Violet Roses

Gr 4—6—Violet Rose has the unusual ability to converse with inanimate objects, a gift that she uses to solve mysteries. With the ghost of her grandfather guiding her, the sixth grader tries to stop the nefarious plans of the Thorne family, a clan of dark witches, or "yagas." The book seems to be printed at a resolution higher than the original files, as the linework—especially the lettering—shows signs of pixel artifacting and grainy coloring. The captions are plagued with a number of typographical errors, a spread is placed incorrectly, and the listed chapter credits don't seem to correspond with the artwork. And most curiously, the book ends with a short introduction to a character that contradicts the previous four stories. The storytelling attempts to nod toward the tradition of hard-boiled detective work, while simultaneously appealing to a young, fantasy-loving crowd. It's a difficult balancing act, and one made more difficult by the frequent shifts in illustrators who can't seem to settle on a house style. There's some potential in the story, but it's buried beneath a series of questionable presentation issues.—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH