A fun, interactive read for lovers of the supernatural.
Will’s new town is filled with monsters, mythical creatures, and secrets, but hardly anyone believes him.
When his dad left, life was upended. Now Will and his mom are leaving New York City to move to Massachusetts, far from everything familiar. To his mom, East Emerson is a nice town where they can start fresh, but Will sees unearthly beings and wants to leave. When he’s magically transported to a cemetery and witnesses a terrifying ritual, a mystical fox chants a command to him: “find the animals, destroy the crown. Save the animals, and save the town.” At first Will thinks it was just a nightmare, but when the townspeople’s pets begin to disappear, he starts to suspect something evil is at play. He connects with his new neighbors, adopted siblings Ivy, an athletic girl who can also see monsters, and her genius brother, Linus, who are, respectively, Korean and Black. Together, Will (whose mom is Latina and father is implied White) and his new friends uncover the town’s spooky, mysterious history. This is a fast-paced, exciting first installment in a fantastical series filled with “monsters, myths, magic, and mad science.” Although there are scary parts, the monster narrator interrupts the story to address readers directly, introducing comedic relief. Readers can decipher codes and secret messages throughout the story, adding to the mystery and thrill. Themes of family, navigating change, poverty, listening to feelings, and finding courage are also present.
A fun, interactive read for lovers of the supernatural. (Paranormal. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-335-42487-7
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new...
How Ivan confronts his harrowing past yet stays true to his nature exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.
Living in a "domain" of glass, metal and cement at the Big Top Mall, Ivan sometimes forgets whether to act like a gorilla or a human—except Ivan does not think much of humans. He describes their behavior as frantic, whereas he is a peaceful artist. Fittingly, Ivan narrates his tale in short, image-rich sentences and acute, sometimes humorous, observations that are all the more heartbreaking for their simple delivery. His sorrow is palpable, but he stoically endures the cruelty of humans until Ruby the baby elephant is abused. In a pivotal scene, Ivan finally admits his domain is a cage, and rather than let Ruby live and die in grim circumstances, he promises to save her. In order to express his plea in a painting, Ivan must bravely face buried memories of the lush jungle, his family and their brutal murder, which is recounted in a brief, powerful chapter sure to arouse readers’ passions. In a compelling ending, the more challenging question Applegate poses is whether or not Ivan will remember what it was like to be a gorilla. Spot art captures poignant moments throughout.
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new generation of advocates. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-199225-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
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