  | Bookshop of dust and dreams Author: Thompson, Mindy | |
| Price: $21.88 | ||
Summary:
It's 1944 Sutton, NY, and Poppy's family owns and runs, Rhyme and Reason, a magical bookshop that caters to people from all different places and time periods. Though her world is ravaged by World War II, customers hail from the past and the future, infusing the shop with a delightful mix of ideas and experiences. When her brother wants to misuse the magic of their shop to save his friend from death in the war, Poppy must decide if she will stop him, given the harm the bookstore could suffer.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (09/15/21)
School Library Journal (11/19/21)
Booklist (11/01/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 11/01/2021 While WWII rages overseas, Poppy spends much of her life in her family’s magical New York City bookstore, and it’s no wonder: the front door acts as a sort of portal, miraculously pulling in people in need of hope from different decades and locations. The extraordinary shop, prone to emotional outbursts, is one of a string of similar stores scattered about, all part of a long tradition of magical bookshop keeping. Each shop abides by strict guidelines—the most crucial rule stating that no personnel can use the time magic for themselves—though when tragedy strikes, Poppy’s older brother desperately plots to skirt the regulations and set their world right again. This excruciating test of Poppy’s loyalty takes all of her kindness and creativity to keep her family, bookstore, and larger world safe. It’s a splendid setup, and the story takes the time to establish the cozy bookshop world while adding enough twists to keep things interesting, with details to delight in, and emotional avenues to explore. Stop by this bookshop for a magical, moving tale. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 11/19/2021 Gr 4–6—If you had access to forbidden magic and could use it to save a life of a close friend, would you do it? The Fulbright family has run the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop for three generations—one of a handful of bookstores that exist outside of time and maintain the world's magic. But the Dark side of magic is always looking for a way in. It has found one in Poppy's older brother Al, who is devastated by the death of his best friend on a World War II battlefield. The Dark tempts Al to use the store's magic to save his friend, which is absolutely forbidden. Poppy is similarly tempted when their father is struck by a mysterious illness, but she has a closer relationship to the bookstore, and knows she must stop Al, no matter what the cost. She is helped by old friend Ollie Bell and new friend Theo Devlin, plus the shop's many customers, who come from various times and backgrounds. Poppy is a likable and realistic character, with a strong sense of duty that adds gravity to the hard decision she must make. She and her family are white, Ollie is Black, and the rest of the cast is diverse. VERDICT A cozy fantasy with a heartbreaking twist.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles P.L. - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
