Thought-provoking, if inconsistent.
A science-fiction short story collection that showcases the possibilities of the near and distant future.
This collection of 10 stories includes entries by a number of popular authors for young people. Most are written in traditional prose, such as A.R. Capetta’s second-person narrative, “The Most Epic Nap in the Universe,” but others branch out: Maddi Gonzalez’s “Zabrina Meets the Retro Club” is a black-and-white comic, and Eliot Schrefer’s “A Proposal to the Animal Congress” consists of a dialogue between two forms of artificial intelligence. Standouts include Kekla Magoon’s plot-driven, high-stakes heist story, “The Whistleblowers,” in which two kids battle big pharma to acquire medical research that calls into question the safety of EternaLife, a miracle drug intended to reverse the effects of aging. David Robertson’s “Of What We Never Were” also shines: In it, middle schooler Stacy is a test subject for whole brain emulation, a process in which the neural contents of a deceased person—in this case, Stacy’s best friend, Adam—are uploaded to an interactive AI device. Robertson sensitively raises questions surrounding grief, loss, and what it means to be human. Although several of the stories falter in the face of the challenge of explaining complex scientific theories in an engaging and accessible way to a younger audience, the themes of humanity, morality, and the quest for knowledge will appeal beyond aficionados of the genre. Naturally inclusive diversity is interwoven throughout, for example through the presence of nongendered characters.
Thought-provoking, if inconsistent. (contributor bios) (Science-fiction anthology. 10-14)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9781536236392
Page Count: 288
Publisher: MIT Kids Press/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic.
Chainani works an elaborate sea change akin to Gregory Maguire’s Wicked (1995), though he leaves the waters muddied.
Every four years, two children, one regarded as particularly nice and the other particularly nasty, are snatched from the village of Gavaldon by the shadowy School Master to attend the divided titular school. Those who survive to graduate become major or minor characters in fairy tales. When it happens to sweet, Disney princess–like Sophie and her friend Agatha, plain of features, sour of disposition and low of self-esteem, they are both horrified to discover that they’ve been dropped not where they expect but at Evil and at Good respectively. Gradually—too gradually, as the author strings out hundreds of pages of Hogwarts-style pranks, classroom mishaps and competitions both academic and romantic—it becomes clear that the placement wasn’t a mistake at all. Growing into their true natures amid revelations and marked physical changes, the two spark escalating rivalry between the wings of the school. This leads up to a vicious climactic fight that sees Good and Evil repeatedly switching sides. At this point, readers are likely to feel suddenly left behind, as, thanks to summary deus ex machina resolutions, everything turns out swell(ish).
Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic. (Fantasy. 11-13)Pub Date: May 14, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-210489-2
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
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BOOK TO SCREEN
A smart sequel that’s filled with surprises and heart.
In this follow-up to The Rhythm of Time (2023), young time-traveling adventurers face their biggest challenge yet, forcing them to question themselves and one another.
Rahim looks forward to starting eighth grade with best friend Kasia even though he anticipates a tough transition after homeschooling. Kasia makes friends as seamlessly as she makes the cool beats that Rahim skillfully raps over. Although Rahim, who’s a target for bullies, feels a bit left behind, the duo still has their music and a rather unusual extracurricular: on-demand time-travel adventures at the behest of their future selves and the mysterious Aevum Organization. Rahim’s parents place a lot of pressure on him and dismiss his hip-hop dreams as impractical. Adult Rahim and Adult Kasia present the pair with a mission to 1978 Honolulu, where temporal anomalies have been detected. They’ll be facing Chrononauts, time travelers who are trying to change the world to suit their own selfish ends. This entry markedly raises the stakes in ways that challenge even Kasia’s genius. Rahim’s intuition and emotional development are thoughtfully plotted as the kids leave their parents in the dark and take big risks. This nuanced story centering on Black middle schoolers explores trust and care, putting friendship to the test even as the Hawaiian setting offers a provocative allegory for being thoughtful about our global (and interdimensional) impact. Final art not seen.
A smart sequel that’s filled with surprises and heart. (Science fiction. 10-13)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9780374393175
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2025
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SEEN & HEARD
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