Twists and turns make this catnip for animal-loving readers.
Finding the purrfect home is a stressful experience for a cat.
Even as a newborn kitten, Piper processes every experience, from the metal box in which she’s born to the smelly humans who grab at her littermates. Piper hides until the right person comes along: a respectful girl named Riley. Piper happily goes home with Riley, who names her Piper Peanut Priscilla Mitzi-Moo Monkey the Marvelous, and is thrilled to discover a spacious house and delicious food. Other household members include eighth grader Riley’s younger brother, Jackson, their parents, and the family puppy, Tank, all of whom Piper finds marginally acceptable. The family has their dramas, but they recede; Piper’s ordeals are more serious, mostly due to Jackson’s friend and new neighbor, Eddie, who’s so menacing that Piper decides to find a better home for herself and Riley. Her search goes awry, however, when she encounters Cat Loving Lady, who’s a bit too enthusiastic about welcoming Piper, whom she dubs Tabbytha, into her home. Will Piper make it back to Riley—and what will she find when she does? Through narrator Piper, readers gain insight into a cat’s perception of the world, and they’ll be on tenterhooks as they follow the threats the resourceful feline encounters in this suspenseful cautionary tale. Riley and her father have dark hair; Jackson and his mother have lighter hair and eyes. Final art not seen.
Twists and turns make this catnip for animal-loving readers. (reading group guide, post-reading activities) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781250213532
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Starscape/Tor
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025
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
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new...
How Ivan confronts his harrowing past yet stays true to his nature exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.
Living in a "domain" of glass, metal and cement at the Big Top Mall, Ivan sometimes forgets whether to act like a gorilla or a human—except Ivan does not think much of humans. He describes their behavior as frantic, whereas he is a peaceful artist. Fittingly, Ivan narrates his tale in short, image-rich sentences and acute, sometimes humorous, observations that are all the more heartbreaking for their simple delivery. His sorrow is palpable, but he stoically endures the cruelty of humans until Ruby the baby elephant is abused. In a pivotal scene, Ivan finally admits his domain is a cage, and rather than let Ruby live and die in grim circumstances, he promises to save her. In order to express his plea in a painting, Ivan must bravely face buried memories of the lush jungle, his family and their brutal murder, which is recounted in a brief, powerful chapter sure to arouse readers’ passions. In a compelling ending, the more challenging question Applegate poses is whether or not Ivan will remember what it was like to be a gorilla. Spot art captures poignant moments throughout.
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new generation of advocates. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-199225-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
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