March 1, 2024
Grades 3-7 Tongue firmly in cheek, McCullough recounts the adventures of two orphans who fall into the clutches of an evil celebrity chef experimenting with a recipe for aptly named "To Die For" brownies. No sooner do brash 11-year-old Dahlia and her "unimpetuous" but loyal 12-year-old sibling learn that they're to be placed with separate foster families than they escape--only to be swept up by elegant and (seemingly) kindhearted pastry-chef extraordinaire Laurel Fox. Attentive readers will rightly suspect that she has dire motives. She also turns out to be smart and psychologically acute, preventing the orphans from escaping while subjecting them to emotional abuse by playing on Basil's gnawing guilt over the death of his parents and on Dahlia's dyslexia. Worse yet, it looks like the young prisoners are just the vanguard for a host of unwanted children the snaky fashion plate means to victimize. If the tidily contrived ending comes as something of a letdown, still the piquant tale is rich in twists made all the more delicious by Cluskey's retro-style illustrations and the narrative's mildly gothic tone.
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March 15, 2024
Siblings Basil and Dahlia, orphaned and concerned about their futures, go from the frying pan into the fire. While aboard a train to Philadelphia, Basil, 12, and Dahlia, 11, learn that their social worker plans to separate them and place them in different homes. Determined to stay together, Dahlia jumps off the moving train, followed by a hesitant Basil. From there, they have a wild series of adventures before arriving in New York City, where, hungry and tired, they cross paths with celebrity baker Laurel Fox, who takes them home and feeds them. It should be a sweet ending, but Ms. Fox has truly nefarious plans. This twist on "Hansel and Gretel" is relayed by a comically arch third-person narrator: "It had been a blissful childhood thus far, but the blissful phase was over and a distinctly less blissful phase was poised to begin." The narrator addresses readers directly, cautioning them and coaxing them through some of the more uncomfortable issues, such as the guilt each sibling carries over the death of their parents. Laurel Fox is a pleasingly over-the-top villain surrounded by ridiculously self-serving sycophants. The cast, which primarily reads white, is captured in edgy, stylish, black-and-white illustrations that have a retro feeling and enhance the drama. A deliciously satisfying romp. (Fiction. 8-12)
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April 29, 2024
Intrepid siblings are forced to survive on their own in this winking, raucous adventure by McCullough (Code Red). When Dahlia and Basil Bloom’s parents are killed in a bizarre botanical explosion, 11-year-old Dahlia is terrified of losing her only remaining family to an impersonal foster system, and impulsively flees her assigned social worker by jumping from a moving train with older brother Basil reluctantly in tow. Injured and lacking money, the duo wander through New York City seeking food and shelter. After some minor misadventures—which are conveyed nonlinearly by an arch narrator—the siblings encounter Laurel Fox, the wealthy head of a pastry empire with a cultlike following (and a history of workplace misconduct). When Fox takes the children in, Basil is ready to accept this kindness at face value, but Dahlia remains suspicious, taking it upon herself to snoop around her new home. Dahlia’s instincts prove correct as Fox’s nefarious and ghastly motives are revealed, miring the two children in a familiar if bitingly humorous and appealingly weird action-adventure narrative studded with surreal illustrations by Cluskey (The Sackville Street Caper). Principal characters cue as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
May 1, 2024
Gr 5 Up-A cross between "A Series of Unfortunate Events" and "Hansel and Gretel," this is a whimsical and suspenseful story about two formerly homeschooled orphans. Basil is a bookworm with a terrible secret; Dalia is brilliantly quick-thinking (and can't read because her brain works differently). With their combined powers they can make it through anything, they hope; but New York City, germs, and a wicked witch are going to be a challenge, even for them. Although set in the modern day, the narrator is mid-19th-century British. This leads to some humorous misunderstandings over items, such as phones and cars, but the period narration is not always consistent with historical technologies or perspectives. There are a handful of illustrations sprinkled throughout, all black and white. The major characters are illustrated with white skin or described as pale, while a few minor characters are left ambiguous. There are some intense scenes in this dark comedy, although none likely to induce nightmares. Even though it doesn't have an exactly happy ending, the resolution will still be satisfying for most readers. VERDICT Fans of Lemony Snicket and Western fairy tales will devour this darkly humorous read.-Shelby Hogle
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2024
After their parents' tragic (and explosive) demise, Basil and Dahlia Bloom sit on a train barreling toward Philadelphia with their social worker, Mrs. Hassenblasset, who warns of their imminent separation. Distraught, the two leap from the moving train and begin a grueling quest to land themselves anywhere but apart from each other. Their wanderings ultimately take them to New York City, bruised, beaten, and hungry. Lured by the smells of a bakery, the children are caught dumpster-diving by celebrity chef Laurel Fox. She whisks them away to her luxurious apartment, seemingly transforming their lives in the blink of an eye. But despite their new wardrobes, the endless library, and the home-cooked meals, Dahlia and Basil sense something sinister behind Fox's keen interest in their tears. Black-and-white illustrations pepper the narrative with sharp corners and ominous shadows as the children attempt to escape one trap after another. The tone is largely due to its self-proclaimed-Dickensian narrator, who breaks the fourth wall often with wry asides, humorous advice, and anachronistic references, even making assertions about what's appropriate in a book for children. With a decidedly Lemony Snicket flavor and hints of Lowry's The Willoughbys (rev. 3/08), McCullough's variation on "Hansel and Gretel" satisfies the need for a fright but also deftly touches on the reality of grief, guilt, and the powerful bond between siblings. Grace McKinney Beermann
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
July 1, 2024
After their parents' tragic (and explosive) demise, Basil and Dahlia Bloom sit on a train barreling toward Philadelphia with their social worker, Mrs. Hassenblasset, who warns of their imminent separation. Distraught, the two leap from the moving train and begin a grueling quest to land themselves anywhere but apart from each other. Their wanderings ultimately take them to New York City, bruised, beaten, and hungry. Lured by the smells of a bakery, the children are caught dumpster-diving by celebrity chef Laurel Fox. She whisks them away to her luxurious apartment, seemingly transforming their lives in the blink of an eye. But despite their new wardrobes, the endless library, and the home-cooked meals, Dahlia and Basil sense something sinister behind Fox's keen interest in their tears. Black-and-white illustrations pepper the narrative with sharp corners and ominous shadows as the children attempt to escape one trap after another. The tone is largely due to its self-proclaimed-Dickensian narrator, who breaks the fourth wall often with wry asides, humorous advice, and anachronistic references, even making assertions about what's appropriate in a book for children. With a decidedly Lemony Snicket flavor and hints of Lowry's The Willoughbys (rev. 3/08), McCullough's variation on "Hansel and Gretel" satisfies the need for a fright but also deftly touches on the reality of grief, guilt, and the powerful bond between siblings.
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)