The Bottle Imp of Bright House

August 15, 2018
Seventh-grader Gabe is in a world of trouble after he purchases a bottle that he's told contains an imp.At first it seems like a great deal. The imp will fulfill his every wish, but the Devil, Gabe discovers, is in the details. He may win by getting his wish, but someone else will, in turn, have to lose. Gabe's family is down on their luck since his dad lost his job. He wishes for his father to be rehired, and he is--but another worthy professor gets fired instead. More frightening: He wishes for a Ferrari and finds out the previous owner had to die so his father could inherit it. The bottle throws him together with hilariously snarky neighbor Joanna, whose mother is dying of cancer. But by the time Gabe realizes what a wish could gain for Joanna, he's already, perhaps reluctantly, sold the bottle. The rules (if eccentric) are rigid. The bottle can be sold but always for less than its purchase price. When the selling price finally drops to a penny, the Devil will take the unlucky owner's soul. Not surprisingly, the little bottle becomes increasingly burdensome. Lively, over-the-top characterizations and a heavy use of foreshadowing draw readers into this brisk, suspenseful, and highly imaginative tale. Grimly's surreal illustrations, which depict a white primary cast, are a delicious accompaniment.Exciting and irresistible, this effort casts a spell. (Fantasy. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2018

Gr 4-6-Llewellyn's middle grade novel set in "Bright House," an apartment building in Tacoma, WA, is a modern retelling of the original gothic tale, The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson. In a Faustian bargain with a twist, seventh grader Gabe becomes the owner of a wish-granting bottle imp. He promptly wishes for pizza, a giant sub sandwich, a hot tub, and a Ferrari, but there are consequences for his wishes. Llewellyn skates the line between humor and horror, allowing readers to vicariously experience the highs and lows of Gabe's fortune. The accompanying illustrations capture the juxtaposition of the dark story with the light, comical approach of tween-aged Gabe and his friends, Henry and Joanna. Deliciously grotesque characters include the landlord of the apartment building, Mrs. Appleyard; Gabe's wealthy hoarder neighbors; and artist Hashimoto, among others, each of whom is distinct. VERDICT A recommended secondary purchase for medium and large middle grade collections. Fans of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach or Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories From Wayside School will appreciate Llewellyn's morbid sense of humor.-Eva Thaler-Sroussi, Needham Free Public Library, MA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2018
Grades 4-7 Gather your Dahl and Snicket fans. Llewellyn's tale of the price of wishes and dealing with the Devil will please them to no end, and it may even prick a few consciences. Gabe Silver is bummed about moving into Bright House, a dumpy apartment building full of odd folks, but since his father lost his job, it's all their family can afford. Almost impossibly, a trip to the cheese shop alters Gabe's fate when a man sells Gabe a wish-granting bottle. Naturally, there are a few caveats, the biggest being that if you die with the bottle in your possession, the Devil gets your soul. Skeptical but eager to change his family's fortune, Gabe makes a few wishes but quickly learns this magic comes with dangerous consequences. Llewellyn writes with an edge and with heart, and Grimly's loose ink-and-watercolor illustrations have a whimsical creepiness that matches the tone perfectly. With a narrative directly addressing the reader, this cautionary tale feels intimate and the stakes all the higher. Satisfyingly off-kilter for those who find Aladdin too bubblegum.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)