Rose Coffin

August 1, 2019
A preteen finds her voice in this compelling fantasy. Twelve-year-old Rose Coffin has always felt like an outsider. She flushes easily, sings to herself, and is mercilessly bullied by classmates. Her twin brother lies in a coma after an accident, and her parents have separated because of the tension. After a particularly brutal bullying incident, Rose runs into the local woods only to be abducted by magical beings: a boy with golden skin that radiates heat and an anthropomorphic tree. She learns that she is this decade's chosen one, picked to sacrifice to the Abomination to keep the land of Eppersett safe. Escorted by a Fellowship of the Ring-style band of magical citizens, Rose must decide if she will use her inner strength to help save the kingdom (and possibly her brother) or rescue herself--and whether those are mutually exclusive. Kozlowsky's prose feels slightly self-conscious and is a bit heavy on worldbuilding in the most literal, geographical sense. However, Rose's journey from isolation to community will resonate, and readers will cheer for her shift from passive victim to empowered hero. Characters default to white. Empowering, a little scary, and full of heart. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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August 19, 2019
Kazlowsky (The Dyerville Tales) subverts the typical chosen one narrative in this creepy middle grade fantasy. Anxious Rose Coffin, 12, feels overwhelmed by bullies and the pressures of home—her brother is in a coma, and her parents are too busy to pay attention to her. After schoolmates target Rose for the singing that keeps her calm, she flees into a dark wood and is transported to an otherworldly realm, Eppersett, where she is captured and heralded as a savior. Questioning the denizens’ adoration, Rose learns that to ensure the people’s safety for a decade, she must be sacrificed to the Abomination that has systematically terrorized the land. But when she manifests a powerful scream, her captors realize she may be the prophesied “Unwonted,” capable of destroying the Abomination for good. Accompanied by the Order of the Sacrifice—an eclectic band that includes a walking tree, a wingless fairy, and a golden-skinned boy—Rose must collect three long-lost artifacts and confront the all-consuming evil. Though the prose sometimes tells rather than shows, fanciful creatures, nightmarish monsters, and bizarre landscapes—all well-rendered—bring Eppersett to life, and the hero’s journey and its anxiety-tinged undertone (particularly Rose’s angry self-talk) make for a fully realized tale. Ages 8–12. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary.

September 15, 2019
Grades 5-8 Shy, bullied 12-year-old Rose flees into the local woods and finds herself in Eppersett?a magical land where she is hailed as the Chosen One, destined to sacrifice herself to an all-consuming Abomination. Understandably resistant, she nonetheless sets out with a small band of allies, discovering along the way that her screams and songs are keys to mysterious powers. Kozlowsky checks off a standard tally of tried-and-true quest fantasy elements (A detailed prophecy to fulfill? Check. Side quests for fabled weapons? Check. Medieval-style setting, quarrelsome but loyal companions, and a massive, clearly evil foe? Bingo), stirs the uncommonly creepy creatures he has a knack for writing, and brings his protagonist enough character-building situations that she's left able to handle her chief tormentor upon her return. The author indulges in labored wordplay and gives Rose a comatose twin brother whose primary function is as a bargaining chip. Still, readers fond of warrior fairies and talking trees, explosive magic, desperate clashes with terrifying monsters, and seeing bullies get the boot will forgive the tale's slapdash characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)