In this stand-alone sequel to Marisol & Magdalena (not reviewed), Marisol has returned from her sojourn to Panama City and is once again inseparable from her best friend, Magda. At the beginning of their freshman year, the two girls, now 14, are planning their quinceañera a celebration of their 15th birthdays. For Marisol, planning a quinceañera is more like a daydream since she and her single mother have little to spend on an extravagant party. More disappointments ensue for Marisol when her mother starts to date a man who insists on calling her pet names like "Marisolita"; she continues to miss the father who abandoned her; and Magda drops their friendship when she takes up with new friends who shoplift and find Marisol uncool. Despite these hardships, like Cinderella, Marisol goes to her party with the help of family, friends, and neighbors, and has a charming new beau by her side. Chambers uses the quinceañera and family traditions to introduce Latin American heritage and the concept of community. Marisol also explores what it means to be a Latina, which she finds is a term applied loosely to encompass diverse Hispanic backgrounds. Young female readers will marvel at the details of Marisol's quinceañera and will cheer Marisol on, as her special evening becomes a fairy tale come true. (Fiction. 11-13)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7868-0497-1
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In his quest for easy moolah, Owen learns that the road to financial solvency can be rocky and fraught with work. Greene (Owen Foote, Soccer Star, 1998, etc.) touches upon the often-thorny issue of chores and allowances: Owen’s mom wants him to help out because he’s part of the family and not just for the money—while Owen wants the money without having to do tedious household chores. This universal dilemma leaves Owen without funds and eagerly searching for ways to make a quick buck. His madcap schemes range from original—a “free” toilet demonstration that costs 50 cents—to disastrous, as during the trial run of his children’s fishing video, Owen ends up hooking his ear instead of a trout. Enlisting the aid of his stalwart, if long-suffering, friend Joseph, the two form a dog-walking club that becomes vastly restricted in clientele after Owen has a close encounter with an incontinent, octogenarian canine. Ultimately, Owen learns a valuable lesson about work and money when an unselfish action is generously rewarded. These sudden riches motivate Owen to consider wiser investments for his money than plastic vomit. Greene’s crisp writing style and wry humor is on-target for young readers. Brief chapters revolving around a significant event or action and fast pacing are an effective draw for tentative readers. Weston’s (Space Guys!, p. 392, etc.) black-and-white illustrations, ranging in size from quarter- to full-page, deftly portray Owen’s humorous escapades. A wise, witty addition to Greene’s successful series. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2000
ISBN: 0-618-02369-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
PLB 0-688-13166-2 King Midas And The Golden Touch ($16.00; PLB $15.63; Apr.; 32 pp.; 0-688-13165-4; PLB 0-688-13166-2): The familiar tale of King Midas gets the golden touch in the hands of Craft and Craft (Cupid and Psyche, 1996). The author takes her inspiration from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s retelling, capturing the essence of the tale with the use of pithy dialogue and colorful description. Enchanting in their own right, the illustrations summon the Middle Ages as a setting, and incorporate colors so lavish that when they are lost to the uniform gold spurred by King Midas’s touch, the point of the story is further burnished. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-688-13165-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
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