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THE GRIM ADVENTURE

From the Fern's School for Wayward Fae series , Vol. 2

An action-packed sequel that’s sure to please series fans.

The magically gifted students at Fern’s School for Wayward Fae attempt to head off destruction of their realm.

This second series installment picks up right where the first left off: with Rosemary Thorpe alone and in danger in the Seelie court. She escapes via the Grim Reaper’s home after “borrowing” a hoodie that renders her invisible, then returns to Fern’s School a few hours later—only to learn that she’s been gone for a month, and everyone’s been worrying about her. Rosemary’s gift for foreseeing people’s deaths has made her aware that something terrible is coming to the school, and her teacher Dante’s prophetic abilities have pinpointed her upcoming 13th birthday as the pivotal date. Rosemary and her roommate, Trym, are convinced the Seelie Keeper is behind everything, but the adults—other than Dante—laugh at and dismiss their concerns, leaving the students to investigate on their own and putting them in terrible danger. Fast-paced action sequences will keep readers on the edges of their seats. Those familiar with the events of the first book will experience the most enjoyment while following human-raised Rosemary as she continues to adapt to the magical world in which she finds herself and learns more about her own family. Rosemary and Trym read white.

An action-packed sequel that’s sure to please series fans. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Pub Date: May 6, 2025

ISBN: 9780593810507

Page Count: 288

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025

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SECRETS OF THE PURPLE PEARL

From the Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science series , Vol. 2

Unforgettably quirky, fast-paced fun.

In a race against their enemies, the Porch girls must find a peculiar pearl in order to foil a fiendish plot.

After defeating a monstrous Kyrgalops in The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science (2024), Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee Porch find themselves (after a series of madcap events) at Lake Kagloopy’s Purple Pearl Hotel with their mentor, Millicent Quibb. Quibb informs the trio that they must find the titular pearl before the members of their evil mad-scientist rivals, the KRA, do. If they fail, the KRA (whose members include the malevolent mayor, Majestina DeWeen, and her slimy sycophantic lawyer, Ashley Cookie) plans to use the gem to bestow the Gift of Endless Vibrancy on the villainous Talon Sharktūth. Hilarity ensues as the Porches attend the annual Shrimp Ball, encounter Umbrella Turkeys, search for Cloudite (floating cloud rocks), and don invisible but smelly woolen coats. Jokes aside, the girls’ story is intriguing, offering more clues to their mysterious backgrounds and tantalizing tidbits promising later adventures. McKinnon offers bountiful backstory (alongside a running joke to encourage readers to pick up the preceding volume) and enough guffaw-inducing jokes, zany footnotes, and creative jargon to enthrall readers both new and old with her delightful sophomore effort. Mixing humor, found family, and well-wrought worldbuilding, this sequel is a certain crowd pleaser. Final art not seen; in the previous book, the grayscale illustrations showed the girls with varying skin tones.

Unforgettably quirky, fast-paced fun. (appendices) (Adventure. 8-12)

Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025

ISBN: 9780316555296

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: July 19, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025

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THE WILD ROBOT PROTECTS

From the Wild Robot series , Vol. 3

Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.

Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.

When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.

Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)

Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023

ISBN: 9780316669412

Page Count: 288

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023

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