Martha lives in the boiler room of the Horace E. Bloggins School. Her father Luther Snapdragon is the put-upon janitor always at the beck and call of the principal, Dr. Klunk. She loves her wizard of a science teacher Mrs. Ferlin, but is always on the run from school bully Rufus. Usually dark, dismal and awful, the school becomes a complete madhouse when the words “THE KING IS COMING – AND IT’S ABOUT TIME” appear on the wall. Soon after, the handle of a gem-encrusted spoon extrudes from the wall of the boys bathroom. A note accompanying the spoon indicates that the person who pulls it from the wall will be the king of the school. The story ends in the way such stories do. The villains are laughable, the characters cardboard and the logic lacking in this strained mixture of Arthurian legend and Lemony Snicket. Only for the largest collections. (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: May 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-15-205292-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2005
A busy, evocative slice of school life and the trials of a second-generation immigrant.
A Chinese Canadian daydreamer faces the tough realities of school and family life.
Navigating a recently divorced mom, a moody older sister, and a weird grandmother at home, 10-year-old Kevin seeks refuge in his comics. In addition to eagerly awaiting the next issue of Star Odysseys, Kevin imagines and draws his own deep-space adventures. School life comes with further challenges—his former friend (and maybe crush) Lily hates his guts, and as one of his school’s few Asian kids, he’s subject to a fair amount of casual racism. When Kevin brings a century egg to school, he sets off a disastrous chain of events that culminates in a thrilling transformation. Mostly taking place over the course of a week in 1994, the story feels a little disjointed at times, with Kevin’s fantasy world intercutting his real-life struggles. The cultural specificity and humor shine, however: From Kevin’s refreshing lack of self-consciousness about the century egg and his mom’s backbreaking work at the family’s clothing alterations business to his popo’s love of game shows, the portrayals are authentic and lovingly complex. Most characters who populate Kevin’s Toronto are white, except for his family and his two Asian friends (one is Japanese and white, and the other is Chinese from Hong Kong). The detailed, loosely drawn illustrations emphasize the characters’ emotions and convey a sense of bustling energy.
A busy, evocative slice of school life and the trials of a second-generation immigrant. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 30, 2024
ISBN: 9781454945840
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2023
A delightful read.
In this fast-paced sequel to Saving Fable (2019), protagonist Indira Story and her friends must save their world from a powerful force before it destroys them.
Following the completion of her first story, Indira is looking forward to a vacation. At Protagonist Prep, however, Brainstorm Underglass has other plans: She sends Indira on a quest tutorial titled “Hero’s Journey” to teach her the art of complementary teamwork. Her assigned teammates include: Allen Squalls, a boy who was so traumatized by the ousted Brainstorm Ketty that he needs to recover his confidence; Indira’s best friend, Phoenix, who might be a potential romantic interest in her next story; and Gadget, a talented girl who needs to learn to focus on the story rather than on the technology in front of her. Although Indira and her companions begin their quest in the town of Ordinary, they are interrupted by an unexpected, all-powerful entity who threatens to destroy their world, and it is up to the team to save their world…again. In many ways, this outing is far more compelling than its predecessor: While both novels revel in witty literary humor, Indira’s second adventure has an evenly paced plot and characters that are better developed and more accessible. Brown-skinned Indira’s name suggests that she is Indian, but her cultural identity is not plumbed; her teammates seem to default to White.
A delightful read. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-525-64672-3
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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