Knight of Tykotech City (Juniper Mae #1)

The ambitious story lays lots of groundwork, and a cliff-hanger ending ensures that readers will be eager to pick up the next volume.

Gr 2-4--Juniper Mae is a tinkering wunderkind living in Tykotech City, a technological metropolis surrounded by dense forest. Creating inventions using spare parts from her father's repair store, Juniper is off testing her newest invention, a jetpack she calls the Juni Jet, when Tykotech's power source surges, causing her to crash land in the forest; there, she meets Albie, a friendly tama-tama (a small creature with "a little shell, and big, orb-like eyes"). Albie takes Juniper to his village, tells her about the humans and tama-tamas' shared history, and gives her an ancient sword. While visiting the tama-tamas, Juniper discovers that they live in harmony with nature, using energy from the forest plants to power their village. She returns home, accompanied by Albie and determined to use plant power and her own technological knowledge to save Tykotech City and the forest. The incandescent artwork equally embraces both verdant homespun and cool, clean technological aesthetics to give us a new magical girl for readers to follow. Soh respects the reader and delivers a smart story about respect for nature, breaking down established thinking, and being open to new ways of living to create an appealing new series for readers. VERDICT A plucky heroine, a cute sidekick, and a well-crafted story that will delight readers. --Rosemary Kiladitis

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Young inventor Juniper Mae lives in Tykotech City, a technological utopia surrounded by a foreboding forest and powered by an energy source called the Core. Unexplained Core interruptions have been plaguing the city; when a surge occurs while Juniper is out testing her latest invention--the Juni Jet, which resembles a jet pack--she crash-lands in the forest. To her surprise, instead of encountering the rumored terrible beasts feared by the city folk, she finds Albie, a tiny turtle-like creature known as a tama-tama, who accompanies her home. Albie also gifts her with an ancient artifact from the humans' and tama-tamas' shared past. Using the artifact and a new energy source derived from forest plants, Juniper determines to protect Tykotech and the forest from whatever is causing the power outages. Soh's radiant illustrations stand out with a combination of compellingly cute character designs and nifty mechanical touches, channeling Steven Universe vibes. Without being heavy-handed, Soh utilizes succinct dialogue and a loose, fast-paced plot to convey themes of synchronicity between nature and technology and of breaking down barriers and making friends, presenting a joyful read. Ages 7-9. (Mar.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"Sarah Soh's stunning story follows guardian warriors, genius inventors, and cute critters in a moving tale about friendship."
—Aminder Dhaliwal, author of Woman World

"You are immediately hooked into Juniper's story and lose yourself in the exquisitely rendered landscapes, and delightfully charming characters."
—Chris Garbutt, co-creator of Netflix's We Lost Our Humans

"Juniper Mae strikes the perfect balance of adventure, relatability, and charm."
—Megan Nicole Dong, creator of Netflix's Centaurworld

"Heartwarming, action-packed and full of magical images."
—Mark Griffiths, author of Space Lizards Stole My Brain!

"A beautiful book, crammed with breath-taking drawings and exciting adventures. Your jaw hits the floor in astonishment from the opening page."
—Gary Northfield, author of the Julius Zebra series