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REIGN OF OUTLAWS

From the Robyn Hoodlum series , Vol. 3

A neatly packaged conclusion to this modern and youthful take on the famous Robin Hood legend.

Robyn Loxley—a 12-year-old mixed-race black girl—is back for the final installment of this series, and she has even more at stake than before.

A failed attempt to save her parents has left not only her folks in increasing danger, but some of her friends as well, who were captured in the process. With Gov. Ignomus Crown hotter than ever on her trail, Robyn must learn to trust those around her even when she’s plagued by the constant thought that she is all alone. As the face of the popular rebellion, Robyn will have to learn the true meaning of sacrifice. Will she be willing to give up what matters to her on a personal level for the advancement of Sherwood? It’s imperative that she figure out the clues of the moon lore in order to rescue her parents and be the savior her people believe her to be, a 72-hour high-stakes task that keeps pages flipping furiously. In this series closer, Magoon puts the final pieces of the puzzle together and leaves readers with the answers to mysteries left from the first two books while continuing to develop her alternative science-fiction Sherwood Forest.

A neatly packaged conclusion to this modern and youthful take on the famous Robin Hood legend. (Adventure. 8-12)

Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-61963-657-6

Page Count: 276

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2017

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THE WILD ROBOT PROTECTS

From the Wild Robot series , Vol. 3

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

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NIMBUS

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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