A thought-provoking blend of fantasy and unusual imagery and an urgent call to environmental action.
In this illustrated children’s story, animals seek safer habitats in reaction to climate change.
This book takes a frankly sobering approach to the topic of climate change. In it, various species of animals travel over land and sea to find refuge from their disappearing habitats. Broken ice sheets convey Antarctic penguins to a woodsy town on the south coast of Australia; polar bears end up in the Mongolian desert; elephants sail from the Serengeti to Hawaii on a boat of branches; koalas hitch a ride with the elephants and find a prickly home among Arizona’s Joshua trees. Sea lions head inland to live under the oaks at California’s Descanso Garden, relying on “the sympathy of strangers to serve them seafood.” Cows become seaweed-munching beach dwellers, and an orangutan clings to a palm tree rooted in a patch of ice in the Bering Sea. The author, a landscape architect, photographer, and designer of “nature-based play and learning environments for children,” weaves the story of each animal species’ plight into a fantastical narrative grounded in real environmental threats—rising sea levels, melting ice, droughts, floods, fires. Each story sums up what the displaced animals miss about their homes, and each ends with the slightly awkward refrain: “but it’s sad to say” their habitats “may not be there anymore anyway.” The surreal effect of the author’s illustrations—photographic images of real animals incorporated within varied landscapes—makes the stories even more unnerving. The scenarios include the possibility of humans retreating underground to escape rising temperatures, but thankfully, the author doesn’t end on that apocalyptic note. Instead, the realization that the planet is in peril galvanizes billions of people to work together to heal the Earth. The author smartly grounds the fantasy in clear, comprehensive backmatter, which includes a list of story-related questions for children, further information for adults, websites and additional reading material for all ages, and ways to fight climate change.
A thought-provoking blend of fantasy and unusual imagery and an urgent call to environmental action.Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73-592197-6
Page Count: 50
Publisher: Swire Siegel
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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
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