A purrfectly fresh and fun take on a beloved classic: bewitching, mysterious, and thoroughly engrossing.
LaReau retells Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca for young audiences with a feline protagonist.
When small, skittish Kitty is adopted by Max Winters, the formerly feral tabby kitten loves the pale, rosy-cheeked boy immediately and hopes that moving into the house he shares with his astrology enthusiast mother at Five Manderley Lane will be a fresh, safe start—even if Kitty’s neighbor at the shelter, Bunny Van Hopper, exclaims that she’ll regret it. In her new home, Kitty meets fellow pets Duchess, Cookie, and Fred—a parrot, hamster, and turtle, respectively. But she’s also struck with the overwhelming lingering presence—and scent—of Max’s former cat, Licorice. It seems that everyone (Duchess especially) continually extols the virtues of Licorice, and Kitty feels like she can’t compare and will disappoint Max. Fearful of being sent back to the shelter, Kitty tries to act more like Licorice, but it just makes matters worse. This exquisite homage features eerie gothic trappings and psychological manipulation just like the original, yet it succeeds entirely on its own merit: It’s kid-appropriate without skimping on the spookiness. The unsettling tone and startling plot twists make the book hard to put down. Distinct animal characters, relatable themes of self-esteem and found family, and Murphy’s appealing, shade-filled drawings peppered throughout add to the appeal.
A purrfectly fresh and fun take on a beloved classic: bewitching, mysterious, and thoroughly engrossing. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2026
ISBN: 9781546185949
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
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 deeply imaginative journey that puts the “cat” in cathartic.
A loyal black kitten’s boy is under supernatural attack.
Eleven-month-old Nimbus loves Fletcher, the boy who nursed her back to health following life-threatening injuries. When Fletcher becomes curious about a strange jar and opens it, releasing a terrible goblin, loyal Nim protects Fletcher, taking heavy damage in the process. But Fletcher’s aunt, who’s caring for him over spring break, believes Nim attacked Fletcher and dumps her far from home. Rhett, a stylish rat with star quality, befriends injured Nim and leads her to a witch’s house. While the witch cares for Nim, the witch’s cats (maternal Fern, bookish Rochester, standoffish Bianca, and openly hostile Abraxas) teach Nim important cat skills. She also discovers she has a supernatural ability: In destroying one eye of the nightmare demon in the fight to protect Fletcher, Nim gained its “dream sight.” But she also learns it might come back for Fletcher, who no longer has Nim to protect him, posing a time-sensitive, high-stakes threat. Even though the witch’s home is nice and magic itself seems to be telling her to stay put, Nim wants to find a way back to Fletcher. As a hero, Nimbus is as gritty and determined as she is adorable. Tear-jerker moments explore pet abandonment—readers may want their own pets on hand to hug—all the way through the magical, action-packed finale. Fletcher and the witch read white.
A deeply imaginative journey that puts the “cat” in cathartic. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780062680372
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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