May 31, 2021
Coaxing her cat down from her building’s roof, white, orange-haired Mel tumbles into a neighboring apartment, finding an old man named Otto and three woodland animals having tea, all in formal old-fashioned garb. Told she is the long-awaited Chosen One, Mel, who is generally frustrated with her lack of autonomy, agrees to help Otto break his childhood bargain with beaky trickster Malcape the Magnificent, the malicious king of Here&Now, a land of distorted wishes. Guided by a crow named Benjamino, Mel and Otto travel through Here&Now, finding allies in Malcape’s other duped marks and discovering what it means to be the Chosen One. At first seeking only to aid Otto, Mel soon is responsible for the fates of all in Here&Now, and possibly that of her own world and others besides. Aragno employs an ink-heavy style reminiscent of Quentin Blake’s art, with sepia-toned pages referencing the past and vibrant watercolors conjuring Here&Now and its creaturely population. A sometimes bewilderingly fast pace paired with loosely explained plot elements muddle the story at times, but also contribute to the adventure’s engrossing atmosphere and humor. Ages 8–12.
June 1, 2021
Mel, angry at adults who never listen, is pulled into a magical world where she learns she's the Chosen One. Chasing her cat across the rooftop of her apartment building, the bespectacled redhead falls into a neighboring home, where a white-bearded old man is taking tea with three talking animals wearing 19th-century clothing. They've been waiting for her, they explain eagerly, because only she can break the curses of Malcape the Magnificent, who turned young Otto into the old man Mel sees before her. Mel's journey past animal tea parties and magical royals has illustrations that sometimes evoke Wonderland or Oz. The text doesn't always make clear sense in context, perhaps a result of the translation from the original Italian, and many narrative elements are dropped when they're no longer useful for the allegory. (Whatever happens to Otto's talking-animal friends? Why doesn't the Book of Return, which brings the dead back to life, remain important?) But gorgeous color and action are what keep pages turning, not the quest itself. Memories are rendered in sepia or black and white while the magical land of Here&Now is richly saturated. The interplay between different color schemes, sometimes within a single panel, plays deliciously with mood. The often wordless two-page spreads cleverly evoke movement or the passage of time. Some signage and sound effects are not translated, though meaning is always clear from illustration. All human characters are White. Dynamic, evocative color and movement easily carry this allegorical fantasy wherever the text is weak. (Graphic fantasy. 7-11)
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July 1, 2021
Gr 4-7-Mel, a bespectacled white redhead, is frustrated-her parents don't take her seriously, and their decision to move the family again is going to ruin her life. Mel knows that adults won't listen to kids, so if she could just grow up without having to wait, it would solve her problems. And she gets her chance when Mel goes for a rooftop walk and finds herself in a strange apartment, with an assortment of anthropomorphic animals and a bearded white man who takes her to the land of Here&Now. Here, any wish can have unexpected consequences-and that in the land of Here&Now, she is the Chosen One, and everyone expects her to get rid of Malcape the Magnificent, a creature who grants wishes that lead to regrets. Like many heroes before her, Mel didn't ask to be chosen; likewise, not everyone believes in her. Mel is flawed, funny, and often impatient, which will make readers both care for her and worry about her. Aragno creates a fantastic world that contains echoes of Narnia and Wonderland, but is also completely unique. Featuring loose linework, her illustrations pop with life and color, and will draw readers even deeper into this memorable story. VERDICT An engrossing read for young fans of imaginative stories, fantastic voyages, and reluctant heroes.-Andrea Lipinski, New York P.L., New York City
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from September 15, 2021
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* Aragno has a clear love for the greats of children's literature, and she pays homage to them in clever and thoughtful style, beginning with an introduction to that most hallowed figure of journeys past: the chosen one. In this case, our chosen one is Mel, who feels like her choices and desires are being given short shrift by parents with the wrong priorities. Cue an unexpected trip to the magical land of Here&Now, where Mel and her idiosyncratic companions wend their way through a lovely but bizarre environment, receive secrets from long-lost friends, and confront the malignant but oh-so-tempting Malcape. Most importantly, though, here Mel must come to terms with the biggest bummer of all: growing up isn't just about getting bigger; it's about all the learning you do along the way. Of the book's many joys, the greatest ones pour forth from the same wellspring as The Phantom Tollbooth, as we explore the surprising locations of Here&Now through Ragno's flowing compositions and meet its odd denizens, twinkling with delight and menace by turns, scruffily hewn with an irresistible '70's-vintage charm. It's a sensibility brought to a point in Mel's nightmarishly surreal final showdown, sure to scare readers exactly the right amount and leave them with some unforgettable images, just the way the great ones do.
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