The Great Hibernation

June 15, 2017
When a bizarre ritual goes haywire, Kids Say the Darndest Things meets Lord of the Flies. In St. Polonius-on-the-Fjord, citizens over 12 partake in the annual commemoration of the town's founding by eating of the Sacred Bear Liver. They engage in this loathsome rite to avoid falling into a monthslong slumber, a fate suffered by the original settlers. This year, white Jean Huddy participates for the first time but secretly barfs up her portion. Then, against all odds, everyone over 12 who did sample the liver falls fast asleep, leaving only the town's children--including Jean and Isara, a 13-year-old boy of Thai heritage--awake and obligated to assume their parents' jobs. The author mines a few laughs from kids' performing adult work, but some aspects are sinister: the mayor's xenophobic son revels in his tyranny; the town bullies are strict law enforcers. An unconvincing mystery subplot involves a startling revelation about what happened to the grown-ups, the discovery of a secret formula to reverse the sleep, and Jean's and her friends' frantic scramble to interpret and use it to awaken the sleepers. Themes abound in this political satire, with its "Sleeping Beauty" and Shakespearean overtones, including clueless adults, governmental corruption, shady corporate dealings, usurpation of power, anti-immigration sentiments, unethical science, and animal cruelty. Savvy readers may glean some hints about the current charged political scene. These disparate storylines coalesce uneasily. Mildly amusing, with a silly, stomach-turning premise conveying sober concepts. (Fiction. 10-12)

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July 1, 2017

Gr 4-8-In a small, insular Nordic town with seemingly harmless, quaint traditions, the children find themselves in a police state under a devious and manipulative kid mayor when all the adults suddenly and inexplicably fall into comas. Self-doubting and awkward Jean, 12, knows she must look for allies and uncover the truth. She and her small band of heroes are thwarted right and left, and readers will empathize with the characters as they encounter injustice. Dairman creates a sense of urgency and brings the work to a satisfying conclusion. The scenes are concise and well formed, grouped into chapters ending with a new question or realization that adds to the suspense. The trope of children without adult supervision or guidance leads to memorably humorous situations when the kids take on their parents' jobs (e.g., the plow driver's son who can't see over the steering wheel), as do the antics of a pet sheep. A friendship between Jean and Isara, who is from Thailand and the only immigrant in this mostly white community, emphasizes the theme of friendship in spite of differences. VERDICT Lighthearted enough to entice readers with the silly premise and whimsical illustrations sprinkled throughout, this middle grade book nonetheless explores some rather important political ideas about individuality and the need for a balance of powers in governance. A strong selection for most middle grade shelves.-Rhona Campbell, Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2017
Grades 3-6 Traditions are important to the isolated people of St. Polonius-on-the-Fjord, and none so much as their annual Founder's Day celebration. This is the first year that 12-year-old Jean Huddy has been old enough to taste the sacred bear liver, the pinnacle of the festivities, but to her chagrin, she's unable to keep it down. It turns out this is the least of her problems when, hours later, all of the town's adults and teenagers slip into an unwakeable sleep. In accordance with the town charter, the kids step into their parents' roles to keep St. Polonius running. The children take to playing grown-up with gusto, dressing up in oversize uniforms and suits, but Magnus King assumes his role as mayor with a more calculating enthusiasm. Evading Magnus' watchful eye, Jean works to find a cure for the adults, with the help of a few friends and her little brotherand his snowshoe-shod sheep, naturally. Quirky without being over-the-top, Dairman's novel is a funny, wintry romp that explores just what might happen if kids were in charge.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2018
Jean spits up her portion of the town's sacred bear liver (everyone twelve and over "must participate"), setting off a repeat of the mass hibernation that established the tradition and leaving the under-twelves to keep the town going. But is something more sinister happening? Though the premise is entertainingly absurd, the book maintains internal logic and a not-too-wacky tone, leaving space for the mystery; spot art adds atmosphere.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2017
The town of St. Polonius-on-the-Fjord is steeped in tradition surrounding its rather bizarre founding 343 years ago, when a shipwrecked sea captain and his crew saved themselves from starvation by eating a bear's liver, which mysteriously caused a mass hibernation that allowed everyone to survive the winter. At the annual Founders' Day celebration, every citizen older than twelve years, four months, and six days (the age of the youngest original crew member) must thereafter participate in the Tasting of the Sacred Bear Liver. This year, Jean, who's just crossed the age threshold, unintentionally spits her portion back up, apparently setting off a repeat of the original town-wide hibernation. Everyone who did taste the bear liver falls into an uninterruptible sleep, leaving the under-twelves to keep the town going under the draconian leadership of the mayor's son. But is something more sinister going on? Though the premise is entertainingly absurd, the book maintains an internal logic and a not-too-wacky tone, leaving space for the mystery of what really caused the giant group nap, and for the always-interesting question of what one would do if adults were (temporarily) out of the way. Black-and-white spot art, including many purported bits of local ephemera, adds to the atmosphere. shoshana flax

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)