Unusual and thought-provoking.
A boy with speech difficulties discovers that he can talk to animals.
Sometimes, no matter how hard Silas tries to speak, the words won’t come. At school, bullies call him names like Silence. And he can’t tell a teacher—or even his parents, for fear of disappointing them. But when he meets Reynard, a cunning fox, and Isengrim and Hersent, a wolf couple, speaking up becomes a matter of life and death. In a magical parallel world, foxes—troublingly emulating humans—enslaved wolves and worked them to near extinction in order to construct their habitat, a city they called Earth. After escaping captivity, Isengrim and Hersent are the only wolves left. When Reynard kidnaps their pups, intending to breed a new race of slaves, Isengrim and Hersent need Silas to be their Wolfstongue, a human who speaks for them, if they are to have any hope of rescue. But can Silas find the words? Drawing on characters from medieval European fables, Thompson thoughtfully examines how words can hurt and heal, emphasizing language’s powerful influence on characters’ self-perception. Silas’ speech difficulty is unnamed, enabling readers with a variety of similar conditions to see themselves reflected. Secondary characters, including an arrogant cat who banters with a snarky raven, add humor. Though somewhat abrupt, the ending realistically avoids a pat resolution to Silas’ troubles. Tromop’s realistic black-and-white illustrations accentuate the grim, mysterious atmosphere. Human characters default to White.
Unusual and thought-provoking. (map, author interview) (Fantasy. 8-11)Pub Date: June 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-915071-00-2
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Little Island
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Certain to elicit both gales of giggles and winces of sympathy (not to mention recognition) from young readers.
First volume of a planned three, this edited version of an ongoing online serial records a middle-school everykid’s triumphs and (more often) tribulations through the course of a school year.
Largely through his own fault, mishaps seem to plague Greg at every turn, from the minor freak-outs of finding himself permanently seated in class between two pierced stoners and then being saddled with his mom for a substitute teacher, to being forced to wrestle in gym with a weird classmate who has invited him to view his “secret freckle.” Presented in a mix of legible “hand-lettered” text and lots of simple cartoon illustrations with the punch lines often in dialogue balloons, Greg’s escapades, unwavering self-interest and sardonic commentary are a hoot and a half.
Certain to elicit both gales of giggles and winces of sympathy (not to mention recognition) from young readers. (Fiction. 9-11)Pub Date: April 1, 2007
ISBN: 0-8109-9313-9
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2007
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
Move over Ramona Quimby, Portland has another neighbor you have to meet!
Ryan Hart is navigating the fourth grade and all its challenges with determination.
Her mom named her Ryan because it means “king,” and she wanted Ryan to feel powerful every time she heard her name; Ryan knows it means she is a leader. So when changes occur or disaster strikes, budding chef Ryan does her best to find the positive and “make sunshine.” When her dad is laid off from the post office, the family must make adjustments that include moving into a smaller house, selling their car, and changing how they shop for groceries. But Ryan gets to stay at Vernon Elementary, and her mom still finds a way to get her the ingredients she needs to practice new recipes. Her older brother, Ray, can be bossy, but he finds little ways to support her, especially when she is down—as does the whole family. Each episodic chapter confronts Ryan with a situation; intermittently funny, frustrating, and touching, they should be familiar and accessible to readers, as when Ryan fumbles her Easter speech despite careful practice. Ryan, her family, and friends are Black, and Watson continues to bring visibility to both Portland, Oregon, generally and its Black community specifically, making another wonderful contribution that allows Black readers to see themselves and all readers to find a character they can love.
Move over Ramona Quimby, Portland has another neighbor you have to meet! (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: April 28, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0056-4
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
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