Slade, Arthur. Modo: Ember’s End. illus. by Chris Steininger. 88p. Orca. Feb. 2018. pap. $14.95. ISBN 9781459817210.

Gr 5-7 –Ember’s End is no ordinary 1870s frontier town. The late Dr. Ember, its founder, has designed a sophisticated world with state-of-the-art pneumatic tubes, a bullet-stopping force field, and surprisingly literary townsfolk. When a pair of British agents, Modo and Octavia, wander into town, they find themselves right at home. So at home, in fact, that they’re quickly made deputies, as the sheriff himself has died under mysterious circumstances. The two investigate a theft at Dr. Ember’s mansion, now inhabited by his daughter. Modo must use his shape-shifting abilities and Octavia her quick wit to discover why this strange town is under attack. Slade and Steininger’s fun and fizzy story pops with humor and dynamic illustrations. While the steampunk aesthetic in the Wild West setting is fun and fresh, the gender dynamics are dated. Modo and Octavia are clearly a team, but the book is named after Modo, and he’s the one who gets the opportunity to rescue damsels in distress. Octavia is often stereotypical, with a shoe obsession and an unwarranted jealousy of the only other female character. But the plot is well paced, the humor charming, and the setting enticing. VERDICT This high-spirited, witty adventure suffers as the result of clichéd depictions of gender yet will ultimately delight thrill-seeking readers.–Anna Murphy, Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn