Clem Hetherington and the Ironwood Race

Gr 3–6—The pair behind Something's Amiss at the Zoo team up once again. Clementine Hetherington is a scrappy, prodigious young teen with a knack for archaeology and fast cars. She lives on a diverse, alternate Earth populated by humans, humanoids, and dinosaurs with her faithful robot companion Digory. Clem and Dig are down on their luck when a shady character from their past finds them with a proposition to win the Ironwood Race—a multiday rally race of competitive archaeology site digging. What follows is a race full of danger, drama, and betrayal. At just over 200 pages, this series opener is all action for more than half of the volume. The galloping pace is perfect until the end, when it screeches to an abrupt halt. However, this won't be enough to sully the experience for most readers. Clem's ultimate discovery of her missing parents' fates is expected, but she's surprised to find out who's responsible. Holgate's illustrations are vibrant and evocative, with clever compositions in each frame. These creators have built a wonderful universe in which to continue Clem and Dig's stories, should they choose, and readers will be glad to ride along.