A supporting cast of wise, offbeat adults helps a child steer his way through an ugly divorce in this quirky, advice-heavy debut. Manhattan map in hand, Kyle, 9, sits next to his cabdriving uncle Hank on Sundays, pointing out fares, discussing routes, and chewing over whatever topics come to mind. One pick- up, Marcella, introduces Kyle to her fierce 7-year-old neighbor Ruby, and Hank to Lydia, Ruby's gentle, Moroccan-born mother. With his parents' relationship hitting the rocks (``hitting'' is the operative term), Kyle finds himself spending more and more time with this impromptu family. Whether helping Kyle choose a costume or easing him through the idea of her impending death, Marcella makes a perfect grandmother, and when she's not around, comfort and analysis are always available from either Uncle Hank or some amusingly flamboyant fare. The grown-ups are so vividly drawn that Kyle is pale and ordinary in comparison, and the plot takes a violent swerve at the end, planting Hank, Lydia, Ruby, and Kyle on a ship to Morocco, as Kyle's mother stays behind to care for their apartments. Readers will enjoy the characters, but the earnest lessons and sudden switches of mood make the novel a somewhat bumpy ride. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1996
ISBN: 0-399-23104-8
Page Count: 164
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
An eminently satisfying story of family, recovery, and growing into manhood.
In this prequel to Newbery Award–winning The Crossover (2014), Alexander revisits previous themes and formats while exploring new ones.
For Charlie Bell, the future father of The Crossover’s Jordan and Josh, his father’s death alters his relationship with his mother and causes him to avoid what reminds him of his dad. At first, he’s just withdrawn, but after he steals from a neighbor, his mother packs a reluctant Charlie off to his grandparents near Washington, D.C., for the summer. His grandfather works part-time at a Boys and Girls Club where his cousin Roxie is a star basketball player. Despite his protests, she draws him into the game. His time with his grandparents deepens Charlie’s understanding of his father, and he begins to heal. “I feel / a little more normal, / like maybe he’s still here, / … in a / as long as I remember him / he’s still right here / in my heart / kind of way.” Once again, Alexander has given readers an African-American protagonist to cheer. He is surrounded by a strong supporting cast, especially two brilliant female characters, his friend CJ and his cousin Roxie, as well as his feisty and wise granddaddy. Music and cultural references from the late 1980s add authenticity. The novel in verse is enhanced by Anyabwile’s art, which reinforces Charlie’s love for comics.
An eminently satisfying story of family, recovery, and growing into manhood. (Historical verse fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: April 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-86813-7
Page Count: 416
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
SEEN & HEARD
The Baudelaire children—Violet, 14, Klaus, 12, and baby Sunny—are exceedingly ill-fated; Snicket extracts both humor and horror from their situation, as he gleefully puts them through one terrible ordeal after another. After receiving the news that their parents died in a fire, the three hapless orphans are delivered into the care of Count Olaf, who “is either a third cousin four times removed, or a fourth cousin three times removed.” The villainous Count Olaf is morally depraved and generally mean, and only takes in the downtrodden yet valiant children so that he can figure out a way to separate them from their considerable inheritance. The youngsters are able to escape his clutches at the end, but since this is the first installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events, there will be more ghastly doings. Written with old-fashioned flair, this fast-paced book is not for the squeamish: the Baudelaire children are truly sympathetic characters who encounter a multitude of distressing situations. Those who enjoy a little poison in their porridge will find it wicked good fun. (b&w illustrations, not seen) (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1999
ISBN: 0-06-440766-7
Page Count: 162
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
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