A quick dwarf-spotting expedition into the Unreliable Forest takes a disquieting turn for young Gracie Gillypot and her scruffy royal friend, Prince Marcus, in this third story set in the cozy though occasionally dangerous Five Kingdoms. When Gracie falls into a trap set by a malicious troll-goblin, she also falls afoul of a prophecy that the death of a “Trueheart” (which Gracie is) will elevate the lonely and depressed king of the Underground Trolls to King of Kings. As Marcus frantically mounts a rescue above ground, Gracie manages her own escape then stoutly returns to the tunnels to rescue an ally left behind and finds herself being hustled into a potentially fatal audience with the troll king. As before, French tells the tale in breezy tones—ably reflected in Collins’s occasional, comically gothic ink drawings—and folds numerous complications into the plot, along with a generous assortment of dwarves, trolls, mystic crones, spoiled princesses and talking bats. All ends well, and she and Marcus are last seen planning a follow-up outing in search of dragons. That, too, should be fun. (cast list) (Fantasy. 10-13)
