Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Evie "believed in all things magic," and sporting a pointed hat and a cape, she's the very picture of an adroit conjurer. But when it comes to "the wild tornado" that is her three animal-pajama-clad younger siblings, "Evie had no power," writes Marcero (In a Jar). Fleeing to the snowy outdoors with all three at her heels, she in desperation tries a magic spell of escape, and it seems to work. As her body shoots below the drifted snow, a moment shown in a cutaway view, the book's orientation flips, and Evie finds herself in an aquatic realm rendered in luminous pink, orange, and blue hues. Even there, her siblings prove impossible to shake, but a whale's sudden appearance awakens Evie's protective instincts, and when it turns out the gentle giant only seeks help freeing its calf from a starry net in an adjacent and equally shimmering celestial world, the siblings become a crack team. "With the speed of a tornado," they break the mesh and earn a grateful whale's escort home. There, the book's position turns once again, and Evie discovers two things: her ever-adoring siblings have made her hot chocolate, and the best magic isn't about making problems disappear but rather finding new ways to orient to them. The children are portrayed with pale skin. Ages 3--7. Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary. (Feb.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Evie is tired of being followed around by her boisterous younger siblings, Wolfie, Bunnie, and Teddy. She keeps trying to get away from them, and finally, she jumps down into the snow and lands in another world. Or maybe it is the other side of this planet? Or maybe she flies out into the universe? The text runs across the top of the page, then down the side, then upside-down across the bottom, directing readers to turn the book as they read. In this upside-down world, Evie and her siblings (who have followed her) hide from an enormous sea creature, help untangle a baby whale from a net of constellations, then ride the whales home to their right-side-up world. They conclude their busy adventure in a sleepy pile on the couch. "It was magic." The titular great escape refers to several things at once: Evie's escape from her little siblings; the whale's escape from the net; and, finally, Evie's escape from her own negative feelings. Marcero (Out of a Jar, rev. 4/22; Hope in a Jar, rev. 2/25) incorporates photographs from the James Webb Space Telescope into her luminous mixed-media illustrations. The children, rendered in watercolor and ink, fly, tumble, and ride seahorses across textured, richly colored sea- and skyscapes. Readers will recognize the feelings of frustration with siblings and the wish to escape, and Marcero gives them a wide-open, imaginary landscape to discover when they do so. maeve visser knothMarch/April 2026 p.50 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Imaginative play has never been so out of this world. Evie, a precocious girl outfitted in a purple wizard's cap and cape, "believe[s] in all things magic." With her wand and a little imagination, she can do anything--except manage her rambunctious siblings, Wolfie, Bunnie, and Teddy, so named for the animal costumes they wear. Yearning for some space and quiet, she goes out into the snow but is soon followed by her kin. Looking for an escape, she picks up her wand and transports herself and her siblings to a mesmerizing abyss filled with sea creatures set against colorful textured galaxies of light. Here, the perspective shifts from graphic-style panels to breathtaking upside-down spreads, requiring readers to turn the book around to continue their adventures. After a suspenseful yet ultimately uplifting encounter with a whale and her calf, they all return to their world grateful for each other and their company. Marcero takes full advantage of the picture-book format as she tells the story of the sometimes contentious yet ultimately strong bonds between siblings. Her use of actual images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, along with watercolors and ink, finished digitally, creates an awe-inspiring world both cosmic and aquatic. Lilting prose and detailed, luminous art make for an adventure readers will eagerly dive into again and again. Evie is light-skinned; her siblings vary in skin tone. A glorious look at the often-frustrating nature of family dynamics--and the power of magic.(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
