Category Archives: Versify

What Do You See?: A Review of The Last Mirror on the Left

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Last Mirror on the LeftThe Last Mirror on the Left
Lamar Giles, illustrated by Dapo Adeola
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Versify
October 20, 2020
Ages 8-12

The Legendary Alston Boys of Logan County are back for a second adventure to help solve another problem they may have had a hand in creating. When Otto and Sheed took mirrors from the Rorrim Mirror Emporium to fight Mr. Flux (The Last-Last-Day-of Summer, 2019), they inadvertently set free some dangerous criminals jailed inside the mirrors. Now they must travel through mirrors and the Multiverse to bring order back to the Multiverse Justice System. But stepping through the mirror into the Warped World of alternate-Fry will have consequences—like Otto slowly turning to stone and Sheed to a skeleton—that aren’t as random as they seem. With the help of an alt-Grandma (and her flying hat), the Epic Ellison twins (of course!), and some unjustly-jailed giant spiders, the Alston boys will save Fry once again and their future selves in the process.

Lamar Giles’ world-building is stellar, as he creates a Logan County both ordinary and extraordinarily weird. Then throws a warped version into the mix too. Otto and Sheed (two African American cousins) are brave, diligent, and funny even when dealing with themes of injustice, illness, greed, and an angry kangaroo creature. And Giles’ secondary characters are so vividly drawn that they could easily stand alone—maybe an Epic Ellisons series? Dapo Adeola again provides illustrations that add a comic touch to highlight the action while perfectly capturing the personalities of Otto and Sheed. Imaginations will run wild with this second installment of the series full of fast-paced adventure, yet grounded in family bonds and Grandma’s wise counsel.

Here to Save the Day: A Review of The Last Last-Day-of-Summer

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The Last Last-Day-of-Summer cover imageThe Last Last-Day-of-Summer
Lamar Giles, illustrated by Dapo Adeola
Versify, April 2019
Grade 5-7

The Last Last Day of Summer, by Lamar Giles, introduces us to two lovable cousins, Sheed and Otto, aka the Legendary Alston Boys of Logan County, a magical place where banshees, monsters, and robots need managing—managing the boys are happy to provide. Indeed, the boys’ long history of town-saving adventures shines through the pages. It may be our first time joining Otto and Sheed, but they’re old pros at saving the day. Only the twin sisters, the Epic Ellison’s, give these two brave, clever boys a run for the money … or, rather, a run for the keys to the city. When the last day of summer starts with a headline, informing Sheed and Ollie that the Ellison girls have earned a third key to the city—one more than the boys have—the Alston boys are determined to catch up. It doesn’t take long for them to run into a mysterious stranger with a curious camera. A click and a clack later, Logan County is frozen in time, leaving only the boys and a bevy of unexpected visitors to figure out how to reverse the damage and free the town and its zany cast of character. The story is deeply grounded in family and gently explores themes such as loss and fear, confidence and insecurity, and the ups and downs of friendship. In the end, our imaginative heroes must work through their differences; think creatively about which moves from their long list of Maneuvers will help them solve their pile of problems; and tap strange people, unexpected creatures, and even a few frenemies to unfreeze Logan County.

Many thanks to local author, SCBWI-IL member, and guest reviewer, Malayna Evans. Malayna has used her Ph.D. in ancient Egyptian history from the University of Chicago to write a three book series featuring two South Side Chicago siblings stuck in ancient Egypt. Her debut novel, JAGGER JONES & THE MUMMY’S ANKH, will be released in spring of 2019. She lives in Oak Park with her two kids, a rescue dog, and a hamster. You can learn more about Malayna and her work here, http://malaynaevans.com , or follow her on Twitter, https://twitter.com/Malayna , or Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/malaynaevans/.