Adorable and diverting.
All her life, Safia Haziz has dreamed of adventure.
Reared on awe-inspiring tales by her bookseller parents, she’s lost and lonely when they die. She’s taken in by a distant aunt—born Walteranne Hakim, later she became Lady Whimsy, the World’s Greatest Adventurer. Having given up her globe-trotting lifestyle after being turned into a blue-furred, three-eyed, wolflike monster by a strange curse, Aunt Whimsy has hidden away from the world with her tough-as-nails housekeeper, Miss Cathryn, for company. When her aunt’s archnemesis, Professor Doctor Cecilia Choi, nicknamed Pineapple Tart, resurfaces in the news after a yearslong expedition, will Safia help Aunt Whimsy reclaim her former glory? The answer in this lighthearted romp is a foregone conclusion, as Safia and her aunt travel on a luxury ocean liner, negotiate a magical jungle, and befriend a surly secret agent. These, among other excursions, are depicted in an energetic style reminiscent of a ’90s cartoon. Full-page spreads of the sensations, sounds, smells, and tastes Safia experiences on her journeys are particular highlights. Yee’s character design is delightful, full of diversity in body type, skin tone, and gender expression. The story is kindhearted and full of fun. Eleven-year-old Safia is blind; her disability is never treated as an obstacle, instead incorporated into her zest for life in realistic ways, such as through the technology and devices she uses. Safia is brown-skinned and has relatives in India and Egypt.
Adorable and diverting. (gallery, concept art) (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-12546-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship.
A young tennis champion becomes the target of revenge.
In this sequel to Legacy and the Queen (2019), Legacy Petrin and her friends Javi and Pippa have returned to Legacy’s home province and the orphanage run by her father. With her friends’ help, she is in training to defend her championship when they discover that another player, operating under the protection of High Consul Silla, is presenting herself as Legacy. She is so convincing that the real Legacy is accused of being an imitation. False Legacy has become a hero to the masses, further strengthening Silla’s hold, and it becomes imperative to uncover and defeat her. If Legacy is to win again, she must play her imposter while disguised as someone else. Winning at tennis is not just about money and fame, but resisting Silla’s plans to send more young people into brutal mines with little hope of better lives. Legacy will have to overcome her fears and find the magic that allowed her to claim victory in the past. This story, with its elements of sports, fantasy, and social consciousness that highlight tensions between the powerful and those they prey upon, successfully continues the series conceived by late basketball superstar Bryant. As before, the tennis matches are depicted with pace and spirit. Legacy and Javi have brown skin; most other characters default to White.
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949520-19-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
A moving tale of baseball, magic, and former rivals who come together to solve a problem.
A middle schooler struggles to adjust after moving to an idyllic Massachusetts town.
Trish Das is at a crossroads. Not only is the 12-year-old unhappy that her family has moved yet again due to her mother’s cardiology career, she also has to try out for a new baseball team. The fact that one of her new teammates is a former archrival further complicates matters. Math prodigy Ben Messina went head-to-head against fellow math whiz Trish at last spring’s Math Puzzlers Championship. When Trish emerged victorious, Ben was stunned. The two get closer when the team’s mysterious pregame snacks start making everyone play better while also causing magical side effects during games. Equally surprising are the cryptic puzzle booklets Trish and Ben receive in the mail that lead them to even more wins. But as the puzzles get harder to solve, the risk of failing to do so increases. Alternating between Trish’s and Ben’s perspectives, LaRocca’s novel—a companion to 2019’s Midsummer’s Mayhem—is a Much Ado About Nothing homage that explores parental expectations, complicated friendships, and teamwork. The protagonists’ love of problem-solving shines through, and the puzzles themselves are clearly explained. As a third-generation Indian American, Trish also has moving conversations about the circumstances that led her grandparents to emigrate and how those decisions still impact their lives. Ben is implied White. Final illustrations not seen.
A moving tale of baseball, magic, and former rivals who come together to solve a problem. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: June 15, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1101-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Yellow Jacket
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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