Works equally well as simple animal tale, metaphysical journey, or reimagining of classic artworks.
In Malta, a stray kitten seeks a better life.
Cilla the kitten is tired of eating scraps as a dockyard stray. A tale of “the quiet garden” where the humans are kind piques her interest, though all the other Maltese cats laugh at her for believing in fairy tales. Her skeptical best friend, a yellow kitten named Betto, joins Cilla against his better judgement. Their journey takes them through danger and around Malta while the animals they meet speak in philosophical riddles that Cilla takes as literal instruction. The stories that their mentors tell are illustrated as reimagined, primarily European works of art. There’s no particular reason for Cilla and Betto to appear in these works, as they explore the Bayeux tapestry, are protected from Hokusai’s Great Wave, and nap in Vincent Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night. But the transformed classic artworks add visual interest to the deceptively simple panels (and for interested readers, a detailed endnote lists most of the works with some artistic context). Cilla’s a white cat with striking black markings that accentuate her expressive face, whether she’s disgruntled, scared, despairing, or happy to be with her best friend. The angles of her ears, drawn in simple, cartoonish stokes, tell the story of her feelings to any reader familiar with the body language of cats.
Works equally well as simple animal tale, metaphysical journey, or reimagining of classic artworks. (Graphic fiction. 10-13)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-293205-1
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
Readers will cheer her victories, wince at her stumbles, and likely demand visits to the nearest faire themselves to sample...
A home-schooled squireling sallies forth to public school, where the woods turn out to be treacherous and dragons lie in wait.
Imogene Vega has grown up among “faire-mily”; her brown-skinned dad is the resident evil knight at a seasonal Renaissance faire, her lighter-skinned mom is in charge of a gift shop, and other adult friends play various costumed roles. As a freshly minted “squire,” she happily charges into new weekend duties helping at jousts, practicing Elizabethan invective (“Thou lumpish reeling-ripe jolt-head!” “Thou loggerheaded rump-fed giglet!”), and keeping younger visitors entertained. But she loses her way when cast among crowds of strangers in sixth grade. Along with getting off on the wrong foot academically, she not only becomes a target of mockery after clumsy efforts to join a clique go humiliatingly awry, but alienates potential friends (and, later, loving parents and adoring little brother too). Amid stabs of regret she wonders whether she’s more dragon than knight. In her neatly drawn sequential panels, Newbery honoree Jamieson (Roller Girl, 2015) portrays a diverse cast of expressive, naturally posed figures occupying two equally immersive worlds. In the end Imogene wins the day in both, proving the mettle of her brave, decent heart in finding ways to make better choices and chivalric amends for her misdeeds.
Readers will cheer her victories, wince at her stumbles, and likely demand visits to the nearest faire themselves to sample the wares and fun. (Graphic fiction. 10-13)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-525-42998-2
Page Count: 248
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An optimistic journey of self-acceptance.
Debut author Machias’ novel explores genderfluidity and gender nonconformity as elements of navigating middle school.
Told in two alternating narrative voices, the story follows Ash and Daniel, a pair of Ohio seventh graders who are on a shared mission to rescue an old dog the world doesn’t seem to have room for, a not-so-subtle metaphor highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by all abandoned souls. Throughout their growing kinship, Ash and Daniel struggle with the divergent expectations of those around them: Ash with shifting gender presentations and Daniel with his emotionality and sensitivity. Entering a new school and feeling pressured to pick and disclose a single gender, Ash’s conflicts begin with trying to decide whether to use the boys’, girls’, or gender-neutral bathroom. The school’s diverse Rainbow Alliance is a source of support, but Ash’s parents remain split by more than divorce, with a supportive mom and a dad who tries but fails to understand genderfluidity. Daniel, who has a talent for photography, is a passionate animal lover who volunteers at a local kennel and initially believes Ash is a girl. Ash’s synesthesia amplifies the tension as Ash and Daniel discover a mutual romantic interest. The novel grapples with the impact of society’s overly simplistic messages, but the characterizations at times lack depth, and there are missed opportunities to explore the subtleties of relationships. Main characters are White.
An optimistic journey of self-acceptance. (Fiction. 10-13)Pub Date: June 8, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-305389-2
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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