Bitopia

by Ari Magnusson

Overview

New, updated edition of the bullying prevention adventure story that was named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012!

Bitopia is a wonderland of fantastical foliage and mysterious creatures. It's also a place where Venators lurk, vile creatures that relentlessly hunt children. As the only human inhabitants of Bitopia, the children are forced to live in a high-walled city for protection, a medieval metropolis of cold and shadow where time passes but no one ages, a place of no escape. Like all the other children in Bitopia, Stewart arrives there unexpectedly while fleeing from bullies. And, like all Newcomers, Stewart dreams of finding a way back home. Risking exile from the city and the protection that it offers, Stewart and Cora, his Finder, discover a clue to escaping, one that presents them with a terrible choice: face their greatest fear and risk death, or be trapped in Bitopia forever.

A fast-paced tale that addresses the problem of physical bullying and intimidation and provides an example to readers of how to get this type of bullying to stop on their own. Ages 10 and up.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780578702827
Publisher:	Olivander Press LLC
Publication date:	07/02/2020
Edition description:	2nd New Material, Revised. ed.
Pages:	242
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.55(d)
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

Editorial Reviews

Reviews of the first edition:

"Magnusson's debut...follows a young boy's flight from the wrath of bullies, taking him to another world from which there may be no escape...Magnusson infuses the narrative with stunning imagery that wallops the senses...Ample action and suspense...help the plot retain a steady speed. All the fun of a children's book, coupled with the razor-sharp wit and potent insight that seasoned readers crave." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review, Best of 2012)



"[E]ngaging, with a sincere element of tension and an overall sense of wonder....[I]deal for readers in need of an extra shot of courage when faced with difficult situations." - Publishers Weekly



"[An] engrossing novel for children that tackles head on the single most important element of bullying: fear. Bitopia is a compelling allegory that reveals the nature of fear and drives the reader to eagerly let go of it, an act that will deprive their bullies of their power. It should be on every school's recommended reading list." - Izzy Kalman, MS, Director of Bullies to Buddies, Inc.



"Bitopia is a fast-paced and suspense-filled adventure story about a boy who learns how to overcome his paralyzing fear of being bullied. . . Bitopia will help readers find courage to stand tall in the shadow of intimidation and as such, it can be used by parents and teachers as an effective springboard for discussion of what is a most difficult situation for all involved. I highly recommend this book." - Christopher McChesney, middle school teacher, National PASCO NSTA STEM Educator Award of 2016, Baltimore County Schools

From the Publisher

First-time author Magnusson delivers a welcome, though somewhat heavy-handed message about handling bullies in this fast-paced adventure. It starts when sixth-grader Stewart is forced to run and hide from the older children tormenting him. He is mysteriously transported to Bitopia, an idyllic world inhabited by other children who also arrived while fleeing bullies. However, the world is spoiled by the Venators, terrifying predators who stalk the children and force them to seek refuge in a heavily protected city at all times. When the Venators launch an all-out assault on the refuge, it's up to Stewart and his new friend Cora to discover the secret of defeating the Venators once and for all. While Magnusson's writing is solid and the story engaging, with a sincere element of tension and an overall sense of wonder, the underlying moral—stand up to bullies and don't let fear rule you—is far from subtle. Nevertheless, this book may be ideal for readers in need of an extra shot of courage when faced with difficult situations. Ages 8–up.

Publishers Weekly

Magnusson's debut YA fantasy follows a young boy's flight from the wrath of bullies, taking him to another world from which there may be no escape. On the run from bullies, new kid at school Stewart seeks refuge down a storm drain. He winds up lost in a maze of pipes until he steps out into a lush forest and the drain pipe entrance disappears. He encounters Cora, a young girl who takes him to a city hidden behind a great wall. Inside are only children, guided by a book written by the Forebears--the previous inhabitants--and fearing the tall, vicious Venators outside. The venerated book prophesizes a devastating final battle, but Stewart only wants a look at its pages in hopes of finding a way home. Magnusson's novel is an allegory: The Venators, who merely beat their prey in lieu of killing them, are equated with bullies, while the children, who never age, are the perpetual embodiment of innocence. But Magnusson infuses the narrative with stunning imagery that wallops the senses--the cacophony of a construction site as Stewart passes by or the multitude of colors in the forest. Some of the descriptions are made all the more authentic through the impressionable eyes of a child: Stewart likens the landscape to emerald green ice cream covered with candy. Ample action and suspense, including the predicted conflict between the city and its skeletal enemies, help the plot retain a steady speed. The best moments involve Cora and Stewart running through the forest, dodging the Venators; the book even opens with Stewart midsprint. Despite a theme geared for younger readers and the unmistakable moral lesson of facing one's fears head-on, the author surprises with somber, mature dialogue, as when the Princeps, the city's female leader, states bluntly, "[W]e are fairly confident that we are no longer on the planet Earth." For good measure, there are also talking animals, a protagonist who's more than deserving of a cheering audience and a bittersweet ending, with a slightly greater emphasis on the sweet. All the fun of a children's book, coupled with the razor-sharp wit and potent insight that seasoned readers crave.

Kirkus Reviews