The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books最新文献

{"title":"Desert Queen by Jyoti Rajan Gopal (review)","authors":"","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907078","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: Desert Queen by Jyoti Rajan Gopal Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Gopal, Jyoti Rajan Desert Queen; illus. by Svabhu Kohli. Levine Querido, 2023 [50p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781646142620 $18.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. 2-4 A young boy in the Thar desert dreams of gracing the Bollywood screen or even simply daring to dance publicly, but he keeps his hopes to himself, knowing that his desire would easily cross the \"lines in the sand / that keep you in your place. / Boy OR Girl. / Man OR Woman.\" When his parents die, however, he finds a way to make money and fulfill his dream, donning bedazzling, patterned silks, lining his eyes with kajol and his lips with red lipstick, and dancing, truly dancing, in front of a crowd. The plentiful applause, however, turns to jeers in the morning, but the boy refuses to give up, instead training for two years and drawing from Hindu folklore and culture to become the inarguably talented and famous Whirling Desert Queen of Rajasthan. An author's note and backmatter bring further detail to this biographical account of drag performer Queen Harish, but the celebratory main text is all about the joy of dance and how the young boy finds himself within it. Rhythmic text easily conveys the boy's rapture and longing, moving with a languid pace or an energetic frenzy as the story calls for, always centering our protagonist and his journey in dance toward individual agency. The layered art is striking, with rich jewel tones and endless patterning, much of which is inspired by Harish's cultural heritage; geometric linework joins swirls and dashes of movement, with each composition adding to the text—not a single bit of the page is wasted. Detailed visuals and slightly longer text target older readers, but the subject matter could make for a lively storytime or a welcome discussion on gender expression. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"91 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135274335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harlem at Four by Michael Datcher (review)","authors":"Adam McConville","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907069","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: Harlem at Four by Michael Datcher Adam McConville Datcher, Michael Harlem at Four; illus. by Frank Morrison. Random House Studio, 2023 [48p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593429334 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593429358 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* 4-8 yrs In the first half of this radiant picture book, a four-year-old Black girl named Harlem sets off with her father for a day out in the neighborhood for which she's named. They listen to John Coltrane songs played on a street musician's saxophone, gaze at Romare Bearden's art in a museum, and \"bond on Black genius.\" The focus then shifts to the history of Harlem the neighborhood, explaining its turn-of-the-century origins as a refuge for Black Americans moving North during the Great Migration and its later significance to key figures in the civil rights movement, including Malcom X and Sonia Sanchez. Both Datcher's text and Morrison's art exude pride, in the confident, shining face of Harlem the child and the collective excellence of Harlem the neighborhood. An author's note explains that Datcher's experiences [End Page 53] with his own daughter inspired the book, and short, staccato lines convey his love for her and Harlem history: \"Cameras can't capture / Your Malcolm X / Boulevard / Corner speaker confidence. / Fierce can't be photographed. / Shutter speed / Too slow / To frame you.\" The artwork is stunning, with perspectives shifting from cozy close-ups of small Harlem and her willowy dad waking for the day to huge, graffitied murals that dwarf them in size. The compositions and color palette shift with the topic, adopting more measured perspectives and a muted, sepia tint when depicting Philip A Payton, Jr., \"the Father of Harlem,\" and the many families he enabled to move to the neighborhood. The rapid references to cultural and historical details will likely need some additional context, but that is neatly provided in back matter that also includes sources for further reading. This is a loving ode to Black fatherhood, art in all its forms, and a neighborhood bound together by culture and community. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"38 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135274339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros (review)","authors":"Natalie Berglind","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907096","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros Natalie Berglind Polydoros, Aden Wrath Becomes Her. Inkyard, 2023 [384p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781335458032 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780369736628 $9.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 7-10 It's 1943 in Lithuania, and Ezra has one goal: to avenge his murdered teenage daughter, Chaya, by creating a golem to hunt down the men who killed her. Vera, the golem, is more than just clay. She has literal pieces of Ezra's daughter within her along with Chaya's memories, which make it particularly confusing for her to sort out how much of her is Chaya and how much is her unique self. When Ezra goes missing, Vera is left to her own devices, killing Chaya's murderers with brute strength but unraveling a deeper plot to steal Ezra's ancient magical texts. Along the way, she will run into Chaya's friends, who treat her alternatively with repulsion and relief, and she'll kill many Nazis to get revenge and be reunited with her creator. The historical backdrop makes an interesting setting for the debate over android autonomy and personhood usually reserved for sci-fi, and Polydoros' creative blend of Frankenstein and Jewish folklore delivers a unique premise by giving power back to a near-indestructible teenage girl. Vera is a sympathetic protagonist, grappling with her identity and individual desires even as she must strategize to right the societal injustices she encounters. Her awkwardness around describing her emotions, however, occasionally renders her anger distant from the reader, and the theme of revenge carries out indecisively, sometimes indicating that revenge is unsatisfying and sometimes that revenge is warranted. Even so, a generation of teens who may be feeling particularly helpless will be glad for a teenage girl who is able to do something about her oppression and help others. A glossary of terms used in the text is included. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"99 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135275154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Say My Name by Joanna Ho (review)","authors":"Danica Ronquillo","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907081","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: Say My Name by Joanna Ho Danica Ronquillo Ho, Joanna Say My Name; illus. by Khoa Le. Harper, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780063205338 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063334359 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs In this powerful picture book, Ho's poetic prose and Le's expressive folk-art illustrations explore the beauty of embracing all identities and cultures as six children share [End Page 59] the significance of their names. The profiles afford readers the chance to learn about rich histories from different countries; He Xiao-Guang, the \"first light of morning,\" from China, for example, embodies the lineage of her Chinese ancestry, while the \"fierce warrior of the South Pacific,\" Ofā Kīvaha Tupoumālohi, proudly loves the sea, as did her ancestors in the uncolonized Kingdom of Tonga. Nizhoni Yazzie of the Diné (Navajo) introduces herself by her name and her clans, sharing the idea of walking in beauty (hózhó) to portray the balance within her community and nature. Layered pale-pink dahlia petals floating across the waves reflect the resilience of Xóchitl Luna, \"moon flower,\" of the Nahua nation in the Valley of Mexico before the Spanish (conquistadores) invaded the land. Art and music shape names as well, with the epic verses of Bijan Hosseini's Persian background conveyed in tapestry angelic wings, and Akosua Acheampong dances to the Ghanaian rhythms of apentemma (drums) and atoke (bell). A double-page spread with the children walking across \"a building block / in an architecture / constructed over oceans / and across generations\" describes the unity within different communities, and the structural narrative stanzas followed by the repeated refrain, \"Say my name,\" encourage readers to communicate and understand how to pronounce others' names respectfully. The end matter includes a name pronunciation guide and cultural context. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"190 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135273788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson (review)","authors":"Sarah Sahn","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907082","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson Sarah Sahn Josephson, Kalyn This Dark Descent. Roaring Brook, 2023 [400p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781250812360 $20.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781250812377 $11.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-12 Mikira Rusel might be from the most celebrated family of enchanted horse breeders and racers in Veradell, but since her brother died after being conscripted to the Eternal War and her father stopped racing, the Rusel ranch is barely surviving on Mikira's winnings from Veradell's underground racing circuit. When Rezek Kelbra, the brutal lord whose district the Rusels live in, arrests Mikira's father for being an unlicensed enchanter, Mikira is forced into a deal: win the Illinir—a four-stage, once-a-decade race designed to challenge the best riders—on an unenchanted horse, and Kelbra will free her father and forgive the family's debts. She's wary when Damien Adair, a young lord from a rival house, offers to sponsor her, but she nonetheless goes along with his plan to hire Arielle Kadar, a practitioner of forbidden Kinnish magic, to make a horse golem for Mikira to ride. Ari's just trying to survive after having to flee her village when a spell went wrong and killed her grandfather, and Damian offers her protection, power, access to knowledge, and a connection to her roots—though assimilated, his family shares her Kinnish heritage. The uneasy partnership among Damien, Mikira, Ari, and Damien's friend and aide Reid is at the center of this absorbing fantasy rooted in Jewish tradition. Chapters alternate between Ari and Mikira's points of view, providing insight into their growing friendship and motivations, while the Illinir provides plenty of action and a tight plot structure for the politics and intrigue that swirl around it. A final twist brings together threads that even very attentive readers might miss, setting up a second volume to eagerly await. [End Page 60] Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"40 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135273790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The North Wind & The Sun by Philip Stead (review)","authors":"","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907105","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: The North Wind & The Sun by Philip Stead Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Stead, Philip The North Wind & The Sun; written and illus. by Philip Stead. Porter/Holiday House, 2023 [48p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780823455836 $18.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs In Stead's retelling of Aesop's fable, three elderly sisters find themselves in the middle of a feud between the boastful, blustery North Wind and the gentle, soothing Sun. As the sisters head out to a chilly day, the North Wind takes issue with their colorful coats, challenging the Sun to see who would be able to pull the coats from the women first. The North Wind's howls topple castles and crush ships, uproot trees and destroy mountains, but the sisters only hold their coats tighter until the North Wind finally exhausts itself, crumpling into a heap. The Sun easily does what the wind could not, warming up the women with its rays until they shrug off their cold weather gear to enjoy the day. The moral might be obvious—gentle persuasion is sometimes better than brute force—but Stead brings emotional resonance with the addition of two new characters who are left sad and bitter by the North Wind then reinvigorated by the Sun, a reminder that spitefulness only breeds more spite while acceptance can work wonders. The folkloric tone is perfectly matched by Stead's familiar colored-pencil and print illustrations, featuring the Sun as a swirling, golden embodiment of wholesomeness and the North Wind as a scratchy, icy agent of chaos; the sisters' patterned patchwork coats, meanwhile, anchor the scenes with their dynamic form and palette of primary colors. Cozy and comforting, the book nearly begs to be a seasonal readers' theater event. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135274149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging by Eric Adjepong (review)","authors":"Sarah Sahn","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907059","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging by Eric Adjepong Sarah Sahn Adjepong, Eric Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging; illus. by Lala Watkins. Penguin Workshop, 2023 [48p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593385944 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593661727 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. K-3 When Kofi's teacher announces a classroom potluck, for which each student will bring a dish that represents their culture, Kofi's hesitation is twofold. He feels certain other kids who plan to to bring dishes like spaghetti and mac'n'cheese won't enjoy the Ghanaian food he typically eats with his family. He also, however, wonders if he has any real claim to Ghanaian culture at all—as the first member of his family to be born in America, Kofi has never even seen the homeland of his maame and paapa, his onuabaa (sister), and his nanabarima (grandfather). Thankfully, Nanabarima steps in to help Kofi with his dish: \"We'll go to the market first thing in the morning and let the ingredients speak to us.\" Kofi is dubious, but when Nanabarima takes Kofi to each market stall, the ingredients and Nanabarima's stories transport [End Page 48] him: to a green field full of workers gathering spices; to gardeners picking perfectly ripe plantains; to a somber scene of Africans braiding rice into their hair before they are forced onto slave ships. Straightforward text is accompanied by colorful geometric art that moves readers through vibrant city scenes full of people, lovingly rendered family scenes, and sunny African harvests; more subdued tones are, appropriately, used for scenes of African enslavement. Based on his own experiences as a first-generation Ghanaian American growing up in New York City, chef and author Adjepong's debut picture book beautifully captures Kofi's complicated feelings of in-betweenness, seeing himself as not quite American enough and not quite Ghanaian enough, even as he tries to connect to his family's history. A recipe for jollof rice, the dish Kofi proudly shares with his class, is included at the end. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135274314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Artivist by Nikkolas Smith (review)","authors":"Danica Ronquillo","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907104","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: The Artivist by Nikkolas Smith Danica Ronquillo Smith, Nikkolas The Artivist; written and illus. by Nikkolas Smith. Kokila/Penguin, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593619650 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593619667 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs A young boy finds comfort painting and helping his community, but he can't help but see the overwhelming injustices around him. That makes him determined to use his love for art and activism to better the world: \"I will sketch and draw and scribble and paint the broken bones I see and the healing I hope for.\" When a mural he paints on top of a water tower goes viral in the media, the young boy continues to spread awareness and inspire people to change the world for the better, painting one mural at a time. Drawing from his own \"Artivist\" journey, Smith powerfully illustrates a young child's perspective in the face of a world in crisis. Dark illuminating shades of purple depict symbolic objects like prison cells and chains, and words like greed, racism, and gentrification embody physical manifestations of global issues, while the boy's own art is presented in resplendent, glorious yellow. The repetitive structure of \"The Artivist . . . \" also adds structure, emphasizing that an Artivist must be brave, a good listener, and \"a memory keeper, painting JUSTICE for all. Especially all those who no longer have a voice.\" Other than painters, Smith lists [End Page 71] different types of artists like singers, writers, or filmmakers, encouraging many young Artivists to call out injustices and positively make an impact by letting their art speak and spark empathy to the world. An author's note is included. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135274326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nightbreaker by Coco Ma (review)","authors":"Aaren Tucker","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907089","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: Nightbreaker by Coco Ma Aaren Tucker Ma, Coco Nightbreaker. Viking, 2023 [448p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593621462 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593621486 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 8-12 Rei Reynolds has always been the top student at Manhattan's Financial District Prep, learning to slay the monsters—called Deathlings—that terrorize New York every night. Joining the Syndicate that runs the city and becoming a maverick Deathling hunter is the only thing Rei has dreamed of ever since her parents were killed by Deathlings before her eyes. So, she's devastated when she learns at graduation that another student has outmatched her, meaning Rei won't be able to take part in the televised Tournament to determine the next maverick. Lucky for Rei, the Syndicate shocks everyone by announcing that this year, for the first time ever, each of the city's district masters will be able to choose a nominee for the Tournament and the Financial District master has chosen Rei. While fighting to prove her worth and earn her place, Rei comes to realize that the masters are keeping secrets and that not all within the Syndicate is as it seems. Hunger Games-style competition in the style of a shounen anime makes an appealing setup, but uneven pacing and worldbuilding, plus awkward dialogue, prevent the book from being the crowd-pleaser it could otherwise have been. Extensive info-dumping in the introduction details the apocalyptic background, and the narrative momentum is frequently derailed for unnecessary side adventures and flashbacks, although some of these threads may be picked up in a planned sequel. Despite the book's structural flaws, Ma is a competent, cinematic prose writer, and this story offers plenty of violence, excitement, and likable characters for action-loving readers with patience. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135275152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo (review)","authors":"Natalie Berglind","doi":"10.1353/bcc.2023.a907063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.a907063","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo Natalie Berglind Christo, Alexandra The Night Hunt. Feiwel, 2023 [384p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781250897442 $20.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781250897459 $11.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 7-10 Seventeen-year-old Atia is a Nefas, a monster who feeds on fear, and she's the last of her kind. When she kills a man to protect her human friend—breaking a centuries old rule set forth by the Gods—Atia encounters Silas, a Herald tasked to mete out the Gods' punishment and strip her of her powers. Silas, however, is no fan of the Gods either and sees an opportunity in Atia to exact revenge and regain the memories they stole from him. With the help of a human scholar and a half-banshee, Atia and Silas set out across the five elemental kingdoms to restore her powers, but she must drink from the River of Eternity and kill a vampire, a [End Page 50] banshee, and a God to do so. This book boils down to a run-of-the-mill fantasy with some cool monsters, often inspired by Greek mythology. The characters never break free from their archetypes, and the worldbuilding is shallow and inconsistent, lacking a needed sense of foreshadowing. Ample action will still satisfy fans of ragtag teams of misfits going up against a huge opponent, though, while the dual perspectives between Atia and Silas build up their romance slowly but organically, likely appealing to readers who like their fantasy with a dash of romance. This is a serviceable next read for fans of Christo's other works (Princess of Souls, BCCB 10/22) or those looking for more epic adventures in the vein of Mahurin's Serpent & Dove (BCCB 10/19). Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois","PeriodicalId":472942,"journal":{"name":"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books","volume":"61 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135273305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}