An offbeat but overly complicated teen fantasy adventure.
A tween boy and his teenage sibling and cousin find themselves in a strange realm in Rick Williams Sr. and Brady Williams’ middle-grade fantasy series starter.
Twelve-year-old Jason, his slightly older sister Amanda, and their 15-year-old cousin Elisa decide to go back in time to save their fathers from untimely deaths. They discover secret technology their grandfather designed at his planetarium, which they think is a time machine. However, when they attempt to use it, they end up in medieval times in what’s known as the Belacamber universe—and it’s not the Middle Ages from history books. Not only does it feature magic, elves, and dragons, it also contains dinosaurs. Their Grandpap is already there, fortunately, and provides them with guidance. They soon learn that the new universe normally contains alternate versions of themselves, who’ve now swapped places with them in the reality they’ve left. The three teens join their Grandpap on a quest to find a medicinal plant to heal the ailing queen, but soon get caught up in the conflict with nearby Jurassica—a primarily dinosaur-focused nation—and participate in numerous battles. They also learn that they’re Star Life Keepers, who have special powers that allow them to protect the Belacamber universe. Young readers may find the various place names, prophecies, quests, and types of creatures are difficult to keep straight as the narrative goes on. Early in the story, for instance, it’s revealed that Jason, Amanda, and Elisa are very slowly absorbing the memories of their alternate selves; this sometimes works as an easy way to catch readers up, but it sometimes just leads to more confusion (as Amanda herself states). However, many young readers are sure to enjoy a world that features both dragons and dinosaurs. The elves are coded as broadly Indigenous, described as “brown-skinned” and living in huts made of animal skins and corn stalks and wearing “deerskin dresses with colorful beads”; Jason is portrayed as hard of hearing. Occasional grayscale illustrations, credited to Prayan Animation, offer simple representations of characters and creatures.
An offbeat but overly complicated teen fantasy adventure.Pub Date: March 7, 2024
ISBN: 9798987420010
Page Count: 367
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.
In Florence’s middle-grade fantasy novel, a young girl’s heart is tested in the face of an evil, spreading Darkness.
Eleven-year-old Lydia, “freckle-cheeked and round-eyed, with hair the color of pine bark and fair skin,” is struggling with the knowledge that she has reached the age to apprentice as an herbalist. Lydia is reluctant to leave her beloved, magical Mulberry Glen and her cozy Housetree in the woods—she’ll miss Garder, the Glen’s respected philosopher; her fairy guardian Pit; her human friend Livy; and even the mischievous part-elf, part-imp, part-human twins Zale and Zamilla. But the twins go missing after hearing of a soul-sapping Darkness that has swallowed a forest and is creeping into minds and engulfing entire towns. They have secretly left to find a rare fruit that, it is said, will stop the Darkness if thrown into the heart of the mountain that rises out of the lethal forest. Lydia follows, determined to find the twins before they, too, fall victim to the Darkness. During her journey, accompanied by new friends, she gradually realizes that she herself has a dangerous role to play in the quest to stop the Darkness. In this well-crafted fantasy, Florence skillfully equates the physical manifestation of Darkness with the feelings of insecurity and powerlessness that Lydia first struggles with when thinking of leaving the Glen. Such negative thoughts grow more intrusive the closer she and her friends come to the Darkness—and to Lydia’s ultimate, powerfully rendered test of character, which leads to a satisfyingly realistic, not quite happily-ever-after ending. Highlights include a delightfully haunting, reality-shifting library and a deft sprinkling of Latin throughout the text; Pit’s pet name for Lydia is mea flosculus (“my little flower”). Fine-lined ink drawings introducing each chapter add a pleasing visual element to this well-grounded fairy tale.
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781956393095
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Waxwing Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
