A clever and enjoyable chapter book for the younger set about love, friendship, and restitution.
A whimsical YA fantasy featuring fierce members of the Hummingbird Nation.
In 1820, Hubert Hummingbird is the husband of Helena and father of Mason; another hatchling is soon to be born. One day in June, Hubert is blissfully imbibing flower nectar in his favorite meadow and spots a bunch of threatening crows circling high above, about to attack. Hubert escapes, but it’s the third hostile appearance in one week by members of the Crow Nation; it turns out to be the harbinger of a vengeful plot devised by aging hawk Hatchet. Back when Hubert was not yet hatched, his father had sacrificed his own life to protect him; in the battle that ensued, Hubert’s father destroyed Hatchet’s left eye—and now Hatchet’s determined to ruin Hubert’s life. It’s a clever scheme that causes Hubert to lose the respect of his peers and results in his and his family’s banishment from the colony. After 100 years, the descendants of the original Hubert were allowed to return, but his name was still a source of ridicule. A century after that, in 2020, a new fledgling is born, and his father chooses to name him after his unfairly derided ancestor. The young Hubert may be the one to finally reclaim the family’s honor. In his preface, Paschall offers his readers an informative introduction to the intricate behavior and abilities of the remarkable hummingbird, which can fly forward and backward, hover in place, and endure 500 miles of speedy flight without rest. All of this lays a nice foundation for an imaginative narrative, which builds upon the real-life antics of this tiny bird and its intense instincts toward protection of family and territory. Young Hubert and his friends are portrayed as being full of personality, and their adolescent adventures are exciting enough to keep the story engaging and frequently amusing. Illustrator Hull presents compelling two-page spreads, including images of an angry eagle and a sleeping mountain lion.
A clever and enjoyable chapter book for the younger set about love, friendship, and restitution.Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2022
ISBN: 9781954779679
Page Count: 133
Publisher: Emerald Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring.
When Death-Cast doesn’t call, fate intertwines the lives of two boys, both haunted by their pasts and with futures they can’t escape.
In this third installment of the series that opened with 2017’s They Both Die at the End, Paz Dario waits every night for Death-Cast to call—as it should have for his father nearly 10 years ago, when Paz shot him to save his mother’s life. But the call never comes. Death-Cast killed Paz’s dreams of an acting career: No one will hire him now because the world sees him as a villain. When Paz tries (not for the first time) to put an end to his suffering, an unexpected encounter with Alano Rosa, the heir of Death-Cast, stops him. Both in a place of desperation, Alano and Paz sign a contract to live for Begin Days instead of waiting for their End Days. As suspenseful and emotionally wrenching as the previous titles in the series, this new installment explores heavy themes of abuse, mental health, self-harm, and suicide. Paz grapples with a recent diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Silvera surrounds Alano and Paz with a web of complex relationships. Although the protagonists fall fast for one another and form a deep connection over Alano’s desire to support Paz, Silvera emphasizes the importance of professional help. Both Alano and Paz have Puerto Rican heritage. The cliffhanger ending promises more to come.
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring. (content warning, resources) (Speculative fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780063240858
Page Count: 720
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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