Pullman (Clockwork, 1998, etc.) has created a strong-willed heroine who will risk her life in order to experience and become transformed by the world. Bent on becoming a firework-maker like her father, young and determined Lila travels to Mount Merapi to obtain Royal Sulphur from Razvani the Fire-fiend. She arrives at Mount Merapi without the three gifts required as exchange for the sulphur and without the magic water that will protect her from the flames; Lila’s hopes of appeasing Razvani seem impossible until Hamlet, the King’s elephant, and Chaluk, his keeper, arrive with the magic water. Entering the flames, Lila learns that the three gifts—talent, courage and luck—were within her all the time. Falsely imprisoned for stealing Hamlet, Lila’s father relies upon her to help prepare a firework display that will earn his release. Called the Foaming Moss, its spectacular presentation leaves the King, his subjects, and the other firework-makers in awe. Characteristically, Pullman builds anticipation to a breathtaking conclusion, while Gallagher’s distinctive black-and-white illustrations lead readers on a fantastical journey fraught with danger and a dream realized. (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-590-18719-8
Page Count: 97
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1999
In two short stories, Golembe (Dog Magic, 1997) chronicles the relocation of Annabelle, a puppy, from the frozen tundra to the warm tropics, thereby addressing the wide range of emotions involved in moving. Annabelle likes her old home and all the routines associated with it; she’s consequently bewildered when her family packs everything up and movers take their belongings away. While Annabelle has settled into her new home, she is lonely and finds it difficult to make new acquaintances. “She saw dogs who looked strange to her, not like the dogs in her old neighborhood.” A romp at a local dog beach provides the opportunity for Annabelle to find friendship. Golembe’s illustrations are a panorama of lush tropical colors—vivid fuchsias, deep indigos, and rich azure hues entice the eye. Her sympathetic treatment of the subject and the positive resolution offers encouragement for children immersed in the turmoil of moving. (Picture book. 2-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-91543-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
Frost debuts with a flawed but heartwarming dog story, set along an industrial canal in New York City and illustrated with large, freely drawn black-and-white etchings. One winter’s morning, after “an exquisite breakfast” of garbage, three puppies explore the barren canalside and meet a friendly street person who lives in a cardboard box. Later, finding one puppy sick, the man takes her to an animal shelter, leading to a job, an apartment, and owners for the other two puppies. Frost depicts urban landscapes with a gray, dingy realism that evokes neither the puppies’ exuberance nor the joy of the happy ending, and the deep shading and diffuse lines sometimes make figures indistinct. While the strong textures at times create a swirling energy reminiscent of Brian Pinkney’s scratchboard illustrations, this more often resembles a first draft, a shadowy promise of the book- yet-to-be. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: April 6, 1999
ISBN: 0-374-31058-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1999
© 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.
