by Terry Lynn Johnson ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 27, 2021
An appealing and informative wildlife adventure.
When someone shoots beavers whose dam has caused a flood in the Canadian small town of Willow Grove, Madi, Jack, and Aaron rescue kits, find the culprit, and figure out how to keep the beavers from attracting further violence.
This middle-grade wildlife mystery makes explicit homage to the work of Jane Goodall, whom Madi, who introduces herself as an “animal whisperer” like her late grandmother, is dying to meet. But after a gripping opening during which Madi swims underwater and up into a beaver lodge to rescue two orphaned kits, readers learn she has a choice: She can see Goodall in person at an upcoming gala or she can bring home the two kits, though her parents have forbidden her rescuing any more wildlife. She chooses to bring the kits home anyway. The rest of her first-person, present-tense narrative balances the difficulties of hiding and nurturing beaver kits with the work she and her friends—all 12 years old—do to solve the mystery and the town’s beaver problem. Johnson sets this firmly in the present day; they use iPods, smartphones, and ATVs. There’s helpful information about animal rescue, but she makes clear that the process isn’t easy. A professional wildlife rehabilitator praises Madi’s work but adds that ordinary people keeping wildlife “usually does more harm…than good.” The cover illustration suggests that Madi and Aaron are White while Jack, who hopes to be a game warden, has brown skin and long, straight black hair.
An appealing and informative wildlife adventure. (author’s note, wildlife tips) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-358-33485-9
Page Count: 208
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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by Terry Lynn Johnson ; illustrated by Jani Orban
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by Terry Lynn Johnson ; illustrated by Jani Orban
by Peter Brown ; illustrated by Peter Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 26, 2023
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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by Aaron Reynolds ; illustrated by Peter Brown
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by Peter Brown ; illustrated by Peter Brown
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by Peter Brown ; illustrated by Peter Brown
by Aubrey Hartman ; illustrated by Christopher Cyr ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2023
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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