The End of the World Club

Gr 5—9—When listeners last met 14-year-old Max Murphy in Jon and Pamela Voelkel's Middleworld (Smith & Sons, 2007), he had just made a deal with the Mayan Death Lords, promising them a favor in return for releasing his parents from captivity in Xibalba, the Mayan underworld. In this sequel (Egmont USA, 2010), the Death Lords are calling in the favor and Max, along with his friend Lola, travel to Spain in search of the final Jaguar Stone which they are required to find and return to the lords in Xibalba. As in the first book, Scott Brick provides excellent narration, capturing the story's action and the characters' emotions with perfect pacing, and giving each major character a unique voice. Unfortunately, the story itself falls short in this sequel, with holes in the plot making it difficult for listeners to buy in to the fantasy. Max often comes off as overly whiny and annoying. Those already invested in the series may want to give this sequel a chance since Brick's notable narration elevates what is otherwise a lackluster outing.—Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT