Both tragic and uplifting, this winsome tale perfectly depicts some of the many aspects of magic.
Kobi’s world is vividly portrayed, shimmering with just a soupçon of subtle magic from the opening pages.
Ever since her mother wrote 27 commonplace but seemingly magical words on some Post-its, the white 10-year-old has used them both to make life go smoothly and, more importantly, to connect her to her missing parents. Whenever she says the most important—“Avanti!”—she can watch them on their island refuge. But is Kobi’s magic real or just her increasingly ragged defense mechanism for fending off the grim reality that her beloved parents, lost at sea, will never be coming back? Moranville neatly sustains the ambiguity, letting Kobi gradually discover the limits of her enchantment as well as its enduring basis. It is only after she and her older sister, Brook, both previously home-schooled in Paris, move in with their genial half uncle and begin attending school that Kobi’s magic falters. Bullying and her own unfolding maturity leave her exposed to truths she’s previously ignored. Brook, too, is struggling, keeping herself safe only through complicated obsessive-compulsive behaviors that turn out to be intimately connected with Kobi’s magic. Distinctive, well-drawn characters drive the plot and provide their own magical contributions to Kobi’s widening world.
Both tragic and uplifting, this winsome tale perfectly depicts some of the many aspects of magic. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3657-6
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
A heartfelt portrait of the complexities of grief and the indomitable human spirit.
In the Newbery Honor–winning author’s latest, a Harlem teen copes with overwhelming pain while learning how to open up.
Sage’s 13th birthday was the worst day of her life; it was the day her best friend, Angel, was killed after a hit-and-run. In the wake of Angel’s death, Sage takes part in grief counseling with four other students; she connects with Ebony and DD, whose losses were sudden as well. Sage grapples with conflicting emotions, but the person who could help her sort them out is gone forever, leaving her convinced it was her fault. She wishes her life had concrete answers, like the math problems she enjoys. Instead, new friendships and a possible romance raise more questions. Finally, all her pent-up anger and sadness spill over, and Sage can longer hold in her feelings. Much to her surprise, speaking honestly helps lift the veil of sadness and sets her on a path toward healing. Watson has crafted an achingly beautiful novel that masterfully captures the realities of loss—the constant reminders of what life used to be like, the guilt that haunts Sage, and the anguish of “talking about someone you love in past tense.” Sage’s voice, rendered in a mix of prose and free verse, is visceral and wholly authentic, while the supporting characters are also richly and fully realized. Characters are cued Black.
A heartfelt portrait of the complexities of grief and the indomitable human spirit. (author’s note, resources) (Verse fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781547605897
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
The Baudelaire children—Violet, 14, Klaus, 12, and baby Sunny—are exceedingly ill-fated; Snicket extracts both humor and horror from their situation, as he gleefully puts them through one terrible ordeal after another. After receiving the news that their parents died in a fire, the three hapless orphans are delivered into the care of Count Olaf, who “is either a third cousin four times removed, or a fourth cousin three times removed.” The villainous Count Olaf is morally depraved and generally mean, and only takes in the downtrodden yet valiant children so that he can figure out a way to separate them from their considerable inheritance. The youngsters are able to escape his clutches at the end, but since this is the first installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events, there will be more ghastly doings. Written with old-fashioned flair, this fast-paced book is not for the squeamish: the Baudelaire children are truly sympathetic characters who encounter a multitude of distressing situations. Those who enjoy a little poison in their porridge will find it wicked good fun. (b&w illustrations, not seen) (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1999
ISBN: 0-06-440766-7
Page Count: 162
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
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