by Polly Horvath ; illustrated by Sophie Blackall ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 11, 2014
A purely Horvath-ian (meaning hilarious) hop across the pond.
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny and the sixth-grade human child Madeline collide again in this silly, satirical sequel to Horvath’s Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire! (2012).
Mrs. Bunny, always in search of a new job (and a new hat to go with it), has now decided she must become the queen of England, despite the fact that she’s from Canada…and a rabbit. Coincidentally, Madeline’s hippie mother inherits a sweet shoppe in the English village of Bellyflop, and so Madeline stumbles upon her dear bunny friends again—this time on an England-bound cruise ship. The adventure begins! Told in alternating sections—bunny, human, bunny, human—the stories of the dreams and delusions of the two traveling parties unfold, heavily seasoned with Horvath’s wry take on everything from social media to clotted cream to celebrity authors who write about wizards and magical candy. In fact, the author is having so much fun, her musings sometimes overwhelm the story, and readers won’t be surprised to find her bookstore cameo as Mrs. Bunny’s translator. The plot is unapologetically preposterous, but the truly witty banter, near-constant conflict and palpable love between Mr. and Mrs. Bunny are both genuinely affecting and uproariously funny. Blackall’s elegant, expressive black-and-white illustrations add whimsy to an already effervescent adventure.
A purely Horvath-ian (meaning hilarious) hop across the pond. (Comedy of manners. 9-14)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-307-98065-6
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Nov. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2013
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by Gary Paulsen ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2016
A slow, slight story enlivened by likable characters and a nice dose of humor. Twice.
Six 14-year-old boys, all classmates, must sit tight in their school bathroom while they wait out a storm warning, a forced interaction that causes the barriers between them to fall.
Although there isn’t much story, it’s told twice, once as a novella, the second time as a play. The plot is a kind of stripped-down, reasonably witty, all-male middle school version of The Breakfast Club, though it lacks that property’s heart and gravitas. Readers will both like and recognize the diverse group of characters, such as the brainiac or the hostile, seemingly dumb one, and the jokes mostly land. But for boys of that age, these characters are remarkably live-and-let-live, with no harsh teasing of the anxious new kid with the stuffed cat, for example. This goodwill creates minor rather than major tension between them, which, coupled with the lack of action, makes the novella feel rather sluggish. It’s better as a play, partially because it’s cut to its essentials, partially because the story’s shape, simple set, and group of individuals artificially stuck together as interior revelations play out lends itself to the form. Drama teachers may find it a useful demonstration of how to turn prose into dramatic writing.
A slow, slight story enlivened by likable characters and a nice dose of humor. Twice. (Fiction/drama. 9-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5223-6
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
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by Gary Paulsen
by Aubrey Hartman ; illustrated by Christopher Cyr ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2023
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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