A fun, if somewhat overstuffed, story about one girl’s magical coming-of-age.
In this fantasy novel for young readers, the second volume in the Zephrum Gates series, the titular heroine finds herself at an unusual school for kids with special abilities while hoping that an old adversary won’t come back to harm her.
Zephrum Gates is no ordinary teenage girl: Part wind fairy, she can control the air, though she hasn’t quite figured out how to manage that power just yet. In order to learn how to harness her abilities, Zephrum enrolls in the newly launched Fiddlesticks School for Alternative Thinkers with Unusual Abilities, where kids are taught about the magic in the world around them while they also learn circus arts and environmentally friendly living habits. At Fiddlesticks, Zephrum rooms with her friend Daphne, who can predict the future through her artwork. Zephrum also develops a crush on Gai, who has an unusual gift for growing things. However, her life at this hippie-influenced Hogwarts is threatened by her old enemy, the nefarious Strasidous Rowpe. Diminished to a mere wisp of smoke, Rowpe blames Zephrum for his downfall and enlists his goblin minions to capture her, steal her blood and use it to bring him back to full force. The resulting adventures involve a chicken-stealing sasquatch, a dragon whose only desire is to find his soul mate, a fairy who speaks in verse, a troll who lives under a bridge and other fantastical beings. Riel (Zephrum Gates and the Mysterious Purple Haze, 2005) has a wild sense of humor and a colorful imagination that occasionally overwhelms; she packs so many weird, wacky things into the story that the plotline often gets trampled underfoot. Wrapping one’s head around the crazy universe will be even more difficult if one hasn’t read the first installment of Zephrum’s adventures. However, amid the confusion, there’s much fun to be had. Young people, girls in particular, will admire Zephrum and her tough, tomboyish ways as they learn about the importance of friendship through her relationships with Daphne, Gai and others.
A fun, if somewhat overstuffed, story about one girl’s magical coming-of-age.Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2013
ISBN: 978-1492293231
Page Count: 362
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
