A satisfying read, full of real-life lessons and good-hearted characters.
As Easter approaches, sixth-grader Sophie Washington and her little brother, Cole, struggle with giving up tattling and video games for Lent in this lighthearted children’s chapter-book sequel.
Ellis (Sophie Washington: Things You Didn’t Know About Sophie, 2017, etc.) delivers another positive episode in the life of Sophie Washington, a preteen living with her family in Houston. Apart from the fact that she butts heads with her little brother on a regular basis and really wants a cellphone, she has few complaints, as she belongs to a happy family and has a diverse group of good friends. However, when Sophie’s parents decide that the family must give up something for Lent, she and Cole must confront their bad habits. Over 40 days, the two children find new ways to focus their energies, spending more time with friends, family, and a stray dog that happens to find them after school one day. Even the canine helps keep Sophie and Cole accountable to their commitments in ways that they didn’t expect. At one point, when Cole slips up, Sophie faces a dilemma, as she must decide between keeping her own Lent fast or breaking it. By the end of the story, both children grow and change in authentic ways. Young readers will relate to Sophie’s frustrations when it comes to relationships with friends, feeling left out, dealing with little brothers and moral dilemmas, and just having a bad day. She’s a realistic, engaging, and aptly flawed protagonist with room to grow as a character. Other positive aspects of the story include its uplifting portrayals of family life, faith, and multicultural friendships. The simple, black-and-white line drawings in every chapter successfully direct readers’ imaginations without overpowering them. Although the focus on daily life activities may not make it an overly exciting story, Sophie’s genuine personality and relatable experiences make it enjoyable.
A satisfying read, full of real-life lessons and good-hearted characters.Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4575-5780-4
Page Count: 102
Publisher: Dog Ear
Review Posted Online: Oct. 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Melia isn’t the only character who can carry her own series in a mythical tale as appealing as it is impressive.
A half-faerie teenager struggles to stop a malicious entity from destroying both the mortal and enchanted worlds in this YA fantasy.
Life as a half-faerie has never been easy for 18-year-old Melia. She and her sisters, Melusine and Plantine, were born to mortal druid Elynus and full-blooded faerie Pressina. But when Elynus broke the faerie troth by seeing his wife at childbirth, his family had to return to the Realm of Faerie in the enchanted world. The sisters can communicate telepathically, but Melia’s disturbed by her telepathic link to Elynus, which triggers visions of violence and death. The druid’s trying to incarnate Umbra, a sinister consciousness that needs a living vessel and whose emergence can destroy the Whole, encompassing all known realms. Elynus wants to reunite with Pressina but hints to Melia, who visits him in the mortal world, that Umbra will right the “horrible crimes” in Faerie. Melia’s determined to stop her father, but a sudden tragedy rattles her faerie household. At the same time, others hoping for an Umbra incarnation kidnap Plantine (a family secret explains why) and seek a sword and basin that together can lead Umbra to a vessel. Melia and friends, from spring faerie Flora to priest Ryder, set out to save Plantine and thwart Umbra. The tale is practically bursting with characters, all of whom Garrett (Half Mortal, 2015, etc.) skillfully molds into individual personalities. Flora, for one, is reputedly the last of the spring faeries, while 19-year-old Ryder is the same soothing green-eyed stranger from Melia’s visions. There’s an unmistakable villain—Plantine’s abductor, who plans on marrying Melia’s seemingly spellbound baby sister. Quite a few characters, however, are deliciously ambiguous, including Pressina, who dabbles in black magic, and Sevondi, a dragonwitch who may be bad but is also a scorned lover. Other mythical characters crop up, like dwarves and elves, and though the story’s primarily a rescue mission, simply reaching Plantine involves an arduous journey. The indelible ending resolves much of the plot while a lingering uneasiness aptly sets the groundwork for a subsequent volume.
Melia isn’t the only character who can carry her own series in a mythical tale as appealing as it is impressive.Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9882068-4-7
Page Count: 446
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A wonderfully imaginative tale of overcoming obstacles and finding special powers.
Native American folklore and magical realism combine in a young boy’s life in this debut children’s book.
Jamie’s idyllic life in the Hudson Valley is much like any other child’s—he plays, he laughs, and he loves his family. After breakfast one morning, Jamie notices his grandfather dropping toast crumbs through a grate in the floor, and he doesn’t think much of it—until a tiny pink nose pokes through and takes the little feast. Then one day, Jamie awakes to find his parents frozen and his grandfather vanished. Ollie—the mouse owner of the little pink nose that Jamie saw earlier—tells him that the Wharwhoops, large, treelike creatures, are after him, and they must escape in order to help the boy’s family. Ollie and Jamie embark on an adventure through the Hudson Valley’s many rolling hills in search of the Great Manitou—the ruler of all things—and they encounter many creatures along the way. Jamie also discovers that he may have special powers that he’s hidden all along. Will he save his parents and find his grandfather? Or will the Wharwhoops flex their mighty roots and take the family’s spirits for all of eternity? Santa Teresa’s childhood in the Hudson Valley is clear as soon as the reader begins turning the pages of this work. He mixes traditional Native American folklore with the romanticism of being a kid, and it all culminates in a delightfully dreamy result. Children and adults alike should be charmed by the evocative tale—there’s just enough drama to pique the interest of older kids but not so much that it would be frightening for the younger set. Kids should be able to relate to Jamie’s quest—surmounting hurdles, facing fears, and ultimately looking within to see him through. Paek’s colorful illustrations are an alluring addition to the book—there’s a surreal quality to them that pairs perfectly with the folklore backbone of the volume. The only caveat? There should be more images, because they’re so lovely to look at.
A wonderfully imaginative tale of overcoming obstacles and finding special powers.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-58776-968-9
Page Count: 110
Publisher: Dog Ear Publisher
Review Posted Online: June 14, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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