Juniper Harvey and the vanishing kingdom

Title:

Author:

Summary:

When Juniper Harvey’s family moves to the middle of nowhere in Florida, her entire life is uprooted. As if that's not bad enough, she keeps having dreams about an ancient-looking temple, a terrifying attack, and a mysterious girl who turns into an ivory statue. One night after a disastrous school dance, Juniper draws a portrait of the girl from her dreams and thinks, I wish you were here. The next morning, she wakes up to find the girl in her room… pointing a sword at her throat! The unexpected visitor reveals herself as Galatea, a princess from a magical other world. One problem—her crown is missing, and she needs it in order to return home. Now, it’s up to Juniper to help find the crown, all while navigating a helpless crush on her new companion. And things go from bad to worse when a sinister force starts chasing after the crown too. -- Amazon.

Audience:

Ages 8-12. Little, Brown and Company.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

316 pages ; 21 cm

Genre:

Fantasy fiction.

Subject Term:

Dreams -- Juvenile fiction.

Magic -- Juvenile fiction.

Gods -- Juvenile fiction.

Imaginary places -- Juvenile fiction.

Lesbians -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

Little, Brown and Company,

Publication Date:

2023

ISBN:

9780316706780

Publication Information:

New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2023.

Call Number:

J VARELA

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003658609	New Juvenile Fiction	VARELA	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A thrilling fantasy adventure that explores friendship and queer identity, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and Rick Riordan's Trials of Apollo series!

When Juniper Harvey's family moves to the middle of nowhere in Florida, her entire life is uprooted. As if that's not bad enough, she keeps having dreams about an ancient-looking temple, a terrifying attack, and a mysterious girl who turns into an ivory statue. One night after a disastrous school dance, Juniper draws a portrait of the girl from her dreams and thinks, I wish you were here. The next morning, she wakes up to find the girl in her room...pointing a sword at her throat!

The unexpected visitor reveals herself as Galatea, a princess from a magical other world. One problem--her crown is missing, and she needs it in order to return home. Now, it's up to Juniper to help find the crown, all while navigating a helpless crush on her new companion. And things go from bad to worse when a sinister force starts chasing after the crown too.

Packed with adventure and driven by a pitch-perfect voice, this middle grade debut from Nina Varela is about one tween forging new friendships, fighting nightmarish monsters, and importantly, figuring out who she is and who she ultimately wishes to be.

"Juniper Harvey is a heartwarming and hilarious journey across worlds that will prime readers for their own adventures."

--Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of the Tristan Strong series

Author Notes

Nina Varela was born in New Orleans and raised in Durham, North Carolina, where she spent most of her childhood running around in the woods. These days, Nina lives in Los Angeles with her tiny, ill-behaved dog. She writes stories about queer kids, magic, and the magic of queer kids. You can find Nina on twitter (@ninavarelas) or at www.ninavarela.com.

Reviews (1)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4--6--Juniper Harvey, 12, brown-eyed and white, has recently moved from Texas to Florida. As if the humidity and loneliness wasn't enough, she's having a strange recurring dream about a temple and girl turning into ivory. Soon, however, she discovers magic in her artwork and realizes her dream is a reality from a different world; the beautiful tawny-skinned, stormy-eyed girl she drew lands in her room one night. Galatea is from Kypros; her sky island is disappearing, she has lost the crown that allowed her the travel through worlds, and she believes the goddess of dreams is responsible. Juniper and Galatea begin to search for a solution, although it might not be the one they expect. Can sixth graders save a world? Will Juniper figure out the feelings she is having for Galatea? This story is a nod to the myth Pygmalion and Galatea. Readers will appreciate the mythology, and the final action scenes with warring gods is exciting, but the magic and worldbuilding is inconsistent, leaving the text feeling unfinished and facts unmatched. Additionally, Juniper as first-person narrator repeats that she isn't good with words, but there are long descriptive passages of place and action that do not sound like a middle schooler's voice. Ruminations on her blossoming feelings for Galatea are too mature and insightful, while Galatea's familiarity with the modern world also varies wildly from scene to scene. Much of the dialogue is stilted, and repetition within the text makes the first half drag. Some aspects--such as two instant friends and their intense willingness to help--seem too convenient. VERDICT While the mythology and fantasy in this story might be appealing, portions of the plot are incomplete and characters are inconsistent in their development and voice.--Clare A. Dombrowski