Of Witches and Wind

Gr 5–8—In this sequel to Of Giants and Ice (S & S, 2012), seventh-grader Rory is looking forward to spending spring break with her friends Lena and Chase at the Ever After School, an after-school program for fairy-tale Characters. However, when most of the students and faculty are poisoned, Rory and a team of Characters must head off on a quest to Atlantis to find the antidote. As before, the Ice Queen is their main nemesis, but the Characters must also contend with hostile Fey royalty, boisterous Wind siblings, bridge trolls, and other assorted folks of myth and legend. Brave, self-reliant kids with special powers and destinies—check. Enemies determined to kill them off by any means necessary—check. A school devoted to keeping the kids safe while training them to meet their destinies and defeat their enemies—check. Kids addicted to this genre will probably find the barrage of nonstop action and the breezy tone to their taste. While most characters are only lightly sketched and the plot lacks cohesion, Rory is both plucky and likable; readers see enough of her "real" life to understand why the Ever After School is the only place where she feels she can shine. Try this adventure fantasy on Rick Riordan fans.—Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library