Captivating and lyrical.
Shaheen’s dad is missing. Music, which bonded them over the years, now seems to be the cause of their separation.
Twelve-year-old Shahi and her journalist father, an avid record collector, have connected through music for as long as she can remember, although lately he seems to pay attention to it more than he does to her. Until the day Shahi’s dad gets lost in music—literally. Shahi and her cousin, Tannaz, set out to find him by sleuthing after hours inside the local record store, where he and Earl, the store’s owner, were last seen. They discover a massive jukebox, which they come to realize is magical, as it transports them back in time whenever it plays a record. Hopping in and out of time to attend legendary concerts seems to have led to both men’s disappearance. Now Shahi and Naz need to figure out if there is a way to bring them back. The story highlights the eras and contributions of notable Black musicians including Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye. Chanani’s illustrations of the family’s San Francisco neighborhood as well as the historical settings are delightfully colorful and vibrant, and her attention to detail is impeccable. She weaves musicality into her exploration of personal relationships, creating a world where music connects us all. Shahi has Italian and Bangladeshi heritage; Naz is Bangladeshi American and bisexual, and Earl is Black.
Captivating and lyrical. (playlist, author's note) (Graphic fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: June 22, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-15636-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
Magical and charming.
Moth Hush, the Okay Witch, is back for another adventure, grappling with middle school bullies and magical mayhem in this second series installment.
Moth Hush is still coming to terms with the revelation of her witchy heritage and magical abilities, but winter break is over, and it is time to head back to school and peers who were cruel even before magic entered her life. When Moth discovers an ancient charm that promises to grant her the confidence and social charisma that she lacks, it seems too good to be true. With the help of the charm, Moth soon finds her star rising, even receiving a nomination for the honor of Founderella, to be crowned at the Valentine’s Ball. Use of the charm has one major downside, however, as it invites the interference of a shadowy demonic presence. In a climax that is part Sabrina the Teenage Witch and part Carrie, Moth must face down not only the demon from the charm, but her own personal demons as well. Moth, who presents as Black and whose family traces its roots to a small fictional island off the Iberian coast, is a relatable hero readers can’t help but root for. While she grapples with the usual middle school angst surrounding identity, self-esteem, and where she fits in, she also forces the town and readers to confront issues of racism and privilege that are as pervasive in the town of Founder’s Bluff as they are in real life.
Magical and charming. (Graphic fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: July 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3149-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This winning paranormal uses witchcraft to explore adolescent rebellion.
It is Halloween when Moth Hush finds out she is descended from a line of witches.
Her mother reveals the story of their witch origins going back to 17th-century Europe, which Moth’s maternal grandmother, Sarah, fled along with her order for supposed safety in Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, only to find persecution there. Led by Sarah, the witches escaped the wrath of the Puritans through a blood ritual that opened a portal to Hecate, a spiritual realm that provided safety. Moth’s mother rebelled and broke away from the coven to live in the real world, ultimately as a single parent to Moth in the 21st century. After a talking black cat (the spirit of a deceased neighbor) appears and befriends Moth, Moth peeks at her mother’s diary—which opens a portal to Hecate, and Moth secretly begins to practice spells unsupervised and to connect with her family there. Moth and family sort through a complicated lineage whose legacy reveals itself to be very much alive in present-day Founder’s Bluff. In Steinkellner’s graphic panels, Moth and her family have brown skin and puffy dark hair, and the 17th-century coven is shown to be multiracial. The complex history provides a mechanism through which Moth sorts through her own coming-of-age as a modern girl of color, and it’s the loving, oftentimes humorous rapport among the Hush women that grounds this graphic novel.
This winning paranormal uses witchcraft to explore adolescent rebellion. (Graphic fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3146-1
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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