A young squirrel’s treacherous expedition turns into a quest to clear her family’s name in this third installment of a YA fantasy series.

Before Deria Daggerouth-Ballo was even born, the Great Vermin Army nearly destroyed her parents’ city. Her father Gy’s supposed link to the squirrel who led these rats right to Hesperia gets the Ballo family banished. “We must go far away,” Gy says, and so he; his wife, Cyrilline; and little Deria head west. They cross paths with such animals as owls, foxes, and crows—civil encounters coupled with overt menaces. Their ultimate destination is the Sloughs of Ungleauw, the site of a reputed kingdom of squirrels. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Sloughs make a less than idyllic realm, one that Deria hopes to escape. As the daughter of a ground squirrel and a flying squirrel, the girl struggles with flying, trying to imitate Cyrilline. But Deria steadily garners strength and courage as she faces creatures in the woods and the mountains. She soon proves strong enough to be a leader, but will anyone follow her into battle as she fights to restore the Ballo name? Claybrook’s sharply written, engaging installment is often bleak. For example, the Ballos, at least at first, seemingly have no allies, and many animals are malicious, even fellow squirrels. But this novel is enriching as well; readers watch tenacious, sympathetic Deria evolve as she braves adversaries, some of whom turn out to be more affable than they initially appear. Unmistakable themes of family and destiny run throughout the story. The protagonist, for instance, relays this narrative to her own daughter, Syrena, who has as much trouble flying as young Deria did. There are also signs of an enigmatic prophecy, which ties into Book 2. The final act spawns a satisfying wrap-up, though the author clearly has another installment in the works.

A motley, anthropomorphic cast headlines this entertaining story of trials and valor.

A squirrel embarks on a harrowing journey to find his destiny in this YA fantasy laden with anthropomorphic animals, the second book in the Elderwood Chronicles series.

When squirrel Lady Rodriga finds a baby squirrel adrift at sea, she raises him as her own. Before she dies, she tells Gethsarade that he has an ambiguous origin that involves the phrase “last of hopes.” Rodriga implores Gethsarade to find his destiny. He later makes a living by playing guitar, but after incensing a few animals, including the landlord he owes, Gethsarade flees and becomes a stowaway on a ship. Unfortunately, this ship is packed with rats known as pirats led by Capt. Barrogan Black. Adopting the name Vincent Poppaldi, Gethsarade befriends his onboard jail mates, Tiburt and Gy. After they manage to liberate themselves, the three ultimately seek the treasure of the City of Elorus, the same treasure Black wants. The rat captain’s crew follows them to the squirrel realm of Hesperia, but Gethsarade leads the locals in overwhelming the pirats. Now some believe that Gethsarade is destined to save them. As Capt. Black secretly hatches another plan, Gethsarade must decide if he’ll be the savior that others expect or if he’ll simply take the treasure and run. In Claybrook’s (The Miller and the Moon, 2019, etc.) deceptively straightforward story, there’s minimal plot development regarding characters’ destinations. But the animal characters are spirited and complex, particularly Gethsarade. Notwithstanding his eventual choice, he’s a prospective hero who, at least to some extent, is driven by greed. At the same time, backstory is engrossing. Readers first meet Gethsarade’s parents in a prologue that includes an introduction to the sinister Capt. Black. The story entails further, copious surprises, from what exactly the treasure is to a secret one of Gethsarade’s companions harbors. Though the young adult narrative is an easy read, the writing is crisp: “he had a hard set jaw, the kind only possessed by squirrels of high resolve, who needed no introduction or solicitation.”

Smart, ardent tale that will make readers want to revisit this series’ world.