Somewhat bland social commentary bookended by SF twists.
In Dikkers’ YA novel, a boy from 1950s America travels through time to the year 2020.
Twelve-year-old Patrick Stoodle lives in Cordial Falls, Nevada, in the year 1957. He’s an introverted boy who, when he’s not worrying about the H-bomb, fuels his imagination with SF comic books and radio programs. Meanwhile, he and his scientist father have an emotionally distant relationship. On Patrick’s birthday, however, his dad gives him the ultimate present—a journey through time to the year 2020. The boy is excited at first, but the experience doesn’t go as planned. America in the future has survived the threat of nuclear war, but there are people fighting in the streets, and a deadly virus is killing thousands. Worse, it turns out that Patrick’s whole life has been a lie: Cordial Falls, it turns out, was created by Patrick’s billionaire father to ease his son’s formative years. As Patrick tries to come to terms with life in 2020, a being claiming to be Jesus Christ appears on Earth, throwing the world into further disarray. Dikkers, a founding editor of The Onion and the creator of the comic strip “Jim’s Journal,” has an easygoing prose style and a good grasp of dialogue. Patrick and the other characters ring true, and the tempo of the story effectively ramps up over the course of its three major movements. However, it’s hard to pin down this work’s target audience. The 1950s time-capsule section seems more likely to appeal to nostalgic grandparents than to a young readership. The next section allows for a child’s view of modern society, but it features adult commentary as much as it does Patrick’s newly awoken impressions. The dénouement manifests as an invasion narrative that promotes rationalism over unthinking religious belief. As intriguing as the novel’s ideas are, they’re more edifying than enjoyable. Indeed, given the book’s title and Dikkers’ resume, readers may be surprised by the dearth of humor here. The only discernible joke is of the joke’s-on-you variety, as the narrative tackles the dark folly of humanity.
Somewhat bland social commentary bookended by SF twists.Pub Date: Oct. 9, 2020
ISBN: 979-8-69-574147-6
Page Count: 282
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Dec. 8, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A book that seamlessly brings readers along on a journey of impact and empowerment.
A manifesto for budding feminists.
At the core of this engaging novel are besties Chelsea, who is Irish- and Italian-American and into fashion and beauty, and Jasmine, who is African-American, loves the theater, and pushes back against bias around size (“I don’t need your fake compliments, your pity. I know I’m beautiful. Inside and out”). They and their sidekicks, half-Japanese/half-Lebanese Nadine and Puerto Rican Isaac, grow into first-class activists—simultaneously educating their peers and readers. The year gets off to a rocky start at their progressive, social justice–oriented New York City high school: Along with the usual angst many students experience, Jasmine’s father is terminally ill with cancer, and after things go badly in both their clubs, Jasmine and Chelsea form a women’s rights club which becomes the catalyst for their growth as they explore gender inequality and opportunities for change. This is an inspiring look at two strong-willed teens growing into even stronger young women ready to use their voices and take on the world, imploring budding feminists everywhere to “join the revolution.” The book offers a poetic balance of dialogue among the main characters, their peers, and the adults in their lives. The exquisite pacing, which intersperses everyday teen conflicts with weightier issues, demonstrates how teens long to be heard and taken seriously.
A book that seamlessly brings readers along on a journey of impact and empowerment. (resources for young activists, endnotes) (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0008-3
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2019
A powerful story of family, belonging, and identity interlaced with thriller elements.
A wary teen wonders if she should run when people come looking for her.
Lucy Smith was raised by her white father, who said little about her mother. Following his death and her stepmother’s abandonment, Lucy entered the foster care system at 14. Her stepmother revealed that Lucy’s birth mom was Native American, but her social worker urged her to keep that quiet. Battered by her time in the foster care system, it’s no wonder that 18-year-old Lucy is cautious when she’s approached by a man who says he’s an attorney who helps Native American foster kids connect with their families and communities. He introduces her to a friend who reveals to Lucy that she knows her Ojibwe maternal relatives—but a wary Lucy refuses her offer to learn more. Someone is stalking her, after all, and the FBI is investigating the bomb that went off in the diner where she worked—an event she’s sure targeted her. This stand-alone from bestseller Boulley, who’s an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, includes characters her fans will recognize from previous works. The action scenes are mediated by ruminations on the failings of the foster care system and strong portrayals of Lucy’s relationship with her father and her complicated identity. Ardent book lover Lucy is a sympathetic narrator whose strong sense of justice is coupled with a deep acceptance of others.
A powerful story of family, belonging, and identity interlaced with thriller elements. (content warning, author’s note) (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781250328533
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
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