A delightful and enthusiastic adventure that should appeal to a wide range of readers.
A freak accident sends a 12-year-old boy to a medieval world, where he’s on a quest to claim the fabled treasure from a dragon’s lair, in this middle-grade fantasy debut.
Seamus Letterman is Sunnyfield Middle School’s cross-country star. He’d “rather be skateboarding,” especially since he’s a stronger runner than his pal Andy Peterson, and the latter’s envy sparks the occasional fight between the two. A thunderstorm hits during practice one day, and Seamus is apparently struck by lightning before blacking out. He’s awakened by Coach Peterson (Andy’s dad), only it’s Sir Peter, dressed as a knight and speaking with a Scottish lilt. Andy’s there, too—well, Andrew; he and Seamus are both squires sporting bows and arrows. They’re part of a group of roughly 30 men on the way to a dragon’s den at Turquoise Mountain, with a reputed treasure inside. Seamus is a natural archer, which makes facing the massive black dragon slightly less terrifying. But when he and Andrew are separated from the others and tending to an injured Sir Peter, Seamus manages somehow to communicate with the majestic creature. Befriending the king’s enemy may be considered treason, however, and gets Seamus no closer to his ultimate goal of getting home to Sunnyfield, Arizona. Lyttle’s story quickly moves the protagonist to the medieval setting and carries over the engrossing drama from the contemporary opening. Andrew, for example, is jealous of Seamus’ archery skills, while Sir Peter, like his coach counterpart, is a paternal figure for the hero, who lost his firefighter dad. The prose is perfectly suited for younger readers, filled with stark imagery: edges of a cliff “so ragged they looked like teeth” and an ailing Seamus, whose “head weighed a thousand pounds.” The invigorating Lacey Stocker, who surpasses Seamus in cross-country, unfortunately has a smaller role, though her medieval version does eventually make an appearance. A strong ending teases sequel possibilities, but the engaging book can easily stand on its own.
A delightful and enthusiastic adventure that should appeal to a wide range of readers.Pub Date: April 15, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-692-87182-9
Page Count: 286
Publisher: Wilrose Dream Ventures
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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