Neversink

March 12, 2012
Wolverton debuts with a whimsical fantasy that does for Arctic waterfowl what the Redwall series did for woodland creatures. When a “Sickness” threatens the food supplies of the birds of Tytonia, the scheming pygmy owl Rozbell uses the opportunity to seize control of the Owl Parliament. He then imposes a hefty tax upon the nearby island colony of Neversink, forcing the resident auks to supply him with increasing amounts of fish and other supplies. Only adventure-seeking puffin Lockley, hummingbird Ruby, and scholarly walrus Egbert are willing to take a stand for their imperiled home. Set when “umans did not yet roam the Earth, much less rule it,” Wolverton’s story takes place in a world in which owls wear bowler hats, walruses write multivolume history books, and puffins cook. The author is a natural storyteller, giving readers a charmingly wry, offbeat tale that draws on mythology and intersperses a good amount of information about Arctic wildlife amid the story’s humor. Nielson’s spot illustrations, not all seen by PW, strike just the right balance between anthropomorphism and realism. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

February 1, 2012
When his family and colony are threatened by usurping owls and an unpredictable sea goddess, a plucky puffin learns about injustice and leadership by embarking on a perilous "spirit journey." Lockley Puffin and his wife Lucy live in Auk's Landing, on Neversink, an island in the Arctic Circle and an independent colony of Tytonia. Auks typically avoid making waves, and Lockely's a bit of a troublemaker, hanging out with officious walrus Egbert, and Ruby, a sassy hummingbird. Trouble ensues when Egbert invites Tytonia's owls to a party where Lucy serves delicious fish smidgens. Tytonia's new king, Rozbell, a tiny, power-crazed owl, sees smidgens as a way to control Tytonia by imposing a tax on all fish the auks catch, to be paid with Lucy's fish smidgens. The insatiable demand for smidgens triggers sea goddess Sedna's wrath. She withholds the fish, jeopardizing Neversink's survival. Forced to make some huge waves, Lockley undertakes a harrowing quest to appease Sedna. With history and myths reminiscent of Norse sagas, Neversink and its feathered denizens impart lessons in power, leadership and the role of "stories" in the guise of a fantasy adventure. Black-and-white illustrations highlight the avian theme. An unexpected hero and his amusing, devoted helpers entertain and inspire. (map) (Animal fantasy. 8-12)

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May 1, 2012

Gr 5-7-Lockley Puffin is an oddity among the birds of Neversink Island. Most of the puffins value stability and conformity, preferring not to stand out. Lockley has bigger dreams, and a reputation as a bit of an iconoclast. For one thing, he associates with non-auks, including Egbert, a scholarly but rather pompous walrus, and Ruby, a displaced hummingbird. Moreover, he has been known to question why the puffins have to obey obnoxious edicts from the Parliament of Owls from nearby Tytonia. Although the taxes and fees are a burden, Neversink birds live by the auk motto, "Don't Make Waves." But when evil and unstable Rozbell seizes power among the owls, the demands made on the puffin colony increase dramatically-and dangerously. Appeasing the tyrannical owl and his sinister minions doesn't seem to be working, but will resistance prove even more disastrous? It's up to Lockley and his two friends to save their island home. This animal fantasy makes some interesting points about social and individual responsibility and courage. Unfortunately, the writing style is often difficult to follow. The narrative varies in tone from arch comedy to ponderous mysticism and contains distracting dialogue anachronisms. For example, although the saga is set in a prehuman era, characters use the interjection "duh!" and the verb "off" in the sense of "kill." The action lacks focus, and there are many digressions and side comments that interrupt the story flow. Full-page illustrations appear throughout. For a stronger, more fully realized animal fantasy-world experience, steer readers to Erin Hunter's "Warriors" and "Seekers" series (both, HarperCollins).-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

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