March 15, 2022
A girl seeking answers is drawn onto another world entirely. Fifteen-year-old Tabetha "Tabby" Simon is drawn to Yggdrasil, the anomalous tree with bizarre, immortality-granting properties that her scientist father was researching before his mysterious death years ago. Hoping to see the ghost that her father spoke with before dying, she instead spies a gorgeous, strangely dressed boy with blue hair and eyes who appears Asian. Following a mysterious light, she sees the boy go through a portal--and then is pulled through it herself by the ghost. Tabby finds herself on Rema, a faraway planet; the boy, Philip, takes responsibility for her predicament, telling her that he will get her home, but in the meantime, her presence must be kept secret. Tabby learns that she's not Philip's only secret as she gets a taste of the other planet and its complex mythologies. A lot of highly concentrated background is delivered via a book she finds, while things she sees and experiences imply even more complications--and dangers--beneath the surface. The full-color, Japanese manga-flavored art style is fluid and natural, highlighting expressiveness, action, and alien-world details with ease. The story ends with a crucial shift that will leave readers eager to continue. Rema's denizens are illustrated with varying skin tones. Tabby and her father have black hair and light skin; Tabby's mother is pale skinned with light brown hair. A fast-paced journey through an engrossing new world. (sequel sneak peak, map) (Graphic fantasy. 9-15)
COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
April 15, 2022
Grades 3-6 Ever since her father died at the foot of a tree looking 200 years older than he had the day before, Tabby has visited the spot hoping to find answers and to see again the ghost she is sure had something to do with her father's death. Instead, she finds a blue-haired boy and a portal where the tree used to be. Pulled through the portal, Tabby finds herself on another planet in the middle of a struggle between the citizens and the geist, people with special powers who are subjugated by the rest of society. The boy she followed through the portal has access to the keys that will open a portal back to Earth, but he's also a geist in hiding, which heightens the risk in getting Tabby home. When the ghost who killed her father reappears and sets a task for her, it raises the stakes even higher. Solid, well-thought-out world building keeps this fast-paced, layered story from becoming too complicated. Thrilling action sequences, compelling characters, and gorgeous art and colors all ensure readers will wait impatiently for the next volume in the series.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
October 14, 2022
Gr 4-8-Readers will be captivated by this first installment in the "Rema Chronicles," which successfully combines action, fantasy, romance, and manga-style artwork. Tabetha lives in a town that is home to a giant tree called Yggdrasil. The tree emits a mist that is rumored to give eternal life. A lab was created to study the mist, and Tabetha's father, who worked for the lab, became consumed with learning more about the tree. A week after talking to a mysterious ghost in front of the tree, he died. Ever since, Tabetha finds refuge in the forest where Yggdrasil stands, waiting for the ghost to appear so she can get closure. One day, she sees a boy with magical powers, and upon following him-and the ghost-through a portal, she finds herself trapped in another world. Rema is a world created by five gods. Some people, known as geists, have the ability to tap into godly power, creating friction between those with and without powers. Tabetha later learns her arrival in Rema wasn't an accident, and she must figure out her destiny there if she wants to return home. Through her art and text, Kibuishi proves herself to be an expert storyteller. Beautiful dome architecture, a purple and blue color scheme, intricate clothing designs, and a detailed creation myth take readers directly into the magical world of Rema. VERDICT A first purchase for middle grade and middle school collections, this series opener is sure to be a hit.-Marissa Lieberman
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