Gustav Gloom and the Nightmare Vault

Gr 4–6—In this sequel to Gustav Gloom and the People Taker (Grosset & Dunlap, 2012), the protagonist and his friend, Fernie, are facing a new and terrible foe named October. He is especially dangerous to Gustav and his family of living shadows because he is a shadow eater. Readers learn more about Gustav and his family, the history of his home, and the dangers facing everyone should October, disguised as a creepy ice-cream salesman, obtain the Nightmare Vault. As Fernie and Gustav move through the Gloom Mansion, more and more truths of Gustav's past are revealed to them, including the fate of his missing parents. Margiotta's illustrations, complete with large emotive eyes, are a delightful addition to the opening of each chapter. The climax is predictable, and there are places where the author spends a great deal of time giving exposition rather than showing action, but the plot is likely to engage reluctant readers with a taste for the strange and unusual.—Wayne R. Cherry, Jr., First Baptist Academy Library, Houston, TX