Several sequels and companion books are reviewed in this month’s issue—from Bruce Coville’s laugh-out-loud second installment in the “Enchanted Files” series and Eleanor Glewwe’s thoughtful follow-up to Sparkers to Kirsten Hubbard’s unique companion to last year’s unsettling Watch the Sky and Beth Vrabel’s heartfelt sequel to A Blind Guide to Stinkville.

Cody, Matthew. The Magician’s Key. 336p. (The Secrets of the Pied Piper: Bk. 2). Knopf. Nov. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780385755269; ebk. ISBN 9780385755283.

Gr 4-7 –Book 1 of Cody’s trilogy introduced modern siblings Max and Carter and a posse of centuries-old children lured by the Pied Piper from Hamelin, Germany, to a magical island. The second volume finds Carter trekking through the fairy tale–infused Summer Isle with several New Hameliners, plus a feisty elf and a dim-witted kobold, alternately fleeing from and seeking out Slavic witches, human-size rats, and the villainous Piper himself. Sister Max—abruptly returned to the real world at the end of the first installment—teams up with an elfling and a trollson to defeat a nefarious magician and make it back to the Isle to rescue Carter and their parents. Like the earlier title, this novel juggles a convoluted cast of characters with shifting allegiances and often opaque motivations, who traverse vast distances both in the real and magical realms. With so many elements in play, the better-developed characters from The Peddler’s Road receive less differentiation here, though Cody deserves credit for making new villain Vodnik a figure of grotesque cruelty but keeping him from being too terrifying. The narrative sprawl prevents readers from investing fully in any of the main characters, and the first book’s touching sibling dynamic—Max’s protectiveness in tension with Carter’s hard-won independence—suffers as the pair navigate separate worlds. In addition, some readers may be uneasy when the Piper magically “fixes” Carter’s physical disability without consulting the boy. Still, derring-do abounds, fantastical creatures flourish, and (some) foes are vanquished. VERDICT Fans of The Peddler’s Road will likely enjoy this somewhat ungainly second installment in this folktale adventure series.–Robbin E. Friedman, Chappaqua Library, NY

Coville, Bruce. Hatched. illus. by Paul Kidby. 272p. (The Enchanted Files: Bk. 2). Random. Oct. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780385392556; ebk. ISBN 9780385392570.

Gr 4-6 –Gerald Overflight is a poetry-writing, cowardly griffin whose anxiety and siblings get the best of him. Griffins are supposed to be fierce, regal, and fearless, but Gerald defies typical griffin stereotypes. The first egg laid but the last to hatch, he runs away when even his father states that he is ashamed of his son. With the prodding of Master Abelard, a gnome with ulterior motives, Gerald soon enters the world of humans, where he befriends Brad Ashango. Despite their obvious differences, the two soon discover their similarities, establishing trust and confidence and ultimately saving a secret community of gnomes. Coville brings his signature wit and humor to this fantasy story. The text is composed of diary entries, letters, articles from enchanted books, and more, forcing readers to independently put the pieces together. The inclusion of the personal writings of Gerald, Master Abelard, and Brad allows for strong character development. The only major flaw is the rushed climax and falling action, which feel abrupt and too easily accomplished. However, this second installment adds authentic and engaging, multidimensional characters to a strong series that finds heroes in outcasts. VERDICT Recommended for medium and large middle grade collections looking to add high-interest fantasy.–Mary-Brook J. Townsend, Episcopal Collegiate School, Little Rock, AK

Glewwe, Eleanor. Wildings. 336p. Viking. Nov. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780451468857.

Gr 5-8 –Rivka Kadmiel accompanies her ambassador father to Ashara for one reason: to find her lost twin brother, Arik. At age 10, Rivka passed her magic test, remaining in her kasiri (upper-class) family while Arik, a nonmagical wilding, was immediately placed with a halani (lower-class) family in the country of Ashara. Rivka works fiercely to locate her brother with the help of her new school friend, Caleb. Rivka shares class notes with Caleb, since he has hearing loss, and Caleb connects Rivka to Arik and other halani families. The strict “family laws” prohibit kasiri and halani from mixing, and Rivka’s future with Arik seems uncertain unless the laws are overturned. She works with her brother and social activists Marah Levi and Azariah to legally reunite wilding families in an exciting courtroom battle. This sequel to Sparkers, Marah and Azariah’s story, is not a stand-alone novel. Kasiri and halani terminology are not clearly explained from the beginning, although there is a glossary in the back. Glewwe writes Rivka’s tale in first-person present tense, which seems choppy and awkward at the start but immediate and urgent in the final scenes. While Arik doesn’t match Rivka for loyalty and bravery, Rivka’s growing understanding of the function of law and her passion for creating a just society are inspiring. This is a thoughtful adventure, with magic seeping through the pages. VERDICT Don’t hesitate to purchase this morality-driven fantasy where Sparkers has fans.–Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT

Hubbard, Kirsten. Race the Night. 288p. ebook available. Disney-Hyperion. Nov. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781484708347.

Gr 4-6 –The world has ended. All that’s left is the remote desert compound where 12-year-old Eider and four other children live under the stern rule of Teacher, whose tales of the cataclysm and dangers of the outside world keep the children isolated and afraid to question what they’ve been told. Eider’s growing sense of “something out there...something more” emboldens her to venture beyond the compound walls, discovering traces of humanity and hope. Like its companion novel Watch the Sky, this title includes a stark desert setting, apocalyptic paranoia, and sincere but delusional adults who use fear as a weapon of control. Hubbard waits until the final pages to link the two stories: when they do intersect, fans of the first book will be rocked. Readers unfamiliar with Watch the Sky will still enjoy an emotionally satisfying—if a bit convenient—resolution. Hubbard’s evocative language conveys the tension: a character’s hair is “so pale it looked like the color had been frightened out of it.” The four children who make up Eider’s compound family tug at readers’ hearts as they struggle to gain the courage to challenge their limited world. Eider is an engaging protagonist, journeying from oppression to liberation, buoyed by the faith that she may still have something the other children do not: a sibling. VERDICT The end of one world is the beginning of another in this moving tale of resilience, hope, and the meaning of family. A unique and well-written addition for medium to large middle grade collections.–Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Vrabel, Beth. A Blind Guide to Normal. 272p. ebook available. Sky Pony. Oct. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781510702288.

Gr 4-6 –Richie Ryder Randolf is used to being a big fish in a small pond. At the Addison School for the Blind, he’s hilarious, he’s smooth, and he’s popular enough to serve as a social mentor for others. Relocated to a middle school in suburban Washington, DC, for eighth grade while his scientist parents go on assignment, he’s flopping on the shore and gasping for air. Between navigating the challenges of his limited vision (he wears an artificial eye owing to complications from cancer) and being a social disaster, Ryder is seriously struggling—and he’s not the only one. His grandfather, who’s supposed to be taking care of Ryder while the boy’s parents are away, talks to his decades-dead wife, lives as if he’s still in the 1970s, and insists on calling the protagonist by his full name, Richie Ryder. Ryder’s parents are immersed in work to the point of benign neglect. In this sequel to A Blind Guide to Stinkville, Vrabel injects just the right goofy mix of hormones and pain into Ryder’s mounting rages, fervent emotional deflection techniques, and confusing romantic ups and downs and gives equal weight to the foibles and dramas of those around him. As any reader of middle grade fiction might expect, the title is a red herring—nobody’s normal, and everybody’s just trying their best. VERDICT A sweet, thoughtful, and funny read. Hand this to fans of Vrabel’s previous novels and those who enjoy a heartfelt tale without the typical saccharine coating.–Katya Schapiro, Brooklyn Public Library