Adventure Kingdom

Gr 5--7--Two kids learn that there is more going on in Adventure Kingdom, their town's abandoned amusement park, than they ever could have imagined. Local boy Clark meets Karoline, the granddaughter of the park's missing founder, and the two quickly discover that the half-coins they each wear are keys to a whole new world. From a carousel that comes to life to a well that leads to the real Adventure Kingdom, this story is full of fast-paced chase scenes, carnival characters gone bad, and chances for the two tweens to save the day through magic, friendship, and hope. With vibrant, full-color illustrations that make this book feel like an early 2000s animated movie, this is an enjoyable, action-packed fantastical story with classically cast villains. The ominous illustrations feel as though they are aimed at a slightly older audience than the text, but the plot will still engage older readers. Both Clark and Karoline appear to be white. VERDICT Add this to any collection looking to entice readers who like video games.--Aryssa Damron, DC P.L., Washington, DC

A shuttered amusement park holds a portal to its magical mirror world. In the abandoned theme park Adventure Kingdom, a boy hoping to livestream his exploits runs into a girl on the broken-down carousel. Clark and Karoline each carry half of an old coin, given to them years ago by Karoline's grandad, who ran the park before he vanished. When the kids meet, their half coins pull them through a portal into the original Adventure Kingdom, a magical amusement park full of exciting creatures. Like the mundane world's park, the magical one has fallen on hard times, and Clark and Karoline must flee the brutish minions of the mysterious Iron King. The tale relies extensively on genre shorthand, and rarely do the emotional beats have any payoff. Why does Clark have such a strong reaction to betrayal, for example, and how is it connected to his parents? Not only do readers never learn, but it's irrelevant to his action-oriented character arc. The hook isn't in the sketched outline of a plot but in the appealing illustrations. The comic panels are bright, well composed, and dynamic, making excellent use of gutters and color (courtesy ofMaruno). Adorable animate fuzzballs, a looming fortunetelling robot, and various talking animals people the Adventure Kingdom. The motivations of the Iron King may be thinly drawn, but his illustrated megalomania is gleefully intimidating. Karoline presents White; Clark has olive skin. Though the storyline's lacking, the bold art--shivery, cute, exciting--will keep pages turning. (Graphic fantasy. 8-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.