A Way Between Worlds

Gr 3-6–In this fast-paced sequel that picks up soon after The Lighthouse Between the Worlds, Griffin and Fionna fight to save a series of mysterious worlds from mind-controlling priests. Earth-born Griffin and otherworldly Fionna set off on different missions. Fi struggles to harness her newfound powers as a Greenwitch to liberate two worlds whose forests have been destroyed, but leading a rebellion is much more difficult than her previous work as a spy. Meanwhile, Griffin and his parents travel to an oceanic planet in search of the source of a mysterious healing song that seems to rise from the deep. One of the joys of fantasy is world-building, and the descriptions of the realms of Caligo, Maris, Vinea, and Somni are concise and vivid but never distract from the action. For example, Griffin’s appreciation of Caligo, where people live on floating islands, is tempered by his dislike of their slimy food. Those who have not read The Lighthouse Between the Worlds might find the conflict hard to follow, as the villainous priests and soldiers are nameless and usually far away. However, Crowder deftly conveys the stakes of Griffin’s and Fi’s struggles by depicting the effects of oppression and resistance on their families.