A – The Times (London)

Kenneth Oppel's Airborn is a terrific, rollicking adventure set in a Victorian world traversed by airships. It is narrated by Matt, a cabin-boy who must survive piracy and shipwreck on a volcanic island with only the spirited Kate to help him. Together, they track down the mysterious cloud cats which inadvertently killed Kate's father, and set each other free from convention. Matt is a lovely hero - fearless, smart, irreverent, sunny and agile as the young Indiana Jones.... Airborn bounces along, filled with irresistible optimism and a zest that makes you hope for a sequel.

– The Times (London)

pb+jAugust 22, 2018Airborn

HB - School Library Journal

Oppel has taken a fascinating subject and molded it into a top-notch read. Deftly integrating family dynamics, animal-rights issues, and the painful lessons of growing up, Half Brother draws readers in from the beginning and doesn't let go. The carefully crafted characters will be an easy connection for teens and the interpretation of the animal-testing controversies of the 1970s will provide an alternate viewpoint for animal-book lovers.

– School Library Journal (starred review)

pb+jAugust 22, 2018Half Brother

SWI – KIRKUS (STARRED REVIEW)

Printz honor-winner Oppel skillfully portrays him as both a troubled teen and the boy who would become Frankenstein. Addictions and lustful encounters add another layer of sophistication to the gothic melodrama. A standout sequel and engrossing ghost story.

– KIRKUS (STARRED REVIEW)

pb+jAugust 22, 2018Such Wicked Intent

TDE – PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review)

In this stylish gothic tale, first in a planned series, teenage Victor Frankenstein makes a desperate attempt to create the forbidden alchemical Elixir of Life, in order to save his beloved twin brother, Konrad, from an untimely death. Aided by his steadfast friend Henry and his adopted sister, Elizabeth, who both twins love to distraction, Victor sets out to acquire the necessary ingredients, scales the tallest tree in the Sturmwald during a lightning storm to acquire a rare and poisonous lichen, later descending into a dangerous Swiss cave in search of the equally rare and even deadlier coelacanth. Victor, already a mad scientist in training, is passionate and easily angered, and Elizabeth makes for a fiery love interest. Written in a readable approximation of early 19th-century style, Oppel's (Half Brother) tale is melodramatic, exciting, disquieting, and intentionally over the top. For the most part, Oppel hews closely to the Frankenstein mythos, and with a delicious mix of science, history, and horror, he peers into the psyche of a young man who is beginning to hunger for greater control over life and death. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)

– PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review)

pb+jAugust 22, 2018This Dark Endeavour

TB - Booklist (Starred Review)

Oppel offers a grand adventure story that is firmly rooted in Canadian history but which is never limited by mere recorded facts. This vividly imagined, present-tense narrative features a series of heart-stopping action scenes involving dozens of memorable characters... An epic journey novel with a distinctive setting, a powerful sense of adventure, and just a whiff of steampunk.

– Booklist (Starred Review)

pb+jAugust 22, 2018The Boundless

TN - A New York Times Editors Choice.

"The Nest leaves a lasting mark on the memory.... Readers will find much to savor here, both scary and subtle."

– A New York Times Editors Choice.

pb+jAugust 21, 2018The Nest

EHT – Kirkus Reviews

“In the great era of dinosaur-hunting, two teenagers accompany their paleontologist fathers in a race to discover the biggest of them all: the rex. A spirit of adventure permeates this fast-paced novel by the award-winning Oppel…. Rich in period details and dialogue, the story shifts between Rachel's and Sam's alternating first-person voices. Rachel's narrative reveals that she's one of the few white characters with enough conscience to reflect on the savagery of the explorers' treatment of the local Pawnee and Lakota Sioux. Suspense, romance, and the excitement of discovery make this Western thoroughly enjoyable.”

– Kirkus Reviews

pb+jAugust 21, 2018Every Hidden Thing

EHT – Booklist

“In alternating first-person narratives, Rachel and Samuel tell the story of their growing romance against the backdrop of a fascinating period of scientific discovery and one of many grim moments in America’s history with American Indians…. Oppel’s descriptions of the digs and the brainy romance between his vivid, multifaceted protagonists are notable high points.”

– Booklist

pb+jAugust 21, 2018Every Hidden Thing

EHT - Sunday Times UK

"Oppel’s ability to make us care about every dusty find as much as the attraction between Sam and Rachel — who share the job of narrator — is quietly impressive. This is fantastic prehistoric beasts and where to find them, with a dollop of Indiana Jones and a spoonful of Romeo and Juliet. It gets a roar of approval from this camp."

- The Sunday Times (UK)

pb+jAugust 8, 2018Every Hidden Thing

EHT - Kirkus Reviews

“In the great era of dinosaur-hunting, two teenagers accompany their paleontologist fathers in a race to discover the biggest of them all: the rex. A spirit of adventure permeates this fast-paced novel by the award-winning Oppel…. Rich in period details and dialogue, the story shifts between Rachel's and Sam's alternating first-person voices. Rachel's narrative reveals that she's one of the few white characters with enough conscience to reflect on the savagery of the explorers' treatment of the local Pawnee and Lakota Sioux. Suspense, romance, and the excitement of discovery make this Western thoroughly enjoyable.”

– Kirkus Reviews

pb+jAugust 8, 2018Every Hidden Thing

EHT - Booklist

“In alternating first-person narratives, Rachel and Samuel tell the story of their growing romance against the backdrop of a fascinating period of scientific discovery and one of many grim moments in America’s history with American Indians…. Oppel’s descriptions of the digs and the brainy romance between his vivid, multifaceted protagonists are notable high points.”

– Booklist

pb+jAugust 8, 2018Every Hidden Thing