by Sam Gayton ; illustrated by Poly Bernatene ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2016
There’s plenty of action and creative plotting, but some readers may find it difficult to warm up to the offbeat characters...
This British import combines familiar fantasy elements and quirky details to create a tale filled with transformation and danger.
Twelve-year-old Lettie’s story begins in the seaside inn on stilts that she manages for her absent mother (an alchemist) and alcoholic father. A mysterious guest arrives, claiming to have a gift for her. He then leads Lettie, her newfound friend, Noah, two greedy old women, and a whaling ship full of menacing sailors on a frantic chase to a faraway iceberg. Lettie’s da goes along for the ride too, though he’s been changed into a bottle of beer and so can’t offer assistance or support. Young Noah, on the other hand, provides sustenance both physical and emotional, as well as transportation and protection. The twisty plot occasionally seems to veer off course, but Lettie ultimately makes a number of surprising discoveries, all of which lead to the unusual but more-or-less happy ending. Debut author Gayton uses fanciful language that adds to the fairy-tale feel while also painting fiercely frightening portraits of his various villains. Bernatene’s black-and-white pictures illuminate key scenes, introduce the three sections, and decorate chapter headings.
There’s plenty of action and creative plotting, but some readers may find it difficult to warm up to the offbeat characters and thus be reluctant to follow Lettie all the way to the grand finale . (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4769-0
Page Count: 304
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Oct. 18, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2015
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 26, 2014
Dizzyingly silly.
The famous superhero returns to fight another villain with all the trademark wit and humor the series is known for.
Despite the title, Captain Underpants is bizarrely absent from most of this adventure. His school-age companions, George and Harold, maintain most of the spotlight. The creative chums fool around with time travel and several wacky inventions before coming upon the evil Turbo Toilet 2000, making its return for vengeance after sitting out a few of the previous books. When the good Captain shows up to save the day, he brings with him dynamic action and wordplay that meet the series’ standards. The Captain Underpants saga maintains its charm even into this, the 11th volume. The epic is filled to the brim with sight gags, toilet humor, flip-o-ramas and anarchic glee. Holding all this nonsense together is the author’s good-natured sense of harmless fun. The humor is never gross or over-the-top, just loud and innocuous. Adults may roll their eyes here and there, but youngsters will eat this up just as quickly as they devoured every other Underpants episode.
Dizzyingly silly. (Humor. 8-10)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-50490-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
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by Stuart Gibbs ; illustrated by Anjan Sarkar ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2024
Will satisfy fans but could be better.
Young CIA agent-in-training Benjamin Ripley switches sides—or is he just going undercover?—in this graphic version of the third Spy School caper.
Sticking to the plot of the 2015 original, this episode sees the talented math whiz recruited by nefarious organization SPYDER after being (unjustly, he fumes) kicked out of the CIA’s academy. While training in a hidden school for evildoers with other prospective villains, including Ashley Sparks, a gushy former competitive gymnast with a fondness for portmanteau words (sweet + awesome = swawesome), Ben gets wind of a dastardly scheme to make billions on government construction projects. Hot if inept pursuit by both rival espionage agencies takes Ben from a secret underground command center to the top of the Statue of Liberty. But while the action has a rapid flow in the art (Sarkar is good at portraying fights, high-speed chases, and explosions), several characters are drawn with generic features and such a limited range of expressions that even with help from the cast gallery, it’s hard to tell them apart easily. Still, along with coming through in the suspenseful climax—thanks to clever deductions and quick thinking—by the end, Ben has also achieved a long-sought breakthrough with Erica Hale (code name “Ice Queen”), a superbly omnicompetent schoolmate who has his heart as well as his back. The cast largely presents white.
Will satisfy fans but could be better. (Graphic thriller. 8-12)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781665931946
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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