A vibrant tale of youth and self-discovery for readers of all ages.
A boy sets out to chronicle his eventful journey in this updated version of a children’s book.
Woodsprout is born to loving parents living on a small farm. One day, his father gives him a beautiful, red leather book with blank pages. The blond-haired Sprout aims to fill it with stories and adventures, and he searches for both with a feathered quill (that doubles as a pen) in his green cap. He first comes across a miller, who gives Sprout a list of rather dour adjectives followed by, thankfully, a host of uplifting ones. Later, a librarian teaches the boy that stringing nouns and verbs together can become knowledge, so long as the statement he has created is true. A lowly knight at a local tavern is less accommodating. He has an amazing story of slaying a fire-breathing dragon, but the warrior may have left out a few key details. Meanwhile, Sprout’s own adventure awaits. A girl loses all her coins to a swindler, and Sprout vows to help, even if that means facing a wicked hag of the forest. Gleason’s entertaining story, originally published in 1987, teems with educational moments. Books, for example, are full of wonderment, as words clearly hold power, and Sprout nearly gets lost among a library’s mazelike bookshelves. This charming protagonist aids someone without hesitation and picks up quotable life lessons, like “good deeds are their own best reward.” In the same vein, Gleason’s prose, though catered to younger readers, is indelible—Sprout’s feet crunch dried leaves, and the knight’s armor is a “clatter of squeaks and rusty groans.” Suzenski’s (the author’s niece-once-removed) simple artwork showing the White hero and diverse characters glows with bright colors, from the purple dragon to a blue-faced, always-smiling wizard. This second edition also includes personal photographs of Gleason, who died in 2009, as well as a glossary of the book’s challenging words and a genuinely fun study guide.
A vibrant tale of youth and self-discovery for readers of all ages.Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-73718-300-6
Page Count: 98
Publisher: Bird With Fry Corp
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
It’s not the first time old Ben has paid our times a call, but it’s funny and free-spirited, with an informational load that...
Antics both instructive and embarrassing ensue after a mysterious package left on their doorstep brings a Founding Father into the lives of two modern children.
Summoned somehow by what looks for all the world like an old-time crystal radio set, Ben Franklin turns out to be an amiable sort. He is immediately taken in hand by 7-year-old Olive for a tour of modern wonders—early versions of which many, from electrical appliances in the kitchen to the Illinois town’s public library and fire department, he justly lays claim to inventing. Meanwhile big brother Nolan, 10, tags along, frantic to return him to his own era before either their divorced mom or snoopy classmate Tommy Tuttle sees him. Fleming, author of Ben Franklin’s Almanac (2003) (and also, not uncoincidentally considering the final scene of this outing, Our Eleanor, 2005), mixes history with humor as the great man dispenses aphorisms and reminiscences through diverse misadventures, all of which end well, before vanishing at last. Following a closing, sequel-cueing kicker (see above) she then separates facts from fancies in closing notes, with print and online leads to more of the former. To go with spot illustrations of the evidently all-white cast throughout the narrative, Fearing incorporates change-of-pace sets of sequential panels for Franklin’s biographical and scientific anecdotes. Final illustrations not seen.
It’s not the first time old Ben has paid our times a call, but it’s funny and free-spirited, with an informational load that adds flavor without weight. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 9-11)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-101-93406-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2017
A page-turning adventure that’s truly out of this world.
Roswell Johnson is about to go on a bigger journey than he could ever imagine.
Precocious 11-year-old Roswell, one of the few Black kids in his class, loves everything about astronomy, space, and the conspiracy theories that often accompany these topics. After all, inspired by a UFO sighting, his late father did name him Roswell. Following a major disappointment at the school science fair, Roswell’s ready to give it all up when aliens accidentally abduct him (along with Persephone, one of his grandparents’ chickens). He finds himself on a mission to save Earth from colonization while exploring far-flung corners of the galaxy and strange alien planets. Roswell’s journey is complicated by the fact that he’s being hunted by Reptoids, a vicious race of aliens who want to cause chaos and will stop at nothing. Along the way, he befriends a ragtag group of aliens, and together they race against the galactic clock before time runs out and he loses everything he loves. The combination of factual information and witty humor will maintain readers’ engagement as they follow Roswell’s journey. Much of the information about space, including the names of stars and constellations and facts about planets, is accurate and presented in an entertaining and seamless way. Actor and novelist Colfer also touches on prejudice and racism: Roswell grapples with both the injustices he faces and the ones he sees others confront. Final art not seen.
A page-turning adventure that’s truly out of this world. (author’s note, glossary) (Science fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN: 9780316515047
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
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