Another spine-tinglingly satisfying trek into the world of the dead.
The sequel to City of Ghosts(2018) takes Cassidy Blake to Paris.
Cass and her parents travel from Edinburgh, a city of shadows, to theCity of Light for the next episode of the paranormal TV show The Inspecters. First stop: Paris’ catacombs, where, five stories underground, the remains of more than 6 million people lie beneath the feet of the city’s 2 million living inhabitants. Here, in this tunnel of bones, the golden, glittering light of the metropolis above yields to an eerie dimness. Both Cass, who is a beacon for the dead, and her spectral best friend, Jacob, who continues acting as the voice of caution, immediately feel its psychic negativity. When Cass mistakenly frees a poltergeist from the catacombs, she and Jacob must race against the clock to stop it before it wreaks irrevocable havoc on all of Paris. From the the Tuileries to the Père Lachaise cemetery to the Paris Opera House, sense of place is tangible. Vivid descriptions of the catacombs highlight the morbidly fascinating nature of one of the world’s creepiest locations. Knowledge of the previous book isn’t strictly necessary, but readers will want to delve into Cass’ first adventure before embarking on this one. The open ending will leave readers wondering where Cassidy’s paranormal adventures will take her next. Assume whiteness except for Cassidy’s Scottish Indian friend, Lara Chowdhury, who offers guidance via text and video.
Another spine-tinglingly satisfying trek into the world of the dead. (Paranormal adventure. 8-13)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-11104-0
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
Fiercely feisty and unapologetically goofy.
Three young girls are tasked with saving their town from a vicious worm.
This romp from actor McKinnon introduces the three Porch girls: Gertrude, age 12 and three-quarters, Eugenia, age 12 and one-eighth, and Dee-Dee, age 11. Cared for by Aunt Desdemona and Uncle Ansel (along with their seven cousins, who are all named Lavinia), they’re forced to live in a ramshackle shed at the edge of the property. In a classic turn of events, the sisters are invited to a new school run by a certain Millicent Quibb. Under Quibb’s eccentric tutelage, the trio learn that the nefarious Krenetics Research Association, hoping to release their founder, Talon Sharktūth, from his vault, has bred a Kyrgalops, a vicious stone- and puppy-chomping worm, which may destroy their entire town. McKinnon’s middle-grade debut is grandiosely silly, reminiscent of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events in both its sesquipedalian language and tone and in relying heavily on its bespoke lexicon, verbal gymnastics, and cheeky footnotes to deliver jokes. Interspersed throughout are bits of visual interest—poems and songs, schematics, and bits of correspondence. Though the action rockets along at a Pixy Stix–fueled pace, many questions are left unanswered or unaddressed, making this series opener exposition heavy and a bit frustrating. Still, readers will ultimately be left hopeful that subsequent volumes will offer something meatier. The illustrations cue some diversity of skin tone among the characters.
Fiercely feisty and unapologetically goofy. (map, afterword, appendices) (Adventure. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780316554732
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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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