ALA Booklist (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Poppy Woodlock is the quiet one in her otherwise opinionated family, coping with conflicts through her books and an enduring belief in magic, despite a lack of direct experience with it. Her conviction is finally rewarded when she meets a water nymph willing to make a trade. Though Poppy knows that magic tends to come with a cost, she offers one of her beloved books in exchange for a mythical flying lion. She can't believe she finally has proof that magic exists t, just as she feared, the trade has more sinister implications, and more books start disappearing from the world. As life around her unravels, Poppy must find a way to return the important stories to a world that desperately needs their insight and inspiration. This gentle fantasy beautifully explores the ways books shape and stir readers, and Poppy's joyful, funny friendship with the lion is a treat. An enchanting adventure that encourages readers to find their voice and delight in stories.

Kirkus Reviews

A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock's historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy's sure she'll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor's ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: "Magic isn't free. It cosssts." The price? Poppy's favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn't take just her own physical book-she erased Narnia from Poppy's world. And it's just the first loss: Soon, Poppy's grandmother's journal's gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson's a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy's finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman's premise is beguiling-plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy's repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It's a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. The cast adheres to a White default. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art.A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Expected to keep to herself in a family of big personalities, book-obsessed sixth grader Poppy Woodlock actively seeks out magic. When her parents, an architect and a historic preservation officer, take on a fixer-upper in Oregon’s Lark-Hayes Manor, Poppy can tell that the house contains not just a hidden past but “a secret present,” too. After Poppy encounters an exiled water nymph in the mouldering building’s indoor pool, she’s granted a wish in exchange for handing over a copy of her favorite book: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Poppy asks for a magical lion, like Narnia’s Aslan, and receives a winged lion cub that she names Sampson. But a catch soon reveals itself: for every night Sampson grows in the mortal realm, a book vanishes, and only Poppy will remember it ever existing. At first, the price seems a small one to pay for real magic, but the disappearance of a family journal prompts her to reconsider: in losing the books and memories that shaped them, her loved ones are also losing their passions and inspirations. Tonally reminiscent of classic children’s fantasies, Hartman’s debut layers slice-of-life concerns—bickering parents, new-kid trials—with a high-concept premise, making for a winning novel focused on literary influence and everyday magic. Poppy and her mother have olive skin; other characters default to white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Molly O’Neill, Root Literary. (May)