Emily and the Spellstone

April 15, 2017
When a forlorn 12-year-old girl finds an enchanted beach stone shaped like a cellphone, suddenly everything starts to get pretty darn weird....Reluctantly, Emily Edelman is having an adventure--aka adult code word for "disruption and discomfort and change." Yeah, she just moved to a new place where everyone hates her, including the resident mean girl. And her 15-year-old sister, Hilary, and 6-year-old brother, Dougie, are the opposite of help. Enter a huge, snarky, carnivorous demon named Gorgo and the malevolent Venomuch family. Emily soon realizes that not only does her stone have rare, magical powers that are fueled by the moon, but that she is the Stonemaster; in a "Lean In" moment, she owns that fact. Emily is white, but secondary characters, including new, Latina friend Angela, are relatively diverse; of special note is a black, totally badass librarian. Rubens, a veteran writer and producer of late-night comedy, revels in parody, wordplay, and spoofy send-ups of Harry Potter-ish antics, with flecks of Lemony Snicket for good measure. He shows great affection for librarians, annoying siblings, things that kids intuitively know, and dogs, doggs and dogggs. Ultimately, Emily uses her power to save others, finds out that there are scarier things than mean girls, and embraces her next "adventure," whatever it may be. Abrakadonculous! Especially good fun for a rainy afternoon or a not-too-groggy sick day. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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June 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Moving to a new town is not all it is cracked up to be for Emily Edelman. Not only do her parents forget her age on her 12th birthday but she must also deal with a school bully who hates her, a bossy older sister who makes her life miserable, and an annoying little brother who drives her insane. When Emily's parents refuse to buy her a phone for her birthday, she happens upon a strange stone, which initially looks simple but ends up being magical. It hosts an "immortal creature of malignant intent with powers so grand, one can't even imagine." This creature wants to give in to its evil impulses, but by law he must obey Emily's commands. Action commences and laughter ensues as the protagonist embarks upon a fantastical adventure. This fast-paced, twisty title will engage most readers to the very end. VERDICT An outlandish take on the traditional genie-in-the-lamp tale, this humorous fantasy will appeal to middle graders and young teens.-Margie Longoria, Mission High School, TX

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2017
Grades 4-7 Rubens, whose TV credits include writing for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, brings her comedic touch to middle-grade adventure. Twelve-year-old Emily yearns for a cell phone, but when her parents fail to deliverthanks to her older sister's cell phone addictionshe finds something offering a completely different kind of escape from the humdrum of her boring life: a mobile Spellstone. Suddenly, Emily's awakened a demon, Gorgo, from the depths of the Spellstone, who's more than willing to do her bidding. Unfortunately, there's another family, the Venomuches, in a world quite unlike Emily's, with an eye for the Spellstone. Though some of the secondary characters, in particular the antagonist Kristy, a mean girl without a motive, feel like stock types, the quick pacing, playful narration, and high stakes are plenty to keep reluctant readers and young fantasy fans engaged. While the clever parallels between the mobile Spellstone and the latest smartphones may not hold up over time, Emily's tweenage ennui and frustrations with her older sister and younger brother are timeless.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)