Sarah Ellis
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Review of Eight Princesses and a Magic Mirror
Eight Princesses and a Magic Mirror by Natasha Farrant; illus. by Lydia Corry Intermediate Norton 217 pp. g 5/20 978-1-324-01556-7 $19.95 The framing structure for this collection of princess stories is elaborate. When an enchantress is invited to be the godmother to a princess, she realizes that she doesn’t know...
Review of We Dream of Space
We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly Intermediate, Middle School Greenwillow 392 pp. g 5/20 978-0-06-274730-3 $16.99 e-book ed. 978-0-06-274732-7 $9.99 In the foreground of this novel are three siblings. Twelve-year-old Fitch lives for video games and is angry through and through. His twin sister Bird is an amiable,...
Review of Indian No More
Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell Intermediate Tu/Lee & Low 209 pp. g 9/19 978-1-62014-839-6 $18.95 This novel (based on McManis's childhood) is set against the background of U.S. government actions beginning in the 1940s that terminated the status of many Native Nations and forced relocation of families living on reservations. With a stroke of the pen, in 1954, eight-year-old Regina Petit...
Review of Fing's War
Fing’s War by Benny Lindelauf; trans. from the Dutch by John Nieuwenhuizen Intermediate, Middle School Enchanted Lion 411 pp. 6/19 978-1-59270-269-5 $16.95 This sequel to Nine Open Arms (rev. 9/14) falls into two parts. In the early chapters we follow the fortunes and adventures of the Boon family, in 1938...
Review of The List of Things That Will Not Change
The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead Intermediate Lamb/Random 218 pp. g 4/20 978-1-101-93809-6 $16.99 Library ed. 978-1-101-93810-2 $19.99 e-book ed. 978-1-101-93811-9 $9.99 From the outside it appears that Bea lives a charmed life. She has loving (albeit divorced) parents; an involved extended family; a kindly, funny teacher; a loyal...
Review of The Runaways
The Runawaysby Ulf Stark; illus. by Kitty Crowther; trans. from the Swedish by Julia MarshallPrimary, Intermediate Gecko 134 pp.4/19 978-1-77652-33-5 $17.99Paper ed. 978-1-776572-34-2 $11.88The portrait of old age and infirmity in this Swedish import is considerably more unvarnished than we’re used to in books for children. Grandpa is no lovable...
Review of I Am Hermes!: Mischief-Making Messenger of the Gods
I Am Hermes!: Mischief-Making Messenger of the Godsby Mordicai Gerstein; illus. by the authorPrimary, Intermediate Holiday 72 pp. g4/19 978-0-8234-3942-3 $18.99e-book ed. 978-0-8234-4203-4 $11.99Following I Am Pan! (rev. 5/16), here comes Pan’s father, Hermes, the messenger god, eager to tell his own story. This Hermes is handsome, insouciant, impulsive, and...
Review of The Little Barbarian
The Little Barbarianby Renato Moriconi; illus. by the authorPreschool Eerdmans 48 pp.8/18 978-0-8028-5509-1 $17.00The little barbarian strides in, page left. Armed with sword and shield, he mounts his handsome black steed and proceeds through a malevolent world. Spread after spread, he gallops over and under hazards and monsters — a...
Review of Saving Winslow
Saving Winslowby Sharon CreechIntermediate Cotler/HarperCollins 165 pp.9/18 978-0-06-257070-3 $16.99Library ed. 978-0-06-257072-7 $17.89e-book ed. 978-0-06-257073-4 $9.99Creech interweaves the stories of three fragile babies. Two strands are backstories, and one is front, center, present, and loud. Louie had been a premature baby. Now he’s eleven, but the family story of his infancy...