January 1, 2020
A sweet tale of a cuddly teddy come to life...or a thrilling adventure about monster fighting? Spark takes being Loretta's teddy bear very seriously. At 11, Loretta will soon be too old for her teddy, though she and older brother Matthew, dedicated amateur filmmakers, create movies starring plush toys. Spark knows that being a bear is about more than childish snuggling at night, for Spark is a proud member of the League of Ursus, the society of warrior stuffed toys that since some long-ago era has protected humans from monsters. But even Spark's bearish demeanor is barely enough to fight off the horrific monster in Loretta's bedroom, with its massive scorpion tail and horned human head. Could the monster be connected to the disappearance of Loretta's friend Sofia? Spark and the other neighborhood toys are unlikely heroes, but their fight is hardly adorable or safe. When a bear is nearly disemboweled by the monster, the description of trailing innards consisting of "an enormous bundle of brown thread" somehow increases the violence of the injury. As in Matthew and Loretta's YouTube movies, a "deadly serious story acted out by ridiculous stuffed animals" is attention-grabbing. The human children are of indeterminate race. Matthew has a genetic condition that has led to mobility issues, and another child has a disability that's mentioned in passing. Great for those kids who'll happily read about teddies and who enjoy genuinely scary monsters. (Fantasy. 9-11)
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April 20, 2020
A secret world of sentient toys comes to life in this gently creepy, Toy Story–tinged adventure. Spark is sworn to protect 11-year-old Loretta; the girl is getting a little old for stuffed animals, but she and her 12-year-old brother, Matthew, both movie buffs, use their toys to star in homemade films. When a mysterious monster, “half man, half scorpion,” emerges from a portal in their home, Spark vows to confront her foe and rescue the children it has been kidnapping for its own sinister purposes. Spark recruits a ragtag crew, including Sir Reginald, her mentor and Matthew’s own devoted bear; a cowardly sock monkey named Zed; and Rana, an Amazon Princess doll. Striving to live up to the ideals of the legendary League of Ursus—the secret society of teddy bears that guard humankind—Spark must turn this ragtag band of toys into a true team, one capable of tracking evil back to its home and dealing with it once and for all. Repino’s (Mort(e), for adults) middle grade debut is engaging, balancing whimsy with menace as he focuses on the emotional lives of the toys and their human companions. With its exploration of themes such as family, loyalty, bravery, and the power of imagination, this story is both entertaining and uplifting. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jennifer Weltz, Jean V. Naggar Literary.
April 17, 2020
Gr 4-6-Spark is a teddy bear. She is soft and cuddly, but she's also a tough warrior in charge of protecting children everywhere-especially her child, Loretta. Able to see monsters, children are particularly vulnerable. When Loretta's brother, Matthew, and other children start going missing, it's up to Spark to rally the troops. Calling upon the ancient secret League of Ursus to help her, Spark and the band of teddy bears seek out clues to find the monster's location. Can they save the children of the world? Will the teddy bears find the monster before Loretta also gets taken? The characters are delightfully engaging, and the plot moves at a good pace and is well written. Chapters are a reasonable length, and several feature cliff-hangers. VERDICT Fans of fantasy, adventure, and mystery will enjoy reading this book. Recommended for libraries where such fiction is popular.-Kira Moody, Salt Lake County Library Services
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
February 15, 2020
Grades 4-6 In this setup volume, Repino pits an indomitable squad of teddy bears (plus, for comic relief, some less intrepid other toys) against a child-stealing monster. Already winners of an award for one amateur film featuring an all-bear cast, 11-year-old Loretta and her partially disabled older brother, Matthew, are gearing up for another when he and a schoolmate collaborator vanish. Only Loretta's old teddy Spark, having beaten back a sudden bedroom attack by Jakmal, a hideous nighttime monster, has a clue to what's going on?and despite being allowed to move only when out of sight of the distraught humans, resolves to enlist the rest of the movie's ursine cast to protect the human dusa whose love brought her to life. Repino's carefully exact descriptions of how the portly plushies surreptitiously get about in their preparations may test the patience of eager readers already familiar with Toy Story-style strictures, but the climactic battle, when it finally arrives, becomes a breathless, close-run thing replete with rousing exploits and tests of courage.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)