In this lush retelling of the Celtic tale of Tam Lin, the daughter of the Earl of March is drawn by music to the forest that has become the home of the dreaded Elfin Queen. When she picks a rose from the Elfin Queen’s bush, the young, enchanted knight who guards the bush is summoned. They dance and, of course, fall in love. To break the spell and rescue her love, Elaine must find her knight on All Hallow’s Eve and pull him from his horse—or die. When Elaine succeeds despite his fearsome transformations, the Elfin Queen is furious: “I was foolish to think that no power was greater than the queen of the Elves. I was wrong. The power of mortal love is greater!” The striking cover and bordered, romantic illustrations on flaxen paper are reminiscent of the Dillons in palette, line and use of lighting. Tamer than the virulent version by Jane Yolen and Charles Mikolaycak (Tam Lin, 1990), this does not include Elaine's pregnancy, instead relying on the artwork to picture her pining away for her love. (Folktale. 7-10)
Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-77049-209-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Tapped to save the world by advertisement-spouting alien SPHDZ Jen and Bob (who resemble human kids), beleaguered fifth grader Michael K. continues his quest to recruit 3.14 million earthlings to be Spaceheadz lest the Earth be turned off. Even more beleaguered Anti-Alien Agency Agent Umber continues his quest to find the aliens in or near Brooklyn PS 858. Michael K. has some help in new friends Venus and TJ, but the whole group has to act as Big Buddies to the kindergarteners and help with their class play, while Spaceheadz General Accounting has given them one hour to get 1 million new Spaceheadz (thank goodness one Spaceheadz hour equals 700 Earth hours). Can they boost recruitment without giving themselves away? Will Agent Umber ever succeed at anything? Will the plumbing at PS 858 survive the surplus World War II rations the kids all eat? The second volume in Scieszka and Prigmore’s nutty, antic series offers more goofy fun with some pretty obvious setup for episode three. The integrated websites will be updated and supplemented to extend the laughs. CLINICALLY PROVEN entertainment for fans old and new! (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4169-7953-1
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The sweet storyline, appealing characters and just the right touch of magic make this an endearing series for new,...
Maddy Lloyd and her ceramic cats are back, this time solving a problem close to home (Shadow Magic, 2011).
Maddy and Rachel are anxious about the ballet tryouts for The Nutcracker. Their favorite ballerina, Snow Bradley, is going to be the Sugarplum Fairy, and all the girls just know that Maddy will be chosen as Clara. Rachel dances too, but she suffers from such stage fright that it’s clear that she is about to give up—which is a shame, because she is quite a dancer when she is alone. Ollie, the third ceramic cat, soon comes to life. Ollie is all vanity, but he has an author’s gift for dramatic tension, even keeping his mission secret until absolutely necessary. Part of a series, the book’s formula is clear: The tiny cat can switch back and forth from ceramic to flesh, understands the problem and can make humans change their behavior. When Rachel ends up summoning her skills and courage, Maddy has to face the fact that her place as the best dancer in the troupe is no longer secure, and her response almost costs the girls their friendship. The British vocabulary and spelling (practise, tetchily, panto and strop, for instance) add a level of challenge to a book for children just transitioning from beginning readers.
The sweet storyline, appealing characters and just the right touch of magic make this an endearing series for new, cat-loving readers who are ready for a little bit of adventure in their vocabulary. (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-385-75212-1
Page Count: 208
Publisher: David Fickling/Random
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
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