s Heimlich maneuver, to barf up several previously eaten Olympians. Spooning in numerous ingredients from the origin myth’s traditional versions, the veteran authors whip up a smooth confection, spiced with both gross bits and contemporary idiom (“ ‘Eew!’ a voice shrieked. ‘This is disgusting!’ ”) and well larded with full-page illustrations (not seen). One thorough washing later, off marches the now-cocky lad with new allies Poseidon and Hera, to rescue more Olympians in the next episode.
Readers will gobble this down and look for more, make no mythtake. (Fantasy. 9-11)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-5787-4
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2012
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