by Vivian Zhou ; illustrated by Vivian Zhou ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 2023
An uneven but appealing introduction to a fantasy world.
A mermaid and a firebird explore Earth together in this duology opener.
Mermaid Atana was living alone on an island and in its surrounding waters (on land, Atana has legs), until the night firebird Ren appeared from the sky. Ren’s fearless curiosity inspires Atana to join her adventure, despite the mermaid’s fears of magic hunters, and the two set off together. It’s been centuries since firebirds last appeared on Earth, and Ren’s arrival hasn’t gone unnoticed. The two are immediately waylaid by magic hunters, taken in by a stranger, and invited into the protection of the mysterious Witch Queen. But does the Witch Queen’s hospitality come with a hidden cost? Along the way, Ren and Atana pursue their own family secrets, and they befriend Witch Guard trainee Cosmos, who’s on a mission of her own. This intriguing, complex story is simply and elegantly drawn, with many wordless panels. Readers may need to reread portions of the book to identify characters or work to pick up on other visual clues. Just as the rapport between Atana, Ren, and Cosmos starts to gel, the plot hurtles to a climax, and the story comes to an end. Still, lovers of the genre will find plenty to enjoy. Ren’s human form has brown skin and long, white-blond hair; Atana has light-brown skin and close-cropped green hair, and the supporting cast is varied in appearance.
An uneven but appealing introduction to a fantasy world. (development art) (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780063075924
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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by E.B. White illustrated by Garth Williams ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1952
The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often...
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A successful juvenile by the beloved New Yorker writer portrays a farm episode with an imaginative twist that makes a poignant, humorous story of a pig, a spider and a little girl.
Young Fern Arable pleads for the life of runt piglet Wilbur and gets her father to sell him to a neighbor, Mr. Zuckerman. Daily, Fern visits the Zuckermans to sit and muse with Wilbur and with the clever pen spider Charlotte, who befriends him when he is lonely and downcast. At the news of Wilbur's forthcoming slaughter, campaigning Charlotte, to the astonishment of people for miles around, spins words in her web. "Some Pig" comes first. Then "Terrific"—then "Radiant". The last word, when Wilbur is about to win a show prize and Charlotte is about to die from building her egg sac, is "Humble". And as the wonderful Charlotte does die, the sadness is tempered by the promise of more spiders next spring.
The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often informative as amusing, and the whole tenor of appealing wit and pathos will make fine entertainment for reading aloud, too.Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1952
ISBN: 978-0-06-026385-0
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1952
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by Raina Telgemeier ; illustrated by Raina Telgemeier ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and...
Catrina narrates the story of her mixed-race (Latino/white) family’s move from Southern California to Bahía de la Luna on the Northern California coast.
Dad has a new job, but it’s little sister Maya’s lungs that motivate the move: she has had cystic fibrosis since birth—a degenerative breathing condition. Despite her health, Maya loves adventure, even if her lungs suffer for it and even when Cat must follow to keep her safe. When Carlos, a tall, brown, and handsome teen Ghost Tour guide introduces the sisters to the Bahía ghosts—most of whom were Spanish-speaking Mexicans when alive—they fascinate Maya and she them, but the terrified Cat wants only to get herself and Maya back to safety. When the ghost adventure leads to Maya’s hospitalization, Cat blames both herself and Carlos, which makes seeing him at school difficult. As Cat awakens to the meaning of Halloween and Day of the Dead in this strange new home, she comes to understand the importance of the ghosts both to herself and to Maya. Telgemeier neatly balances enough issues that a lesser artist would split them into separate stories and delivers as much delight textually as visually. The backmatter includes snippets from Telgemeier’s sketchbook and a photo of her in Día makeup.
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-54061-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
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