Fun, sparkle-filled pony magic.
A volume collecting three previously released entries in the Fairy Ponies series: “Midnight Escape,” “Magic Necklace,” and “Rainbow Races.”
Inside the hollow of an old oak tree, a tunnel leads to the magical land of Pony Island, where “fairy ponies fly wild and free.” Holly is the only human who can enter this hidden world. When Holly’s parents first dropped her off at her Great-Aunt May’s homey country cottage, she was skeptical; summer should be for spending time with friends, not with a relative she barely knew. The rich girls next door, who have ponies of their own, snubbed her, leaving pony-loving Holly feeling even more discouraged. Even though there’s something special about Great-Aunt May’s place, when Holly saw something fluttering in the grass, she could hardly believe her eyes: It was a tiny winged pony, just like the ones in a painting at Great-Aunt May’s. Kind Holly, who presents white, helped the injured pony, earning the Fairy Ponies’ trust—and a bag of sparkling magic dust that allows her to visit their island. The stand-alone entries follow her exploits and adventures. One-dimensional villains and quickly resolved conflicts keep the stories moving along quickly. Fans of all things shimmering and glittery will appreciate how these bright elements bedazzle even the darkest moments. Bongini’s delicate illustrations, black and white with purple accents, appear throughout, bringing this magical world to life.
Fun, sparkle-filled pony magic. (meet the ponies, map) (Fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9781836054948
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Usborne
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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