Neversink

March 12, 2012
Wolverton debuts with a whimsical fantasy that does for Arctic waterfowl what the Redwall series did for woodland creatures. When a “Sickness” threatens the food supplies of the birds of Tytonia, the scheming pygmy owl Rozbell uses the opportunity to seize control of the Owl Parliament. He then imposes a hefty tax upon the nearby island colony of Neversink, forcing the resident auks to supply him with increasing amounts of fish and other supplies. Only adventure-seeking puffin Lockley, hummingbird Ruby, and scholarly walrus Egbert are willing to take a stand for their imperiled home. Set when “umans did not yet roam the Earth, much less rule it,” Wolverton’s story takes place in a world in which owls wear bowler hats, walruses write multivolume history books, and puffins cook. The author is a natural storyteller, giving readers a charmingly wry, offbeat tale that draws on mythology and intersperses a good amount of information about Arctic wildlife amid the story’s humor. Nielson’s spot illustrations, not all seen by PW, strike just the right balance between anthropomorphism and realism. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

January 28, 2013
Neversink is an island in the Arctic populated by seabirds called auks. They live a peaceful existence, ignoring the forward-thinking ideas of one auk, a puffin named Lockley, and his friends, a walrus named Egbert and a hummingbird named Ruby. But their peaceful life is shattered when Rozbell, an evil owl, gains control of the Owl Parliament, takes over Neversink, and oppresses the auks, leaving Lockley and his friends to save the day. Emrhys Cooper brings engaging and lively narration to the story, and his creative character voices—particularly the droopy, pontificating tones of walrus Egbert and the tough English accents of Rozbell’s two henchmen. Ages 8–12. A Walden Pond hardcover.