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
Plays to Rowling’s fan base; equally suited for gifting and reading aloud or alone.
A 7-year-old descends into the Land of the Lost in search of his beloved comfort object.
Jack has loved Dur Pig long enough to wear the beanbag toy into tattered shapelessness—which is why, when his angry older stepsister chucks it out the car window on Christmas Eve, he not only throws a titanic tantrum and viciously rejects the titular replacement pig, but resolves to sneak out to find DP. To his amazement, the Christmas Pig offers to guide him to the place where all lost Things go. Whiffs of childhood classics, assembled with admirable professionalism into a jolly adventure story that plays all the right chords, hang about this tale of loss and love. Along with family drama, Rowling stirs in fantasy, allegory, and generous measures of social and political commentary. Pursued by the Land’s cruel and monstrous Loser, Jack and the Christmas Pig pass through territories from the Wastes of the Unlamented, where booger-throwing Bad Habits roam, to the luxurious City of the Missed for encounters with Hope, Happiness, and Power (a choleric king who rejects a vote that doesn’t go his way). A joyful reunion on the Island of the Beloved turns poignant, but Christmas Eve being “a night for miracles and lost causes,” perhaps there’s still a chance (with a little help from Santa) for everything to come right? In both the narrative and Field’s accomplished, soft-focus illustrations, the cast presents White.
Plays to Rowling’s fan base; equally suited for gifting and reading aloud or alone. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 12, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-79023-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A delectable treat for food and literary connoisseurs alike
Eleven-year-old Mira “Mimi” Mackson is a baking prodigy from a small Massachusetts town called Comity (a thinly disguised Concord).
Mimi is the youngest member of a large family: Her Indian American mom is a successful software consultant, her white dad is a renowned food writer and critic, and her three older siblings (all biracial, like Mimi) excel at acting, dance, and soccer. Although Mimi enjoys creating new treats for her family and experimenting with uncommon flavors, she sometimes feels out of place and invisible amid her accomplished siblings. When a new bakery in town, the While Away Bakery and Café, announces a baking contest for children, Mimi is excited to compete and show off her talents. Things get complicated, however, when Mimi’s father falls under an enchantment that causes him to not only lose his refined sense of taste, but also eat everything in sight. Loosely based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream and inspired by TV shows like The Great British Baking Show, LaRocca’s debut is original and compelling. The realistic characters and complex family dynamics augment the tightly knit plot, and the mouthwatering descriptions of food are guaranteed to make readers hungry. Three recipes at the end of the novel (based on the characters’ concoctions) are an added bonus for those interested in developing their culinary skills.
A delectable treat for food and literary connoisseurs alike . (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0888-9
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
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