The Dragon's Gate

Gr 4–8—In this second book of three, Bren and Mouse struggle to survive on the vanishing island. When the surviving members of the crew of the Albatross show up, Bren is eager to journey back to his hometown. But Mouse wants his help finding the Dragon's Gate and figuring out who she is and where she came from. Thanks to Bren's excellent memory, the group come up with a basic location for where they are, which gives them an idea of where to go to find assistance. As they set off in the longboat, Bren's father and friend Mr. Black are working on plans of their own. Lady Jean Barrett is sent by Mr. Black to find Bren and bring him back, but she gets distracted by the pursuit of the Eight Immortals, objects containing the power of the Ancients. She and her ally, Yaozu, along with Mouse, Bren, and their sailor friend, Sean, set off to find the tomb where the Eight Immortals are said to be stashed. But the voyage is long and exhausting, and Bren isn't sure it's worth the effort. But Mouse's unusual abilities continue to appear, leaving the group with many questions. Bren and Mouse make appealing heroes, one very reluctantly and the other quite mysteriously. Most readers will need to be familiar with the first installment to keep up.