A thought-provoking adventure that explores selfhood and reality.
A boy everyone calls “Forest the Failure” seeks someone who can give him a better future.
Though just 13, Forest Fogwren has been a target for the townsfolk’s mockery ever since a stubbed toe resulted in misdirected magic, the death of his friend Hargren, and the failure of his quest to save the kingdom of Lumin from the invading Ombrous wizards. Following instructions from his mentor, Wyldemar the Wise, Forest enters a magic portal in search of the Author, a mysterious person who can rewrite Lumin’s history. Once he’s through the portal and in Blisstopia, Forest is dazzled by the friendly animals, everpink trees, and happy residents. He finds the Author lying in a hammock at the palace: She’s Princess Ivy, a girl about his age with lavender hair and periwinkle eyes (though she can change her hair and eye colors). After some initial confusion, Ivy realizes that Forest is the hero from her story, The Lanterns of Lumin, come to life. By traveling through story portals, Ivy and Forest encounter First Draft Forest, Wyldemar the Wicked, and a still-living Hargren—along with frightful shadow creatures. Footnotes add wry humor to this story-within-a-story, whose layers go deep but adhere to an internal logic. Ivy, who’s savvy about genres and tropes, isn’t as carefree as she at first appears, and Forest grows to embrace a new definition of hero. Bricking’s sweetly magical illustrations enliven the chapter headings. Main characters appear white.
A thought-provoking adventure that explores selfhood and reality. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9780823459865
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 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
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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